An inspection is, most generally, an organized
examination or formal evaluation exercise. In engineering activities inspection involves the
measurements,
tests, and
gauges applied to certain characteristics in regard to an object or activity. The results are usually compared to specified
requirements and standards for determining whether the item or activity is in line with these targets, often with a
Standard Inspection Procedure in place to ensure consistent checking. Inspections are usually non-destructive.
Inspections may be a
visual inspection or involve sensing technologies such as
ultrasonic testing, accomplished with a direct physical presence or remotely such as a
remote visual inspection
Remote Visual Inspection or Remote Digital Video Inspection, also known as RVI or RDVI, is a form of visual inspection which uses visual aids including video technology to allow an inspector to look at objects and materials from a distance because ...
, and manually or automatically such as an
automated optical inspection.
Non-contact optical measurement and
photogrammetry have become common
NDT methods for inspection of manufactured components and design optimisation.
A 2007
Scottish Government review of scrutiny of public services (the Crerar Review) defined inspection of public services as "... periodic, targeted scrutiny of specific services, to check whether they are meeting national and local performance standards, legislative and professional requirements, and the needs of service users."
A surprise inspection tends to have different results than an announced inspection. Leaders wanting to know how others in their organization perform can drop in without warning, to see directly what happens. If an inspection is made known in advance, it can give people a chance to cover up or to fix mistakes. This could lead to distorted and inaccurate findings. A surprise inspection, therefore, gives inspectors a better picture of the typical state of the inspected object or process than an announced inspection. It also enhances external confidence in the inspection process.
Specific inspection
Manufacturing
Quality related in-process inspection/verification is an essential part of quality control in manufacturing. characteristics of a product or process and comparing the results with specified requirements to determine whether is the requirements are met for each characteristic. Common examples of inspection by measurement or
gauging include using a
caliper or
micrometer Micrometer can mean:
* Micrometer (device), used for accurate measurements by means of a calibrated screw
* American spelling of micrometre
The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; ...
to determine if a dimension of a manufactured part is within the
dimensional tolerance specified in a drawing for that part, and is thus acceptable for use.
Design for Inspection Design for Inspection (DFI) is an engineering principle that proposes that inspection methods and measurement instruments used to certify manufacturing conformity, should be considered early in the design of products. Production processes should be ...
(DFI) is a concept that should complement and work in collaboration with
Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and
Design for Assembly (DMA) to reduce product manufacturing cost and increase manufacturing practicality.
Photogrammetry is a modern way of visual inspection, delivering high accuracy and traceability for various industries. The portable 3D system is a versatile optical coordinate measuring machine (CMM) with a wide range of capabilities. Highly accurate point measurements can be taken with inspection carried out directly to CAD models, geometry or drawings.(DFI)
Fire equipment
Most fire equipment needs to be inspected to make sure in the event of a fire, every effort has been taken to make sure it doesn't get out of control. Extinguishers are to be inspected every month by law and inspected by a servicing company at least once a year. Fire extinguishers can be heavy, so it's a good idea to practice picking up and holding an extinguisher to get an idea of the weight and feel.
Business
In
international trade
International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories because there is a need or want of goods or services. (see: World economy)
In most countries, such trade represents a significan ...
several destination countries require
pre-shipment inspection. The importer instructs the shipper which inspection company should be used. The inspector makes pictures and a report to certify that the goods that are being shipped and produced are in accordance with the accompanying documents.
Commodity inspection is other term that is used between buyers and sellers. The scope of work for commodity inspection depends to the buyers. Some buyers hire the inspection agencies only for pre-shipment inspections i.e. visual quality, quantity, packing, marking and loading inspections and some others request for higher level inspections and ask inspection agencies to attend in the vendor shops and inspect commodities during manufacturing processes. Normally inspection is done based on an agreed inspection and test plan (ITP).
Government
In government and politics, an ''inspection'' is the act of a monitoring authority administering an official review of various criteria (such as
document
A document is a written, drawn, presented, or memorialized representation of thought, often the manifestation of non-fictional, as well as fictional, content. The word originates from the Latin ''Documentum'', which denotes a "teaching" o ...
s, facilities, records, and any other assets) that are deemed by the authority to be related to the inspection. Inspections are used for the purpose of determining if a body is complying with regulations. The inspector examines the criteria and talks with involved individuals. A report and evaluation follows such visits.
In the United States, the
Food Safety Inspection Service is charged with ensuring that all meat and egg products are safe to consume and accurately labeled. The
Meat Inspection Act of 1906 authorized the
Secretary of Agriculture to order meat inspections and condemn any found unfit for human consumption.
The
United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission is a regulatory body that inspects for
weapons of mass destruction.
The
Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care regulates and inspects
care service
Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...
s in Scotland.
A labour inspectorate is a government body that executes checks on compliance to the
labour law. It performs inspections on the workplace or building site.
Road vehicles
A
vehicle inspection, e.g., an annual inspection, is a necessary inspection required on vehicles to conform with laws regarding safety, emissions, or both. It consists of an examination of a vehicle's components, usually done by a certified mechanic. Vehicles pass a pre-warranty inspection, if, and only if, a mechanic provide evidence for the proper working condition of the vehicle systems specified in the type of inspection.
Engineering, mechanics
A mechanical inspection is usually undertaken to ensure the safety or reliability of structures or machinery.
In Europe bodies involved in engineering inspection may be assessed by accreditation bodies according to ISO 17020 "General criteria for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection". This standard defines inspection as "examination of a product, process, service, or installation or their design and determination of its conformity with specific requirements or, on the basis of professional judgment, with general requirements".
Non-destructive examination (NDE) or
nondestructive testing (NDT) is a family of technologies used during inspection to analyze materials, components and products for either inherent defects (such as
fractures or cracks), or service induced defects (damage from use). Some common methods are visual,
industrial computed tomography scanning,
microscopy
Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view objects and areas of objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye (objects that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye). There are three well-known branches of mi ...
,
dye penetrant inspection,
magnetic-particle inspection,
X-ray or
radiographic testing,
ultrasonic testing,
eddy-current testing,
acoustic emission testing, and
thermographic inspection. In addition, many non-destructive inspections can be performed by a precision scale, or when in motion, a
checkweigher
A checkweigher is an automatic or manual machine for checking the weight of packaged commodities.
It is normally found at the offgoing end of a production process and is used to ensure that the weight of a pack of the commodity is within specif ...
.
Stereo microscope
The stereo, stereoscopic or dissecting microscope is an optical microscope variant designed for low magnification observation of a sample, typically using light reflected from the surface of an object rather than transmitted through it. The instr ...
s are often used for examining small products like
circuit boards for product defects.
Inspection and technical assistance during turnarounds helps to decrease costly downtime as well as ensures restart of operations quickly and safely.
Medical
A
medical inspection
In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a Disease, medical condition. It generally consists of a series of questions about th ...
is the thorough and unhurried visualization of a patient, this requires the use of the naked eye.
Military
An
examination vessel is a craft used to inspect ships entering or leaving a port during wartime.
Railroad
The railroad's
inspection locomotive were special types of
steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the loco ...
s designed to carry railroad officials on inspection tours of the railroad property.
Real estate
A
property condition assessment
Property condition assessments (PCAs) (also known as the property condition report, or PCR) are due diligence projects associated with commercial real estate. Commercial property and building inspections are important for clients seeking to know ...
is the examination for purposes of evaluating a commercial or business property's condition often as a part of a
due diligence investigation for a company to know what it is buying. Building code officials do a
building inspection to determine code compliance in new or altered buildings before issuing a certificate of occupancy. Residential inspections not for code compliance are called a
home inspection. There are numerous types of more specific real estate and infrastructure inspections such as
windstorm inspection,
energy audit, and
pipeline video inspection.
Software inspection
Software inspection, in
software programming, refers to peer review of any work product by skilled individuals who look for
bugs
Bugs may refer to:
* Plural of bug
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional characters
* Bugs Bunny, a character
* Bugs Meany, a character in the ''Encyclopedia Brown'' books
Films
* ''Bugs'' (2003 film), a science-fiction-horror film
* ''Bugs ...
using a defined test protocol.
See also
*
Digital Product Passport
*
Issue tracking systems in government
*
Maintenance (technical)
*
Pre-purchase inspection A pre-purchase inspection is an independent, third-party professional service that evaluates a vehicle’s condition before a purchase offer is made. Consumer protection organizations such as the Federal Trade Commission, the American Bar Associat ...
*
Review
A review is an evaluation of a publication, product, service, or company or a critical take on current affairs in literature, politics or culture. In addition to a critical evaluation, the review's author may assign the work a content rating, ...
*
Site survey
*
Third-party inspection company
A third-party inspection agency (TPIA or TPI) is a business organization, complying with the ISO 17020 standards. Third-party inspection or "Category A" is the most stringent of the 3 categories of inspection organization that the standard s ...
*
United States Postal Inspection Service
*
Workers and Peasants Inspection
References
{{Authority control
Quality