According to data from  Salary.com, quality control inspectors make an average of $19 per hour. On an annualized basis, that translates to compensation of $46,043 as of fall 2021.

Going into more detail, approximately 10 per cent of quality control inspectors make less than $36,419 per year, and around 10 per cent make more than $56,909 per year. Fifty per cent make between $41,006 and $51,730 per year.

What does a quality control inspector do?

Quality control inspectors examine materials and products for problems and issues. Generally, they work in the manufacturing sector close to production lines, but can be found throughout the supply chain.

Most quality control inspectors work full time during regular business hours. In some circumstances, their employers may require them to do overtime, particularly during periods of high demand or to meet deadlines.

Quality control inspectors require a high school diploma. Some also receive on-the-job training, which lasts from a month up to a year.

What factors determine how much a quality control inspector gets paid?

As you might expect, multiple factors determine the level of compensation that a quality control inspector receives. These include education (those with more qualifications can earn more), the number of years spent in the profession, and certifications.

Pay can also depend on the type of quality control tasks that the inspector performs.

Entry-level quality control inspectors, for instance, may perform tasks such as inspection of materials, products, and parts of different stages of production. Following their observations, they recommend changes or process improvements. However, usually, they do not perform any difficult or rigorous analysis.

Generally, these individuals require a high school education or diploma, not advanced qualifications. They usually require 12 months or less of work experience. For that reason, pay may fall around $35,000 per year.

More senior quality control inspectors have the certifications, qualifications, and skills necessary to perform both checks and tests of manufacturing processes. They may compile data, analyze it and create records of production process observations. They may also make recommendations for improving processes. Quality control inspectors at this level earn between $55,000 and $60,000 per year.

The level of compensation also varies considerably by state. Quality control inspectors operating in New England states, such as Maryland, may earn as much as $62,000 per year, while those working in Arkansas may only earn $40,000 per year.

How much do quality control inspectors make compared to similar careers?

Quality control inspectors tend to earn slightly less than comparable careers, such as sheet metal workers, riggers, mining machine operators, and oil and gas rotary drill operators. However, they earn more than standard machinists, pump operators, fallers, and chemical technicians.

What is the job outlook for quality control inspectors?

The job outlook for quality control inspectors is projected to worsen over the coming years. The BLS predicts that employment will fall by 12 percent before 2030. However, it says that unemployment is unlikely. New quality control inspectors will be required to replace those lost to retirement.

Get quality control inspection services

inspectors with quality control checklists play a vital role in ensuring product quality across a variety of industries. Therefore, their work is essential.

If you’d like to benefit from what they do, including improving customer satisfaction and compliance, use Global Inspection Managing quality control services, today. Either call our regional offices or contact us using the form on our website.

Quality is an essential factor when it comes to any product or service. It’s the market differentiator between reliable and durable products/services and mediocre items. That’s where quality control comes in.

What is quality control?

Quality control is a process through which businesses seek to ensure product quality is maintained and improved at all stages. Usually, it involves testing units and determining if they’re within the specifications of the final product. However, the techniques used vary depending on the product or the industry.

All in all, quality control aims to check the quality of a product, ensuring faulty or damaged products don’t end up with customers. With the competitive nature of business, quality control is vital to building a successful company that delivers products that meet or exceed customer expectations.

Why is quality control important?

Although the primary goal of a quality control inspector is to check the quality of products and determine any needs for corrective actions in the manufacturing process, it offers more benefits than that. This includes:

1. Consumer satisfaction

Consistent quality products are a great way of maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty. This is because your business can meet its customers’ demands by selling items that are up to par. Additionally, quality control limits errors and defects, guaranteeing consumers get products that satisfy their needs.

2. Higher profits

Today, consumers are willing to pay more money for good, safe quality products as they know they’re getting value for their money. So, when your business invests in quality control, it increases its profit margins by selling durable items at a higher/competitive price to more customers.

On the other hand, consumers are more likely to do repeat business with you and recommend your products to their friends, family and co-workers, increasing your sales.

3. Safe quality

Safe quality is a no-brainer when it comes to certain businesses, particularly those in the food industry. The last thing you want is to sell food items that get your customers sick. Luckily, a simple quality control system can ensure the health and safety of all your food products, ensuring clients get better items.

This not only eliminates distrust within and outside the business but also reduces fears about safety risks.

4. Reduced production costs

When done well, quality control ensures better operations and maintenance of equipment and facilities, reducing downtime and losses. It also minimizes waste and ensures your business operates at a high level of productivity for maximum profit.

Quality control further checks the production of inferior and defective products, which significantly brings down the cost of production. Similarly, it allows your business to maximise the use of available resources to reduce inefficiencies of any kind.

Bottom line

No business should neglect quality control, regardless of its size. It goes a long way in ensuring business growth, development and sustainability and gives your company an edge over its competitors.

If you’re looking to invest in quality control, get in touch with us today. We’re an innovative company that offers quality control and product inspection services to businesses in various industries.

Defining PSI Inspection

Pre-Shipment Inspection or PSI inspection is when the manufactured products are selected randomly from batches and are inspected systematically. This pre-shipment testing is usually done when the production is 100% complete and 80% packed.

PSI Inspection is a mandatory and effective tool to ensure that acceptable quality level standards and specific customer requirements are adhered to. Such product inspections are often done by a pre-shipment inspector who tests the products and makes a final report based on the pre-shipment inspection checklist.

Some key objectives of the pre-shipment inspection procedure are the following:

• To determine product defect types and get an idea of the percentage of products that may have these issues.
• To ensure that the product meets the set quality requirements.
•  To check if the working of the product is up to the mark.
• As a means of final check of the shipping labels, the packing and other product information.

This pre-shipment procedure was introduced in 1994 as part of an official agreement to improve international trade standards under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). It was later replaced by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The “Agreement on Pre-Shipment Inspection,” details the principles that should always be applied to the inspections–non-discrimination, price verification and protection of confidentiality to name a few.

The pre-shipment procedure has 7 important steps:

Step 1 – Onsite Inspection

Onsite inspections, as the name suggests, are inspections that are carried out ‘onsite or at the factory premises.  But, when restricted or regulated toxic chemicals or dyes are involved, the pre-shipment inspectors can request that lab testing be done for these products offsite in other facilities equipped for handling the chemicals.

Global businesses are always at risk of quality issues that could arise from manufacturing defects. Such errors can be detected before the shipment during a comprehensive onsite inspection where the inspector is required to visit the manufacturer onsite at the warehouse or production house. During this step, the inspector will use statistical sampling methods to select a sample for checking, and this particular number will also be noted in the quality report.

Step 2 – Verification of Quantity

The second step of the pre-shipment testing is the verification of quantity to make sure that the number of boxes or items ready for shipment is correct. In this step, the inspectors count the cartons so that only the correct number of products and boxes are sent to the shipping destination. The inspectors will also ensure that correct packing materials are being used in all cartons to ensure safe transportation.

PSI inspections are a cost-effective method to reduce risks that could occur from compliance or delays. Checking and verifying the quantity in the pre-shipment stage can help save money, effort and resources that can happen if the right number of boxes or products agreed upon are not shipped. As this can be problematic for both the company as well as the customers.

Step 3 – Choose product samples

A detailed pre-shipment procedure is integral in several industries including manufacturing and retail to steer clear of expensive import risks, low-quality products reaching the customers, or even huge wastages from product recalls. The third step in the pre-shipment inspection procedure is the selection of product samples.

Internationally recognized statistical sampling methods are used to select the samples from the batches for quality inspection. The defects of any of the selected samples are then compared to an Acceptance Quality Limit before being rejected.

Step 4 – Workmanship verification

A product’s workmanship is like a stamp of quality or like a unique promise from the manufacturer as to how it is different from competitor products. The fourth step of the pre-shipment procedure is the verification of workmanship. The inspector in charge of the quality testing checks the product visually for any defects or issues in the overall workmanship.

The immediately visible defects seen in the randomly selected sample are then classified as minor, major, or critical when compared to predetermined acceptable tolerance levels. These predefined levels are decided by the manufacturer and supplier in the product development stage. Overlooking workmanship issues can be damaging to the company or manufacturer’s reputation in the long run.

Step 5 – Function, Mechanical & Electrical Safety Testing

The fifth step of the PSI inspection involves the conformity verification of the products. The product’s functionality is tested to ensure that there aren’t any functional defects. Physical tests can be performed on the products to determine their strength. Some products may require detailed electrical and mechanical safety testing as well.

Mechanical safety tests are necessary for products with moving parts as these can cause potential harm to the users if not tested properly. The critical parts of the products like screws or hinges are checked in this step. Electrical safety tests are done on electronic products to ensure that the widely accepted safety regulations are adhered to. High voltage tests, leakage current tests, insulation resistance tests, or ground continuity tests are some such tests.

Step 6 – Labelling Phase

In the sixth step of the pre-shipment inspection procedure, the quality control inspector does a quality check of the product labels. This is done to ensure that the sizes specified correspond with the product dimensions and the labels. In the case of electrical or electronic products, there are some country-specific labeling and markings that need to be strictly followed.

UL Certification Mark, CE Marking (USA), VDE (Germany), CSA (Canada), BSI (UK), or the CCC Mark (China) are some such country-specific markings used. Thorough verification of the labels make sure that duplicate or fraudulent products don’t get to the hands or the customers.

Step 7 – Final Inspection Reporting

The last step of the pre-shipment procedure is the final inspection reporting. Once the quality testing is done a report is drawn up with an overview of the findings, the inspection details along with the quality pass or fail result. Certain pre-shipment reports will include images of the inspection points, so the defects seen are recorded. The inspection report is then sent to the clients so further steps can be taken to rectify the errors or initiate product recalls in serious cases.

All members involved in the supply chain from the suppliers and importers to sellers are responsible for maintaining product quality and ensuring customer satisfaction. PSI Inspections are an important tool especially for importers or manufacturers to protect their investments. Some well-established third-party inspection companies like Global Inspection Managing can also handle this important pre-shipment function for you before your products leave the factory.

Quality is an aspect that is important to every sector, but quality control in the food industry is especially crucial because of the impact it can have on the health and lives of millions. As per reports from The Business Research Company, the global food and beverages market is expected to grow to $7,942.08 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 5.8%.

Owing to the size of the industry, food safety and quality assurance are strictly regulated by industry guidelines and the law of food manufacture, distribution and sale.
Companies should adopt a holistic approach when it comes to quality. ISO 9001 is a well-known quality standard respected by companies and consumers across the globe. The laws in place help to a great extent in preventing health hazards and fraud to customers.
Selling adulterated, filthy or contaminated food is a criminal offense making it imperative for companies in the food sector to consistently maintain adequate quality standards.
People only buy from food companies that they perceive as good for themselves and their families. A single mistake in food safety and quality assurance can harm the reputation or brand image removing trust from the equation.

What is quality control in the food industry?

Food is something that can directly affect the health and well-being of people and so quality has to be ensured in every stage of production. The main goal of food quality control procedures in this industry is to make it fit for human consumption and to meet industry guidelines and customer needs.

Before we talk about the importance of food quality control, it is necessary to know the difference between quality control and quality assurance in this industry. Quality control is different in every sector and is highly dependent on the product.
In the case of food or beverages, quality control is to make sure that consumers do not fall sick from the products. For this samples are taken from the production line for performing different types of chemical or microbiological tests. Whereas quality assurance is what checks in detail if the product matches the labeling and if the correct processes are consistently used to make the products.

Importance of food quality control

Quality control in the food industry is a very dynamic and challenging aspect because the sector deals with sensitive products. Quality issues can lead to unhappy customers, profit losses, huge wastage and product recall as well. It is crucial for every food business to comply with important food quality control procedures and to never overlook food safety.
Apart from making sure that your consumers never fall ill from the intake of your food products, here are the other reasons that ascertain the importance of food quality control:

• To help control and reduce production costs or even extra expenses arising from refunds, recalls, compensations or lawsuits.
• To ensure that people trust your products and that your brand image is boosted.
• To increase sales that can come from high demand and better brand reputation.
• To improve production methods in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• To ensure all your employees are on the same page with regard to quality and their morale is enhanced.

How to ensure food safety and quality assurance?

In the food industry, the scope of quality assurance and food safety is much more extensive when compared to quality control. Quality assurance can involve a range of quality control activities like inspection, testing or monitoring of the products along with the additionalsteps required to steer clear of food safety hazards or serious quality issues.
Food quality should be ensured across all stages like development, production and distribution. For this, the procedures must be carefully planned and meticulously designed with an idea of the likely problems at every step of the process.

Food safety and quality assurance can be ensured using both reactive and proactive methods. Proactive or preventative quality control prevents production aberrations and can include inspection of machines or equipment, employee training on the quality standards, and regular maintenance of tools used in production. Proactive methods can help to improve
overall product quality and also foresee issues at early stages before they turn into costly mistakes.
Quality control in the food industry can also be done with reactive methods. Quality-related issues should be identified and acted upon quickly before long-term damage is done to the brand image. This can be made possible with regular audits, up-to-date customer feedback records and a system to track and correct defects. Having a detailed record of data pertaining to past issues can also be helpful for future improvements to production
methods.

Key food quality control procedures

Quality control in the food industry has a direct impact on customer satisfaction, company reputation and also on the company’s bottom line. Here are some of the basic food quality control procedures that are commonly used in the food industry:

Ingredient specifications – The quality of the ingredients used is critical to making sure that the finished product meets quality standards. Check the purity, identity and moisture content of raw materials and the condition and place they are sourced from.

Approved supplier list – The supplier list for raw materials with ingredient name, supplier name, address and code number should be regularly updated and reviewed.

Incoming goods inspection – Inspect the raw materials visually and for moisture content and pH levels, when they arrive at the manufacturing facility to make sure all specifications are met.

Production formulation – Maintain a detailed list of ingredients, ingredient code, percentage formula, batch yield and effective dates as references for future product development—also, necessary to ensure product consistency.

Manufacturing procedures – In this procedure every detail of how the product is manufactured and how the ingredients need to be transported or stored is recorded.
The standard operating procedures should be followed exactly to avoid quality
issues.

In-process records – In-process records aims to track every single production detail in real-time, so issues can be identified easily and the finished products can meet every specification required. Everything from weight, time, batch size, appearance, moisture level, etc. are recorded.

Conclusion

In the food industry, maintaining the highest standards of quality is crucial for companies to stay relevant and ahead of their competitors. Food manufacturing companies are always looking to improve their quality control practices with the latest technologies across their operations and supply chain. Implementing the right checks at an earlier stage can save a lot of time, money, effort and resources in the long run. Doing this can also help streamline your production processes on the whole.

Third-party inspection companies like Global Inspection Managing have a good
understanding of the importance of food quality control. We have got years of food inspection expertise under our belt, and are well-known for our efficient and detailed inspection service on a global scale. We offer specially-tailored food inspection services for fresh produce, seafood, meat & poultry and beverages.

For food inspection, we strictly adhere to the ANSI/ASQC Z1.4 (ISO 2859-1), an international sampling process, and the rules set out by the World Health Organisation’s Food Code (also known as the Codex Alimentarius). Global Inspection Managing also offers rapid food analysis services and regular laboratory testing and certification contracts for foodstuffs at all stages of their life cycle.

The market of Amazon is thriving and has surpassed every e-commerce company around the world. Every year, Amazon ships more than 608 million packages. It all has become possible because of the huge success of Amazon’s fulfillment platform called Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA).

Amazon FBA allows you to ship the products from your factory to the warehouse of Amazon and deliver it to the buyer of your product. But here is a catch since you don’t see your product yourself before the sale, your products are at risk of not meeting the Amazon’s labeling, packaging, and safety requirements.

Thus, it is mandatory for your products to get inspected before shipment packaging. Global Inspection Managing can help you with product inspection to meet the Amazon’s requirements.

Following are the 5 ways company can help you.

Have you ever think of detecting the problem from its origin point? If the defected products are found in the first place, you can quickly fix it at less expenditure. It took much time to ship the goods, but it makes sure that only quality products are shipped.

Quality control majorly looks forward on product improvement, specification, and manufacturing process for all kind of goods and is especially important for buyers sourcing in China.

The main aim of is to identify all kind of problems, defects, and faults in the goods that do not follow required specification from the importers, suppliers or from general international standers. The main purpose of quality control inspection is identifying the issue or fault so that inspector can do changes early before shipping.

Why is third party inspection required?

Third party inspection is an agency which helps to provide different types of services and facilities to manufacture. Third party inspection provides final and satisfied opinion for manufactures product and good that is impartial. Todays, in modern world third party inspection play a very important role in the manufacture or producer. Third party inspection organization is a business company that is compiled with ISO standards 17020.

In China, third party inspection services for the Chinese industries and industries process is the most important part. It not only makes sure about optimally running process but also make sure about security process. The third party inspection services main aim is to make sure the manufacturer that only safe and quality& types of equipment’s should be used in during manufacturing the products and goods. Third party inspection required to inspects the equipment’s and raw materials before manufacturing the goods for the better quality product.

Advantages of third party inspection 

We all aware that third party inspection  in China is an agency that is provide service for manufacture by checking measuring of raw materials and equipment’s before starting the manufacturing process. There are some following advantages of third party inspection or quality control inspection.

• Prevent charge-back due to the low quality product.
• Quality inspection sourcing Build a good relationship with customers
• Improve the quality of a product, third party inspection helps to improve product quality by better inspection.
• Quality inspection sourcing is the Cost-effective process for buyers.