Factory operating control
Control Nonconforming Product from Detection to Disposition
Nonconforming product control begins when a requirement is missed or uncertain. The factory must identify the affected boundary, stop unintended use or shipment, preserve evidence, assess related batches and authorize a documented disposition without assuming rework is automatically safe or allowed.
01 · Buyer or factory inputs
Information the decision needs
- Requirement, method and observed result
- Affected time, equipment, material lots and batches
- Current physical locations and quantities
- Related process, maintenance and operator records
- Locally reviewed rework or disposal constraints
- Named investigation and disposition authority
02 · Operating objective
What completion should achieve
Prevent unintended release while reaching a traceable decision for every affected unit and preserving evidence for corrective action.
03 · Required controls
Turn the objective into controlled work
- 01
Open a unique record and define the affected boundary
- 02
Physically and electronically identify and segregate the status
- 03
Stop shipment or further processing unless specifically authorized
- 04
Investigate product, process, material and measurement evidence
- 05
Assess adjacent time, batch and warehouse exposure
- 06
Authorize release, rework, downgrade, return or disposal through the defined authority
04 · Factory interfaces
What connects to this decision
- Detection point to line and warehouse hold
- Batch traceability to affected-boundary assessment
- Laboratory or inspection result to disposition
- Rework proposal to validated process and local review
- Disposition to inventory and financial reconciliation
05 · Evidence to collect
Records that make review possible
- Nonconformance record and requirement reference
- Affected quantity, lot and location register
- Investigation and risk assessment
- Authorized disposition and execution evidence
- Corrective action and effectiveness review
06 · Common failure modes
Do not confuse a pattern with a confirmed cause
1Only the sample is held while related production moves on
2Warehouse labels do not match the electronic status
3Rework is chosen before compatibility and authorization are assessed
4Disposition quantities do not reconcile with the original affected quantity
07 · Responsibility boundary
Name who confirms each part
| Role | Possible responsibility in this stage |
|---|---|
| Operations owner | Defines the operating condition, assigns the record and confirms that actions fit the production plan. |
| Quality owner | Defines product-status, sampling, release and escalation controls within the factory system. |
| Maintenance owner | Confirms safe technical work, equipment condition, evidence and restart requirements. |
| Supplier / Allot Tech | Reviews the documented interface or symptom and coordinates project-specific questions within the agreed scope. |
08 · Completion criteria
Evidence that the stage can advance
- The affected boundary is justified
- All units have a controlled status and location
- Evidence supports the authorized disposition
- Quantities reconcile
- Corrective action and recurrence review are assigned where needed
Decision support
Questions operating teams ask
Is every defect a product-safety issue?
No, but each deviation needs classification against the approved requirement and a controlled status decision.
Can held product be counted as saleable output?
Not until it has completed the required review and received an authorized release status.
Editorial responsibility: Allot Tech (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. · Last updated .