TTS GLOBALTTS / SERVICE GUIDE
Pre-Shipment Inspection in China (PSI) & AQL
Compare finished goods with your order before you decide to ship.
Request a quote
01 / WHEN TO USE IT
Before shipment release
- A finished order is approaching shipment.
- You need evidence before releasing the balance or shipment.
- A previous defect needs to be checked again.
Understand the service in detail
A pre-shipment inspection gives buyers an independent view of a finished order before the shipment-release decision. TTS compares accessible goods with your purchase order, specifications, approved sample and agreed inspection checklist. It is particularly useful when your team cannot attend the factory, several styles are packed together, or an earlier production issue needs a final check. The agreed sampling plan defines which units are examined; a sampled inspection is not a check of every unit.
- 01Defined shipment lot→
- 02Agreed AQL sample→
- 03Separate inspection findings→
- 04Buyer’s shipment decision
A scope guide; the actual methods and criteria are agreed for the project.
02 / A CLOSER LOOK
AQL inspection: define the decision before the visit.
Open a checkpoint to see the evidence recorded and how it informs your decision.
01Define the lot
Identify the order, models, colours, sizes and quantities presented for inspection. Record finished, packed and inaccessible quantities separately.
A result for the available goods cannot silently cover unfinished units or a different production batch.
02Agree the sampling plan
Specify the sampling standard and edition, inspection level, normal/tightened/reduced status where applicable, and acceptance criteria by defect class.
Sample size and acceptance/rejection numbers come from the selected plan. AQL alone does not define the complete inspection.
03Classify and count consistently
Agree examples of critical, major and minor defects. Record the unit, defect location and whether the counting basis is nonconforming units or nonconformities.
The same observation should not be classified differently by the factory, inspector and buyer. Safety issues also need their own escalation rule.
04Keep checks separate
Distinguish sampled workmanship results, measurement results, functional checks, packing conformity and incomplete tests.
An acceptable workmanship count does not cancel a failed safety check, wrong barcode or missing mandatory label.
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
A dimensional pattern needs more than a defect total.
- !
The situation
One garment size is outside tolerance.
- ◎
What to record
Record the size, measurement points and actual readings.
- ↗
The next decision
Isolate that size and agree the recheck.
Read the full scenario
Illustrative example: an apparel order contains several sizes. The sampled garments have acceptable sewing, but measurements from one size repeatedly fall outside the approved tolerance. The report should identify that size, the points measured, actual readings and the specification limits. The buyer can then ask the factory to isolate and recheck the affected size, instead of accepting the entire order because the overall appearance looks good.
03 / STANDARDS & REQUIREMENTS
The rule.
The scope.
The evidence.
Applicability and editions are confirmed for your product, market and project date.
ISO 2859-1 / AQL
A reference for acceptance sampling by attributes. Confirm the contractual edition and the complete sampling plan.
Official source & scopeANSI/ASQ Z1.4
An alternative buyer-specified sampling system; record its inspection regime and counting basis rather than treating different standards as automatically interchangeable.
Official source & scope04 / THE WORKING PROCESS
From your brief
to your next step.
01Prepare the brief
Confirm the specification, defect criteria, sampling approach and factory readiness before the visit.
02Start the work
Identify the available lot and select samples across the agreed items and packing units.
03Examine & record
Inspect, measure and photograph findings; record test conditions and any checks that could not be completed.
04Review & follow up
Issue the inspection findings for your review and agree whether rework or a repeat visit is needed.
Content guide; the agreed service determines the final deliverable.
05 / YOUR DELIVERABLE
A basis for
your next decision.
Photographic findings and a report against the agreed criteria. You decide whether to release the shipment.
How to use the result
Use the report to discuss defects with the supplier, request rework, seek further evidence or decide on shipment release. The buyer retains the commercial acceptance decision.
06 / Discuss your project
What to send for a quotation
- Purchase order, item quantities and factory contact.
- Specification, approved sample or reference photos.
- Packing artwork, required checks, acceptance criteria and shipment date.
Practical questions
Does AQL 2.5 mean 2.5% of the shipment may be defective?
No. AQL is an input to an acceptance-sampling system, not a promise about the actual defect percentage in an individual shipment. The lot, inspection level and selected plan also matter.
Should a failed inspection be repeated after rework?
Define what was corrected, which stock was affected and how it was separated. A follow-up can then verify the correction and re-examine the agreed lot; a supplier’s statement alone is different from new inspection evidence.
When should I book?
Send the planned shipment date early. TTS confirms the required production and packing readiness for the agreed scope before fixing the visit.