How to Interpret Our Inspection Reports

At Glover Precision, we take quality seriously. When you receive a part from us, it often comes with an inspection report—a detailed document designed to verify that your component meets the specified requirements. These reports can vary in format and complexity depending on your needs, but they all serve the same purpose: to provide transparency and assurance about the quality of your parts. In this article, we’ll break down the types of inspection reports we provide and explain how to interpret them. If you’re ever unsure, our Quality team is just an email away at Quality@GloverPrecision.com.

Types of Inspection Reports We Offer

Glover Precision tailors its inspection documentation to meet your project’s requirements. Here’s what you might receive:

1. AS9102 Style Inspection Reports
   • When Provided: Available upon request, typically for aerospace or defense clients requiring compliance with AS9102 standards.
   • What’s Included: These detailed reports follow the First Article Inspection (FAI) format, including:
     • Part Number and Revision: Confirms the exact part and design version inspected.
     • Characteristic Accountability: Lists every dimension, tolerance, and specification from your drawing, numbered for reference.
     • Inspection Results: Shows measured values for each characteristic, indicating whether they pass or fail against the specified tolerance.
   • Purpose: Ensures traceability and compliance with rigorous industry standards, giving you confidence in the part’s readiness for production or use.
2. General Inspection Sheet
   • When Provided: Included with most orders as standard practice.
   • What’s Included: A simpler report summarizing key measurements and tolerances, often tailored to critical features identified in your design.
   • Purpose: Provides a quick, at-a-glance confirmation that your part meets specs without the exhaustive detail of an AS9102 report.
3. Certifications
   • What’s Included: Certificates for materials (e.g., mill certs), chemical conversion coatings, heat treatment, or other outside processes performed on your part.
   • Purpose: Verifies that the raw materials and processes used comply with your requirements or industry standards, ensuring quality from start to finish.

How to Read Your Inspection Report

Interpreting an inspection report might seem daunting at first, but it’s straightforward once you know what to look for. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Identify the Part and Order Details
   • Check the top of the report for your part number, purchase order number, and revision level. This ensures the report matches the part you received.
2. Review the Characteristic List (AS9102 Reports)
   • In an AS9102 report, each feature from your drawing is listed with a unique identifier (e.g., “Characteristic #001”). Look for:
     • Specified Value/Tolerance: What your drawing requires (e.g., 1.000 ± 0.005 inches).
     • Measured Value: What we recorded during inspection (e.g., 1.002 inches).
     • Pass/Fail Status: Confirms if the measurement falls within tolerance.
   • Tip: Scan the “Pass/Fail” column first to spot any issues quickly, then dive into specifics if needed.
3. Check Key Measurements (General Inspection Sheet)
   • For a general inspection sheet, focus on the listed dimensions and tolerances. These are typically the critical features you or we identified as essential. Compare the measured values to the tolerances to confirm compliance.
4. Examine Certifications
   • Material certs will list the alloy, heat number, and properties (e.g., tensile strength). Cross-reference these with your specs.
   • Process certs (e.g., for chemical conversion) confirm that outside vendors met the required standards, often including test results or compliance statements.
5. Look for Notes or Exceptions
   • Some reports include additional comments, such as deviations approved in advance or notes on inspection methods (e.g., CMM vs. manual gauging). These provide context for the data.

What If You’re Unsure?

Inspection reports can be technical, and we understand that not every client is familiar with interpreting them. If you’re unsure about what the numbers mean, how to address a non-conformance, or anything else, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our Quality team is here to help—simply email Quality@GloverPrecision.com with your questions or concerns. Include your purchase order number and a brief description of what you need clarified, and we’ll walk you through it.

Why Our Reports Matter

Our inspection reports are more than just paperwork—they’re a commitment to quality and accountability. Whether it’s an AS9102 report for aerospace compliance or a general sheet for a custom prototype, these documents ensure your parts meet the mark. By understanding how to interpret them, you gain insight into our process and confidence in your components.

Ready to discuss your next inspection report? Contact Quality@GloverPrecision.com—we’re here to support you every step of the way!