Summary
In short
- A visual defect inspection is an inspection used in KnowQuality that checks product appearance against defined standards, using photographs of acceptable and unacceptable examples. It is built against ISO 9001 cl.8.6 and forms part of the Nonconformance and Complaints programme.
- Run at the set sampling rate. Carried out by the inspector.
- The template holds 44 fields across 4 sections, with defects found repeating for each entry.
- Scoring is defect rate, where high is bad.
- ISO 9001 is quality management systems. The international standard for consistently meeting customer and regulatory requirements. Certifiable.
- It connects to the rest of the library: feeds Nonconformance.
What it is
What it is
What is a visual defect inspection?
A visual defect inspection is an inspection used in KnowQuality that checks product appearance against defined standards, using photographs of acceptable and unacceptable examples. It is built against ISO 9001 cl.8.6 and forms part of the Nonconformance and Complaints programme.
When is a visual defect inspection completed?
A visual defect inspection is completed on the inspection frequency set in your programme, and again after any change to the asset or area. Run at the set sampling rate.
When to use it
When to use it, and when not to
This inspection is one step in a larger programme. Using it for work that belongs to a neighbouring template produces records that are hard to report on later.
Use it for
- The event or activity this inspection covers has occurred, or is about to
- A new record is needed; each one gets its own ID in the form INSP-2026-000
- You are running the Nonconformance and Complaints programme and this is one of its steps
- A linked record needs this one to exist: feeds nonconformance
Not for
- Incoming Material Inspection, which checks material against specification before it is accepted into stock.
- First Article Inspection, which checks the first piece from a new setup or changeover against every specified characteristic.
- In Process Inspection, which checks product at set points during production, against the control plan.
- Anything outside KnowQuality, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process
Standards
What it is built against
ISO 9001Quality management systems
The international standard for consistently meeting customer and regulatory requirements. Certifiable.
ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
A voluntary international standard. Widely adopted, often required by customers, and certifiable where a management system standard.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the visual defect inspection template based on?+
It is built against ISO 9001 cl.8.6. ISO 9001 is quality management systems. The international standard for consistently meeting customer and regulatory requirements. Certifiable. ISO is international Organization for Standardization. A voluntary international standard. Widely adopted, often required by customers, and certifiable where a management system standard.
What sections does the visual defect inspection contain?+
There are 4 sections: header, defects found, result, result. Together they hold 44 fields, 33 of which are required.
How often is a visual defect inspection raised?+
A new record is raised on the inspection frequency set in your programme, and again after any change to the asset or area. Each one is given an ID in the form INSP-2026-000, so it can be traced and referenced from other records.
Which programme does the visual defect inspection belong to?+
It is part of Nonconformance and Complaints. Product decisions made by quality, and complaints traced to a cause rather than answered politely.
How is a visual defect inspection scored?+
Scoring is defect rate. High is bad. Scores exist to make the form tell you something, not to produce a percentage for its own sake.
Can the visual defect inspection template be changed?+
Yes. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it. Most teams install it as it is, run it for a cycle, then adjust.
The agents
What the agents do with it
The form is the easy part. Keeping it current, routing it to the right owner and holding the evidence together is the work that actually slips.
Holds the visual defect inspection library against your registers, routes each record to its owner, and keeps the evidence trail together.
Coordinates the crew, rolls completion and exceptions into one view, and holds every write for your approval before it touches a record.
This template lives in KnowQuality — quality and food safety. HACCP, nonconformance, traceability, laboratory and customer complaints.
Sources
Sources
- ISO 9001 — Quality management systems
- ISO — International Organization for Standardization