Sofeast Example Quality Assurance Plan (for an electronic product)

An example QA plan structure for an electronic product

Please note, this example Quality Assurance plan was developed for a simple electronic product that was to be produced in more than 1 million pieces. Other product types’ plans will differ in places, but this gives you a general overview of what’s involved, nonetheless.

We will show you the actions and solutions we suggest throughout the plan’s phases, and our pricing, for your reference.

Initial information requested by Sofeast

We’ll need to know your…

1. Production & shipment schedule, with quantities
2. Product features, including user manual, if available, and other detailed product & packing specifications
3. List of components with description and, wherever possible, specifications/MSDS sheet

Phase 1: Quality Planning 

Create a quality control plan

• Evaluate which components are the most critical: we can offer our opinion, free of charge.
• QC checklist for the complete product – $79 USD (client or supplier to send us a sample, for better results) for a simple product checklist, an extra $49 USD for a simple packaging checklist, and an extra $149 USD for suggesting more details (tolerances, etc. but does not include back & forth discussions).
• Divide it into QC checklists for each of the components that will be visible (covering the aesthetic elements on the outside of the product only): $79 USD.
• Translating the above checklists into Chinese, as needed: $38 USD per hour (initial estimate of 5-8 hours).
• Factory audits (quality system, capacity, readiness of tooling): $475 USD per factory. It would be beneficial to audit these factories: PCBA & assembly, Battery cells & packs, Motor, Plating, Silicone, and Plastic.
• Factory audits (social compliance): $475 USD per factory – on the assembly factory. In case the assembler was already audited before and can show a nice audit report, we can check if that report is real (for $100 USD). 
• Product reliability testing, and packaging vibration/drop testing. See separate Excel file ($1,982 USD).
• Production updates for your Quality team: A Shenzhen-based Sofeast Project Manager will contact your suppliers by phone and email for this information $38 per hour, billed in small increments. 

Identify risks and setting controls in PCBA and final assembly

Process FMEA + process control plan. Estimate of 4 days at the assembly factory, assuming their cooperation, at $300 per day. These documents will also plan for incoming QC on the components, as well as outgoing QC on the final product.

Collect boundary samples

Select part samples with imperfections (to illustrate boundary samples), send to your Quality team for confirmation, dispatch to the relevant parties: $38 per hour + expenses (rough estimate if we manage this: $228 USD).

Note: [client] indicated to be fully aware of applicable compliance regulations and had already conducted testing on previous batches of this product. Therefore, compliance certifications & testing are left out of this plan.

Phase 2: Quality Control 

Conduct product inspections at various stages of production: final components inspection, in-line inspection at assembly factory, final inspection at assembly factory. $299 USD per man-day, which includes customary advanced preparation, the on-site service, and reports emailed to the client within one business day. 

# QC at the assembly factory

• We’d suggest 1 inspection during production (DPI – 1 man-day) and 1 final random inspection (FRI – 2 man-days) for each batch.
• Special case for batches 1 and 2: since the assembly factory also does the SMT process (PCBA), we suggest doing 2 DPIs: 1 inspection during production (DPI – 1 man-day) when some PCBAs are ready, and 1 inspection during production (DPI – 1 man-day) when some completed products are ready. For batches 3 to 5, what we suggest above probably make more sense if no issues were detected on the PCBA.
• For the FRI, we would follow the ISO 2859-1 standard, normal severity, level II, which gives us 500 or 800 pcs to check visually (depending on order quantity). The on/off test would also be done on that sampling.
• In special level S-1, we would run a full function test, a fatigue test, an internal test, a battery voltage check, among others.
• We are assuming 5 shipments, from 75k pcs to 200+k pcs. The amount of work for the FRI is the same whether it is 75K or 230K pcs.
• Total for assembly: 17 man-days of work.
• Depending on the findings on components quality (and on this factory’s systems when it comes to incoming QC) and/or in the first DPI, this plan could be made tighter (if we see many risks) or looser (if things are on a good track).
• Make sure your supplier agrees to give a rebate if there are failed inspections. You should have the right to do re-inspections, and you should not pay for them in the end. This would ideally be addressed in a manufacturing contract between you and the supplier.

# QC at the component factories

• We’d suggest 1 inspection during production (DPI – 1 man-day) for each batch, in each factory making a critical component (we are planning this for 5 sub-suppliers: batteries, motors, plating, silicone, plastic).
• We are assuming 5 batches, from 75k pcs to 200+k pcs. The amount of work for the DPI is the same (1 man-day will be sufficient each time, unless serious issues are found).
• Depending on the auditing findings and on the inspection findings, this plan could be made tighter or looser.
• We will assume that 2 of the 5 sub-suppliers pass audits and inspections with flying colors, and inspection stop at these 2 sub-suppliers after the 2nd batch.
• Total for component factories: 21 man-days of work (3 x 5 + 2 x 3).

Grand total for quality inspections: 38 man-days of work.

Battery testing: lifetime testing on a working model (measuring the current and voltage with a multimeter) is simple and is the bare minimum you should do ($80 USD). If you get a specification sheet for batteries, please send it to us and we will refine the plan.

Phase 3: Quality Improvement

Troubleshooting and implementation of corrective actions

These are to be quoted based on the specific issues and factory location. $42 USD per hour for off-site follow-up, or $300 USD per day if on-site.

Payment Terms & Conditions

Pre-payment for testing services.  Payment terms of Net 10 Days for other services.  All services are offered according to Sofeast’s standard Terms & Conditions.