China has emerged as a global leader in manufacturing many industrial products – including valves.
Although there are several trustworthy Chinese valve manufacturers, some still may fall short of meeting your required product standards.
In this article, we’ll briefly explain how a third-party agency can quality check valve manufacturers in China and provide insights into what you need to be aware of the next time you’re sourcing valves from China.
Quality Control Challenges in Sourcing Valves from China
Quality control becomes a prevalant concern when sourcing valve products from overseas, with challenges including:
Risk of variability in quality:
Including wrong dimensions, usage of poor materials, failure to meet functional performance, and more.
Failure to comply with international standards:
The different valve standards and the factory’s ability to conform to the standards, such as API, BS, EN, GB and other international standards.
Language and Communication Barriers:
Language and cultural differences can hinder clear and timely communication with overseas suppliers, leading to misunderstandings and potential quality issues.
When considering ordering a valve product from a new supplier overseas, it’s wise to verify the supplier’s legitimacy to avoid possible scams or trading companies posing as manufacturers.
These audits can be completed via an impartial inspection agency; you can use the following link to learn more about the processes in a China factory audit.
Let’s look into the key aspects involved in conducting a quick inspection of a valve factory mill in China. During this specific inspection, the HQTS inspector, as per the client’s requirements, focused on quantity verification, visual inspection, and dimensional verification.
Quantity Verification
The inspector will verify if the product quantity is consistent with the purchase order.
Visual Inspection
After the quantity verification, the inspector will visually inspect the valves’ exterior. They’ll check for the following aspects, including:
Proper markings on the valve’s exterior, including material, valve rating, and manufacturer information.
Completeness of the valve structure.
Identify any visible defects, such as rust or metallic luster, substandard surface coating, or oil stains.
Verification that the structure assembly aligns with the provided drawings.
Image: Notes from an inspector inspecting ball valves at a Chinese factory mill.
Packing/Marking Verification
The inspector will assess the packaging materials to ensure that the valves are appropriately secured, preventing any potential damage during transit. Additionally, they’ll carefully inspect the product’s labelling, which includes crucial information such as:
Pressure specifications
Material details
Trademarks
Calibre, and more.
Valve Dimension Verification
The valve’s dimensions play a crucial role in their functionality, as they must be interchangeably compatible and capable of providing a secure seal.
To ensure compliance, the inspector will carefully perform dimensional measurements of the valves, verifying that they fall within the specified tolerance range.
In this article, we provided a brief overview of the common inspection criteria for evaluating valves in China.
It’s important to remember that this particular inspection of ball valves focused on basic criteria. Depending on the specific requirements, the inspector may include additional assessments and evaluations, such as documentation review of material testing certificates, material testing, functional testing, and pressure testing.
If need more information on our valve inspections in China or wish to inquire further, please get in touch with us today. Our team is ready to assist you!
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