How to Configure Inspection Checkpoints

This guide explains how to define shared inspection checkpoints and assign part numbers to them — supporting ISO 9001:2015 §8.5.1 (Control of Production) and §8.6 (Release of Products).

What Are Inspection Checkpoints?

An inspection checkpoint is a defined point in the production process where dimensional (or other) measurements are recorded before a lot advances. Checkpoints are defined once, globally, and then assigned to whichever parts use them. This is more efficient than creating separate stage configurations for every part number—shared checkpoints like "Post-Machining" or "Post-Coating" only need to be created once and can be applied to any number of parts.

Real-World Example: Anodize and Cerakote

Anodizing and Cerakote both add measurable material thickness to a part. A bore that is on-nominal after machining may grow out of tolerance after coating. Inspection checkpoints allow you to:

1. Create a "Post-Machining" checkpoint (order 2, gate)
2. Create a "Post-Coating" checkpoint (order 3, gate)
3. Assign both to every part number that goes through a coating process

Without separate checkpoints, all measurements appear in a single pool and you cannot distinguish between pre-coat and post-coat data.

Prerequisites

• Only a superuser (admin) can add, edit, or delete inspection checkpoints
• Any user can view checkpoints on the Data Input page

Navigating to Inspection Checkpoints

Click Insp. Stages in the navigation bar, or go to /inspection-stages.

The page shows all checkpoints sorted by order. Each checkpoint card displays its name, gate status, description, and the list of assigned part numbers.

Adding a Checkpoint

1. Click Add Checkpoint
2. Fill in the fields:

Field	Description	Required
Checkpoint Name	Descriptive name shown in Data Input (e.g. Post-Machining, Post-Coating, Final Inspection)	Yes
Order	Integer defining sequence — lower numbers appear first (1, 2, 3…)	Yes
Description	What is inspected at this checkpoint and why
Active Dimensions	Which Q-column dimensions are inspected here (comma-separated, e.g. Q1,Q2,Q5). Leave blank for all.
Gate Checkpoint	Check to require a passing result before the lot can advance
Assign to Parts	Check each part number that uses this checkpoint

3. Click Add Checkpoint

The checkpoint is now available in Data Input for all assigned parts.

Understanding Gate Checkpoints

A checkpoint marked Gate is a hold point. If measurements at that checkpoint do not pass specification tolerances, the lot cannot proceed to the next stage. This creates a hard quality gate in the production workflow.

Example: Mark Post-Coating as a Gate checkpoint on all bore-critical parts. Any lot that finishes coating with out-of-tolerance bores is flagged.

Ordering Checkpoints Correctly

Checkpoint Order determines the sequence shown in Data Input. A typical sequence for machined and coated parts:

Order	Checkpoint Name	Gate?
1	Incoming Stock	No
2	Post-Machining	Yes
3	Post-Coating	Yes
4	Final Inspection	Yes
5	Customer Submission	No

Editing a Checkpoint and Changing Part Assignments

1. Click Edit on the checkpoint card
2. Update any fields, including the Assigned Parts checkboxes to add or remove parts
3. Click Save

Note: Removing a part from a checkpoint's assignment does not delete historical measurement records that used that checkpoint. Existing records retain the checkpoint name that was selected at the time of input.

Deleting a Checkpoint

Click Delete on a checkpoint card and confirm. Historical measurement records that referenced the checkpoint are preserved — only the checkpoint definition is removed from the configuration.

How Checkpoints Appear in Data Input

Once at least one checkpoint is assigned to a part, an Inspection Stage dropdown appears on the Data Input form when that part is selected. The dropdown lists only the checkpoints assigned to that specific part, sorted by order. The operator selects the appropriate checkpoint before entering measurements.

If no checkpoints are assigned to a part, the dropdown is hidden and measurements are recorded without a stage label.

Recommended Checkpoint Names

Use consistent naming across parts so reports can group and compare data by stage:

Recommended Name	When to Use
Incoming Stock	First article / raw material acceptance
Post-Machining	After all machining operations
Post-Coating	After anodize, Cerakote, plating, or similar
Post-Weld	After welding operations
Final Inspection	Last inspection before shipping
First Article	First article inspection event
Customer Submission	Dimensions submitted to customer

⚠️ Warning: If a part has a coating process, always assign at least a Post-Coating gate checkpoint. Failing to inspect after coating is a common Major finding under §8.6 (Release of Products).

This guide explains how to define multi-stage inspection sequences for each part number — supporting ISO 9001:2015 §8.5.1 (Control of Production) and §8.6 (Release of Products).

What Are Inspection Stages?

An inspection stage is a defined checkpoint in the production process where dimensional (or other) measurements are taken before the part advances. Stages are configured per part number and allow you to:

• Record measurements at each point in the process (incoming, post-machining, post-coating, final, etc.)
• Block lot advancement at "gate" stages if the measurements do not pass
• Capture dimensional data before and after processes like coating or anodizing that change part dimensions

Real-World Example: Anodize and Cerakote

Anodizing and Cerakote both add measurable material thickness to a part. A bore that is on-nominal after machining may grow out of tolerance after coating. Inspection stages allow you to:

1. Measure dimensions post-machining (before coating)
2. Measure again post-coating (at the gate stage)
3. Compare results and confirm final dimensions are within print tolerance

Without separate stages, all measurements appear in a single pool and you cannot distinguish between pre-coat and post-coat data.

Prerequisites

• Only a superuser (admin) can add, edit, or delete inspection stages
• Any user can view inspection stages on the Data Input page

Navigating to Inspection Stages

Click Insp. Stages in the navigation bar, or go to /inspection-stages.

The page is filtered by part number. Use the Part Number dropdown to select the part you want to configure.

Adding an Inspection Stage

1. Select the target Part Number from the dropdown
2. Click Add Stage
3. Fill in the fields:

Field	Description	Required
Part Number	Part this stage applies to	Yes
Stage Name	Descriptive name (e.g. Post-Machining, Post-Coating, Final Inspection)	Yes
Stage Order	Integer defining sequence — lower numbers appear first (1, 2, 3…)	Yes
Description	What is inspected at this stage and why
Active Dimensions	Which Q-column dimensions are relevant at this stage (informational)
Gate Stage	Toggle on to require a passing result before the lot can advance

4. Click Save Stage

Understanding Gate Stages

A stage marked Gate Stage is a hold point. If measurements at that stage do not pass the specification tolerances, the lot cannot proceed to the next stage. This creates a hard quality gate in the production workflow.

Example: Set Post-Coating as a Gate Stage on a bore-tolerance-critical part. Any lot that finishes coating with out-of-tolerance bores is flagged and blocked from advancing to Final Inspection or shipping.

Ordering Stages Correctly

Stage Order determines the sequence shown in Data Input. A typical sequence for machined and coated parts:

Order	Stage Name	Gate?
1	Incoming Stock	No
2	Post-Machining	Yes
3	Post-Coating	Yes
4	Final Inspection	Yes
5	Customer Submission	No

Editing and Deleting Stages

• Click Edit on any stage to change its name, order, description, or gate setting
• Click Delete to remove a stage — this only removes the configuration; historical measurement records that referenced the stage are preserved

Note: Changing Stage Order after measurements have been recorded does not affect the recorded stage names on existing measurements. Historical records retain the stage name that was selected at the time of input.

How Stages Appear in Data Input

Once at least one stage is configured for a part, a Inspection Stage dropdown appears on the Data Input form whenever that part number is selected. This dropdown shows the stages in order. The operator selects the appropriate stage before entering measurements.

If no stages are configured for a part, the inspection stage selector is hidden and measurements are recorded without a stage label (legacy behavior).

Recommended Stage Names

Use consistent naming across parts so reports can group and compare data by stage:

Recommended Name	When to Use
Incoming Stock	First article / raw material acceptance
Post-Machining	After all machining operations
Post-Coating	After anodize, Cerakote, plating, or similar
Post-Weld	After welding operations
Final Inspection	Last inspection before shipping
First Article	First article inspection event
Customer Submission	Dimensions submitted to customer

⚠️ Warning: If a part has a coating process, always configure at least a Post-Coating gate stage. Failing to inspect after coating is a common Major finding under §8.6 (Release of Products).