Legal Definitions - acceptance sampling

Acceptance sampling is a quality control technique where a small, representative portion of a larger batch of goods is inspected to determine whether to accept or reject the entire batch. This method is commonly employed when inspecting every single item would be impractical due to cost, time, or the destructive nature of the testing process.

Here are some examples to illustrate acceptance sampling:

• Imagine a large electronics manufacturer receiving a shipment of 50,000 circuit boards from a supplier. Instead of individually testing every single board, which would be incredibly time-consuming and expensive, their quality control team might randomly select 200 boards for thorough testing. If fewer than a predetermined number of these sampled boards exhibit defects, the entire shipment of 50,000 circuit boards is accepted for use in production. If the sample shows too many defects, the entire shipment is rejected and returned to the supplier.

  This demonstrates acceptance sampling because a small group of items (200 circuit boards) is examined to make a decision about the quality and acceptability of the much larger total shipment (50,000 circuit boards).

• Consider a pharmaceutical company that receives a bulk delivery of 100,000 empty gel capsules for their medication. To ensure the capsules meet quality standards (e.g., correct size, no cracks), a technician might randomly pull 500 capsules from various boxes within the shipment. These 500 capsules are then visually inspected and measured. Based on the findings from this small sample, the company decides whether to accept the entire 100,000-capsule delivery for filling or to send it back due to quality concerns.

  This illustrates acceptance sampling as the inspection of a limited number of capsules (the sample) dictates the acceptance or rejection of the entire large quantity of capsules.

• A clothing retailer receives a shipment of 1,000 identical t-shirts from an overseas factory. Before stocking them on shelves, a quality assurance manager might randomly select 30 t-shirts from different boxes. They check these 30 shirts for consistent sizing, stitching quality, fabric defects, and correct logo placement. If the sample meets the retailer's quality standards, the entire shipment of 1,000 t-shirts is accepted. If the sample reveals significant flaws, the entire batch may be rejected or sent back for rework.

  Here, the examination of a small subset of t-shirts (the sample) is used to determine the overall quality and acceptability of the entire large order of clothing.