It is common for people to confuse laboratory tests with those performed during an inspection. Despite the fact that they both share a common goal, namely the assurance of product conformity, their approaches are based on very different perspectives and necessitate the use of specialized knowledge.

Definitions that are more general
A laboratory examination ensures that the products comply with the national regulations of the country from which they are being imported.
A product inspection ensures that products meet customer requirements, product specifications, and the desired level of quality by checking that they are in compliance. Visual controls, in addition to basic product tests, are used in this process, which is also known as on-site testing.

Product testing during an inspection differs from laboratory testing in the following ways:
1- The environment in which the product was tested
Environment that has been carefully regulated
In accordance with the applicable standard, laboratories must conduct tests in a controlled environment under specified conditions. The calibration of test equipment is performed on a regular basis to ensure that results from the Initial Production Check are as accurate and reliable as possible. A laboratory test ensures that the analysis is carried out in the proper conditions, making it possible to certify that the product complies with the standards.
The fundamentals of the situation
Because most test equipment is heavy and cumbersome, Pre-Shipment Inspection inspectors will only perform certain tests if the necessary equipment is readily available at the manufacturing facility. They look up the date of the most recent calibration in order to determine the reliability of the results obtained. Product tests, on the other hand, are generally carried out under rudimentary conditions that may or may not correspond to those required by standards. For example, if the humidity or temperature in the test room is high, the results of a hydration test will differ from those expected. In order to avoid confusion, the results of this test performed during a product inspection can only be used as a guideline. Because of the uncontrolled environment, it cannot be used to certify compliance with standards.

2- The product test's goal is to ensure that the product complies with legal requirements or meets the quality inspection china standards specified by the customer.
Standards and regulations-related requirements
The laboratory test determines whether a product is safe to use or whether it complies with the standards and regulations in effect in the country where the goods are to be shipped. To be sure, just because a product passes all of its tests does not necessarily imply that it is suitable for the end user. When it comes to consumer expectations, compliance is only one aspect of quality inspection   to consider.
In accordance with your specifications
A product inspection evaluates the quality of manufactured products in relation to customer requirements, which are a reflection of the expectations of the product's end user. While this process does not necessarily ensure compliance with standards, it does ensure that the product meets specifications deemed important by the end consumer through inspections performed during the manufacturing process.

3- Product demonstrations
a few pieces
Because of the high costs of laboratory testing, as well as the fact that it is frequently destructive, the number of samples submitted for testing is significantly lower than the number of samples checked during an inspection.
tens or hundreds of thousands
supplier inspection services inspectors use ISO 2859-1 (also known as AQL tables) to determine the number of samples to inspect during a product inspection. It may be necessary to test hundreds of samples for large batches. For example, a laboratory requires six samples for an order of 10,000 baby foam balls that is intended for export to Europe in order to verify compliance with EN 71 and ISO 8124 standards. An inspection before shipment is carried out by a Factory Audit inspector who checks 200 parts (according to general inspection level II) and between 5 and 200 products, depending on the complexity of the tests.

4 - The number of times a product is tested.
Once or twice during the product's life cycle is acceptable.
The majority of the time, lab testing is performed only once at the beginning of a new project, with additional testing occurring during production. Initial testing ensures that the supplier's ability to meet standards is established. With mass production, the second test checks for compliance with applicable standards in terms of material composition and layout as well as end-product compliance with applicable standards. When it comes to repeat orders, most companies do not conduct laboratory testing because they assume that the supplier will continue to use the same materials and replicate an identical design to the first batch.
Every time a new batch of a product is produced
Product inspections should be carried out each time a new batch of products is manufactured, and ideally at various stages throughout the manufacturing process. Even if the design and materials used in the manufacture of the goods remain the same, and the product initially complies with specific standards, this does not imply that the quality control will remain constant over time or that you will not experience any production delays. The need for regular inspections is essential in order to ensure that the product's quality always meets or exceeds the expectations of the consumer and to prevent any disruptions in the supply chain.

5. The amount of time needed for a product inspection
Product inspection always takes longer than laboratory testing.
As a result of the following factors: • The tests are typically more detailed and examine every component and material used in the manufacturing of the product, including the paint; and • The tests are typically more expensive.• The tests are more complicated and time-consuming (they may require chemical manipulations or the test to be repeated several times over several hours or days).• Independent third-party organizations in charge of testing the product are generally located outside of the company's physical location. It is the responsibility of the pre shipment inspection china inspector to send them product samples that have been selected at random.