The theme of this issue is to understand non-conforming products and establish a sense of "prevention first, closed-loop management".

1. The importance of non-conforming product management

In the total quality management system, non-conforming product management is a key link in the quality closed-loop. It is not only a "goalkeeper" for quality inspection, but also a "navigator" for continuous improvement.

Prevent unintended use: If unqualified products are mixed into the next process or customers, it will directly lead to quality accidents. Reduce quality loss: Timely identify, isolate and dispose of non-conforming products, which can effectively reduce the cost caused by rework, scrap and customer complaints. Drive system improvement: Behind every nonconforming product, there is an opportunity for improvement in the process, standard or execution.

2. Review of quality connotation: from "conformity" to "applicability"

Before understanding non-conforming products, we need to review the connotation of quality: Conformity quality: the degree to which the product meets technical standards (specifications). This is the basis for the judgment of non-conforming products. Applicability quality: the degree to which the product meets customer requirements during use. This is an important reference when disposing of non-conforming products (such as downgrading, concession acceptance). The relationship between the two: applicability determines conformity, and conformity makes applicability realized.

The management of non-conforming products should not only maintain the bottom line of "conformity", but also take into account the value of "applicability".

3. Definition and classification of non-conforming products

According to the company's "Non-conforming Product Management System", we have a unified understanding of non-conforming products:

(1) What is a "non-conforming product"?

Non-conforming products: products or materials that do not meet the requirements of product standards, processes, drawings, or contracts. Scope of application covers: purchase of raw and auxiliary materials, semi-finished products in the production process, final finished products, sold products (customer feedback).

(2) Classification of non-conforming products

According to the severity of the non-conformity and the authority to dispose of it, it is divided into three categories:

Minor non-conforming products: It does not affect the basic functions, safety performance and customer use of the product, and can be repaired by simple operation. For example, the appearance of the packaging barrel is slightly scratched, the welding joints are not full, but can be repaired by repair; The metal chrome product packaging bag is slightly damaged, but the inner bag is intact. General non-conforming products: affect some functions or performance indicators, but can be restored to qualified standards through rework and repair, or need to be downgraded. If the impurities of metal chromium exceed the standard and do not meet the original grade, it can be downgraded to a lower grade. Seriously unqualified products: affect the safety performance and main functions of the product, or cause significant quality loss, and cannot repair multiple batches of unqualified semi-finished products in a row through economic means, and the quantity is large, affecting normal delivery. If the product does not meet the requirements and cannot be repaired, it will return to the raw material end; unqualified production continuity, seriously affecting the delivery time, and causing great economic losses.

4. Basic principles of non-conforming product management

The "Non-conforming Product Management System" clarifies four core principles: prevention first: strengthen process control and reduce the generation of non-conforming products. Quick response: Immediately identify and isolate unqualified to prevent mixing. Closed-loop management: Strictly implement the closed-loop process of "identification-review-disposal-verification-analysis-improvement". Data-driven: Statistical analysis based on non-conforming product data to provide a basis for quality improvement.

5. The "four-step operation method" of non-conforming product management

Step 1: Identification and identification. Once the quality officer, inspector or operator finds the unqualified product, he will immediately carry out a clear and eye-catching mark on the physical object. The identification content should include: product name, batch number, unqualified items, discovery date, and discoverer. Tips: The logo is not "just a label", to ensure that follow-up personnel can recognize it at a glance and will not misuse it.

Step 2: Isolation. All identified non-conforming products must be immediately moved into the designated "non-conforming product area" for physical isolation. For non-conforming products that are large in size and not easy to move, fences or warning signs should be set up on site. Tips: Isolation is the only effective means to prevent "mixing", and it must not be done to save trouble.

Step 3: Record. Each production unit must establish its own "Non-conforming Product Management Ledger" to record in detail the daily non-conforming product information. Tips: Undocumented non-conforming product management is equivalent to "no occurrence".

Step 4: Review and disposal. According to the category of non-conforming products, start the corresponding level of review and treatment process to determine the disposal method.

Our non-conforming product management should be from "disposal" to "improvement" to form a closed-loop thinking. The end point of non-conforming product management is not "disposed of", but "no longer happens".

The management of non-conforming products is the "last gate" of the enterprise's quality defense line and the "first starting point" of continuous improvement. In 2026, let us take the "Non-conforming Product Management System" as the outline, take "prevention-oriented, closed-loop management" as the core, start from each batch of products and every operation detail, implement the management of non-conforming products, and protect every commitment with solid quality actions.