Electronics inspection checklist

This article describes common industry practice, not official rules.

An electronics inspection checklist is usually built for one order. The items come from the buyer's purchase order, product specification and packing requirements, so the same product can get a different checklist from one buyer to the next. The sections below cover the areas that checklists commonly include.

Quantity, packing and markings

• Quantity against the purchase order, counted in the way the checklist sets out
• Carton count and carton condition when the goods reach the inspection point
• Carton markings and shipping marks as the packing specification describes them
• The packing list compared with the cartons opened and the units found inside

Appearance and workmanship

• Housing and surface: scratches, dents, paint or coating, and colour match
• Gaps and alignment between parts, seams and visible screw heads
• Buttons, switches and dials: feel, travel and return to the rest position
• Screen condition, such as visible marks or uneven brightness, as the buyer lists it
• Ports and openings: edges, fit and any burrs
• Each item is compared with the approved sample or golden sample the buyer has agreed. Defects are commonly sorted into critical, major and minor groups, as the inspection instruction defines them.

Labels and rating plates

• Label wording, placement and legibility, as the buyer's specification sets out
• Rating plate content, where the buyer specifies one
• Model and serial numbers matching the purchase order

Whether a legal or certification requirement applies is for the regulator or an accredited laboratory to confirm.

Accessories and manuals

• Accessories in the box compared with the packing specification, such as cables, adapters, cases and mounting parts
• Manuals and quick guides: whether they are included, the language version and print quality, as the buyer specifies
• A warranty card, if the buyer lists it as part of the packing

Function tests the buyer asks for

The buyer usually writes the test steps into the inspection instruction. A checklist commonly covers these areas, described in words:

• Power on and start-up behaviour
• Each function the buyer lists, checked in the order the buyer gives
• Charging: whether the unit charges and shows charge status as specified
• Connectivity: pairing or connecting to the test device the buyer names
• Display: image, touch response and indicator lights
• Buttons and controls responding as the buyer describes them

Items the buyer asks the inspector to look at

• Plug type, and whether it matches the buyer's specification
• Cable condition: sheath, ends and length, as the buyer lists them
• Any other item the buyer lists, such as ventilation openings or fan sound compared with the approved sample

The inspector records what the buyer lists. Anything else seen during the inspection is reported separately.

Battery-powered products

• Battery label wording and placement, as the buyer specifies
• Packing items the buyer specifies for the battery, such as inserts or separate packs

Software and firmware version

If the buyer specifies a version, the checklist asks the inspector to check the version shown on the unit or its label against the purchase order. The version used in each test should be written in the report, so the report and the order can be matched.

Drop and carton tests

If the buyer asks for drop or carton tests, the checklist points to the buyer's written test method and does not restate it. Where the method is not written, the buyer and the inspection company can agree the details before the inspection.

Using the checklist across inspections

A checklist is commonly reused at pre-production, during production and pre-shipment inspection, with items added or removed as agreed in the contract. When an item cannot be checked, the report records it as not checked and gives the reason, instead of leaving it out. A checklist that matches the buyer's written specification gives the inspection report a fixed set of items to compare against.