How it works

The quality control & inspection workflow.

AQL 2.5 is the accepted B2B standard for promotional merchandise. It means: in a representative sample drawn from your batch, no more than 2.5% of pieces can have major defects (functional failure, conspicuous visual flaw) and no more than 4.0% can have minor defects (small surface imperfection, slight color drift).

For higher-spec programs (jewelry-grade brooches, military-issue pins, prep-school crests) we run tighter AQL 1.5 inspection at no extra cost — sample sizes are larger and acceptance thresholds tighter.

Process

Step by step.

01 / Incoming material QC

Brass blanks, enamel paste, plating chemicals, and packaging materials all tested upon delivery.

02 / In-process QC

Spot-checks after stamping, after coloring, and after plating. Defective pieces removed from the line.

03 / Pre-shipment AQL 2.5

ISO 2859-1 statistical sampling on the finished batch. Major defects ≤2.5%, Minor defects ≤4.0%.

04 / 3rd-party audit (optional)

SGS, BV, TUV, or Asia Inspection on-site inspection at buyer’s request and cost ($300-500/inspection).

05 / Defect report

Full inspection report with photos sent to buyer 1-2 days before shipment.

Specs

Key details.

Inspection standard: ISO 2859-1 AQL 2.5 (Major) / 4.0 (Minor)
Sample size: S-2 sample plan; e.g. 1,000-piece batch → 80 piece inspection sample
Test equipment: Digital calipers, Pantone D65 light box, tape-pull plating tester, torque gauge, magnifying lamps
3rd-party audit: Welcome — SGS, BV, TUV, Asia Inspection, Quality Inspector
Defect categories: Plating peeling, enamel chipping, color mismatch, dimensional out-of-spec, attachment weakness, packaging damage