Incoming Verification
Quality control programs in printing and packaging plants rely on systematic inspection of incoming paper and board shipments before they are released to the production floor. This protocol, termed a goods-in substrate quality audit, checks the physical properties of the materials against the established purchase specifications. Confirming that the delivered pallets or reels match the required parameters prevents costly machine downtime and material waste during high-speed converting runs.
This preventative check is the first line of defense against runnability defects that can arise from environmental exposure during transit.
Testing Protocol
Audit procedures focus on verifying critical variables such as basis weight, thickness, moisture content and surface smoothness. Handheld moisture meters and micrometer gauges provide immediate data, which are then compared against the supplier’s certificate of analysis. If the values fall outside the agreed tolerance band, the affected batch is quarantined for further laboratory evaluation.
Risk Mitigation
Identifying non-conforming materials at the loading dock prevents issues like web breaks on printing presses or poor adhesion on folder-gluers. It also provides the purchasing team with objective data to support claims for replacement or credits from the paper merchant or mill. Continuous tracking of these audit results allows the factory to score suppliers on consistency and reliability over time.
