Quality lab and inspection gates
Every hair foil order passes four inspection gates: incoming foil, in-process, finished goods and pre-shipment. At the finished-goods gate each box is checked in four steps: the box and its print, the sheet count by weight, the folds and the emboss. A balance does the counting: an opened box is weighed, not counted by hand.
Inspection gates
An order is checked at four points. A fault found early costs a roll of foil; a fault found late costs a shipment.
| Gate | When | What is checked |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming | When the foil coil arrives | Thickness, width, surface and the mill’s material certificate |
| In-process | During slitting, embossing, cutting and folding | Width, sheet length, emboss pattern, fold and sheet count |
| Finished goods | After boxing, box by box | The box and its print; the sheet count, by weighing the opened box; the folds; the emboss pattern |
| Pre-shipment | Before the cartons are sealed and loaded | Carton marks, quantities and the condition of the boxes |
The four finished-goods checks, and the tests run on the foil itself, are set out on how we test hair foil.
Equipment
| Equipment | Used for |
|---|---|
| Balance | Sheet count by weight |
| Micrometer | Foil thickness |
| Steel rule and gauges | Width, length and fold dimensions |
| Colour reference and viewing light | Print colour against the approved sample |
| Drop and stacking set-up | Box condition after simulated transit |
Sampling to your plan
Finished boxes are checked box by box. If you want a lot accepted or rejected on a sampling plan, state the AQL level and the standard in the order, and the inspection is run to it, by us or by an inspector you appoint. A stricter plan takes longer to inspect, so agree it before production.
What we record for every order
Each lot has a number, printed on the box and written on the records.
- The lot number and production date
- The four finished-box checks: box and print, count by weight, folds, emboss
- For printed foil, the comparison with the approved colour reference
- The pre-shipment check of cartons and quantities
The inspection report for your order is sent before shipment on request. If a complaint arises later, the lot number on the box leads back to these records.
See the test methods
What each of the 7 tests checks, and how, is on how we test hair foil. Certificates and test reports are on certifications and test reports.
FAQ
What AQL level do you inspect hair foil to?
AQL, the acceptable quality limit, sets how many samples are drawn from a lot and how many defects are allowed before the lot is rejected. Hair Foil Factory checks finished boxes box by box; a buyer who wants the lot accepted on an AQL plan states the level and the standard in the order, and inspection is run to it.
Can you share inspection reports before shipment?
Every order is inspected box by box before it is packed: the box and its print, the count by weight, the folds and the emboss. Ask for the inspection details of your order with your quote, or book a third-party inspection before shipment.
Do you accept third-party inspection?
Yes. Hair Foil Factory accepts third-party inspection before shipment. Book it through your own inspection company and tell us the date; the goods are held packed and accessible until the inspector has finished.
How do you control print colour between batches?
Print colour on hair foil is controlled against the sample the buyer approved. That sample is kept as the reference, and each new print run is compared with it before the foil is converted. Ink on aluminium varies with the foil surface, so the comparison is made on foil, not on paper.