5 step to scan your suppliers

It’s easy to confuse product inspection for product testing, well these two terms are quite different since each of them deals with specific quality concerns for importers.

However, both entail evaluating the product to ensure it meets certain requirements.

Most importers are puzzled about the limits allowed when testing for humidity levels in a product. So, today we’re going to look at the Product Inspection Standard Humidity Test and what it’s all about.

Before your consignment can be shipped from the manufacturer/supplier to you, more so if the prevailing season is both hot and humid, requirements regarding the humidity levels allowed need to be clearly communicated to the supplier.

It’s very critical that general comments like “products need to be kept away from moisture” or “please check that the goods are not humid before shipping them” are avoided. This is because such non-specific requirements have been found to open doors to mediocrity, misunderstandings and/or misinterpretations, thus leading to issues with the quality of the products.

Humidity tests are normally conducted in high-tech labs before shipping is done. This includes checking for the level of humidity in the carton that goods are carried in to make sure that it’s not damp. and different humidity testers are necessary depending on different types of packaging too, such as wood or cardboard. No one wants to receive mouldy or rusty items, right?

Humidity Tester
Since a humidity tester or moisture meter is the equipment used in a product inspection standard humidity test. The third-party inspection company uses this kind of tester that detects moisture by attenuating the microwave’s energy using a sensor-based tester as well as by checking the resistance between two metal pins on a pin-based tester.

More About Humidity Limits & Novas QC Sampling
First, you need to collect a random sample from products that are still in production for the testing. Here, we need to emphasize the term ’random’ because the sample is meant to be a representative of the entire shipment being manufactured. Based on the requirements of the AQL special inspection level S1 to S3, perform all the required on-site tests.

An acceptance quality limit or Novas QC table is used to check the worst tolerable quality level (including humidity levels) for goods. Generally, the maximum accepted humidity limit will depend on the kind of product being tested. Below are the moisture levels tolerable:

– Solid wood: 8 to 14%;
– Rattan: 16%;
– Bamboo: 14%;
– Paper products: 12%;
– Export Cartons: 14%.
Once the inspection process is completed, the humidity test results must be clearly recorded in the report(See sample report). To ensure that this detail isn’t left out, it’s advisable that you double-check consignment details before shipment commences. This specific detail is mandatory when making a decision on whether shipping proceeds or if the goods will be rejected.
What tailor-made tests or other options have you ever implemented for your imports? What’s your view on the limits of the Product Inspection Standard Humidity Test we have discussed above? Are they acceptable, in your opinion? Please give us your feedback in the comment section below.