# Set the inspection plan (/docs/product-development/inspection-plan)

The inspection plan lists the characteristics QC measures on a product: a nominal value, a tolerance and
the gauge. The plan decides what the QC inspector (Siti Rahmah) measures at first piece, during the run
and at outgoing inspection, and it sets the pass and fail limits on the tablet. The QA engineer (Jason
Wong) owns the plan. The engineer (Daniel Tan) can also open it from the method.

```mermaid
%% title: From a characteristic to a check
flowchart TD
  A["Characteristic: nominal, tolerance, gauge"] --> B{"First piece check?"}
  A --> C{"In-process check (IPQC)?"}
  B -->|"Yes"| D["Measured at first piece after setup"]
  C -->|"Yes"| E["Measured during the run at the IPQC frequency"]
  A --> F["Measured at first article and outgoing inspection"]
```

## Add a characteristic [#add-a-characteristic]

<Steps>
<Step>

Open the product (for example `General-SDS-01`) and choose **Setup**. Open an operation and choose its
**Inspection** tab, or choose **Inspection plan** in the left rail.

</Step>
<Step>

Choose **+ Add characteristic**. The **Char** number is assigned on save. Enter the **Characteristic** name, the **Nominal**
and the **± Tol**. The tolerance must be greater than zero.

</Step>
<Step>

Choose the **Unit** and the **Gauge**. A gauge is required. It is the planned gauge of the
characteristic: first article, first piece and patrol checks must measure it with that gauge, and the
setup gauge scan accepts only gauges the plan names. A gauge that is out of calibration blocks the
inspection.

</Step>
<Step>

Set **CTQ** (critical to quality), **First piece check** and **In-process check (IPQC)** to **Yes** or
**No**. In **Checked at op**, choose the operation from the list of the production method's operations
(the product's primary method when no method is chosen), for example `10 · Moulding`. If the check belongs to one machine option, choose
the **Machine option**.

</Step>
<Step>

Save. Each characteristic can carry a **Balloon** number that links it to a point on the customer drawing.

</Step>
</Steps>

<GuideStep
  title="The Inspection tab"
  description="Characteristics of an operation, each tied to a balloon on the customer drawing."
  src="/guide/inspection-plan/1.png"
  alt="Operation drawer on the Inspection tab with characteristics, gauges and the ballooned customer drawing"
  width={1440}
  height={1000}
  callouts={[
    { x: 60, y: 14, caption: "The Inspection tab of the operation drawer." },
    { x: 60, y: 40, caption: "Each characteristic with its nominal, tolerance and gauge." },
    { x: 60, y: 75, caption: "The customer drawing with numbered balloons." },
  ]}
/>

## Balloon the drawing [#balloon-the-drawing]

On the operation's set-up view, the **Ballooned customer drawing** panel shows the drawing. Choose
**Upload drawing** (JPG or PNG) if there is none. Select a characteristic on the right, then click its
position on the drawing to place its balloon. Balloons are fixed while the method is released.

## First piece and IPQC settings [#first-piece-and-ipqc-settings]

Each operation has a first-piece sample and an in-process frequency.

- **Sample** under **First piece / buy-off inspection**: how many pieces QC measures from the first shots.
- **Frequency** under **In-process checks (IPQC)**: pick a preset such as `IPF-1H3` (**Every hour · 3
  pcs**) or `IPF-2H5` (**Every 2 h · 5 pcs**), or choose **Custom…** and set **Every**, **Per**
  (**Hours**, **Minutes**, **Pieces** or **Shots**) and the **Sample**. **Edit list** changes the preset
  list.
- A machine option can carry its own first-piece sample and IPQC frequency. Under **Machine
  combinations** it shows **Dedicated**, or **Shared** with the operation.

## QC gates on an operation [#qc-gates-on-an-operation]

On the **QC gates** tab, or the **QC gate** field of the operation, choose when QC steps in:

- **None**: no QC gate.
- **FAI before run**: a first article inspection is needed before the run.
- **QC check at handover**: QC checks when the operation hands over. On the traveller, parts cannot
  move into or out of such an operation as **Not checked yet**: the operator checks them and records
  **Go** or **Go / No go**.

## AQL sampling plans, IPQC frequencies and reason codes [#aql-sampling-plans-ipqc-frequencies-and-reason-codes]

These lists are kept in the Quality settings (`/quality/cfg`). The QA engineer owns them.

- **AQL sampling plans**: **Plan**, **Stage** (**IQC** or **OQC**), **Defect class** (**Critical**,
  **Major**, **Minor**, **Attribute**), **Inspection level** (**S-2**, **S-3**, **GI**, **GII**,
  **GIII**), **AQL** and **Applies to**. Sample size and accept or reject numbers come from the lot size,
  the level and the AQL (ISO 2859-1).
- **IPQC frequencies**: **Code** (assigned on save), **Frequency**, **Internal reference**, **Every**, **Per**, **Sample (pcs)** and **When to use**.
- **Reason codes**: **Code**, **Reason** and **Used for** (**FAI reject**, **Scrap** or **Pause**). They
  are offered when QC rejects a first article, when an operator logs scrap, and when production is
  paused, so NCRs and downtime analysis stay consistent.

## Which characteristics a check covers [#which-characteristics-a-check-covers]

- A first article and a patrol (in-process) check cover the whole plan.
- A first piece check covers the characteristics marked **CTQ**. If none is marked, it covers the whole
  plan.
- If the order's operation names plan rows (first piece: not **No**, patrol: **Yes**), only those rows
  are measured. A machine option's own rows replace the operation's rows when it has any.

QC orders (`/quality/qcos`) are numbered from the manufacturing order and the setup attempt, for example
`QC-1127-01`.

## Release [#release]

The plan is part of the product. Characteristics are locked while the product or the method is in review
or released. Change them in a new revision, see
[Change a released product](/docs/product-development/engineering-changes).

If the system refuses a step here, see [Product development: why the app refuses](/docs/product-development/refusals#set-the-inspection-plan).

<NextSteps>

<NextStep href="/docs/product-development/process-validation" title="Validate the process" description="Prove the process holds the tolerances before production." />

<NextStep href="/docs/product-development/document-release" title="Release the product documents" description="Take the documents through review and e-signed approval." />

<NextStep href="/docs/product-development/refusals" title="Product development: why the app refuses" description="Every message on these pages and what to do." />

</NextSteps>