Inspection & Audit
Manufacturing Capability Assessment
A factory may look credible yet lack the specific equipment, process control or capacity your product needs. A capability assessment checks the factory's means to produce your specification — equipment, tooling, process parameters and quality controls — before orders are placed.
When it fits
When capability assessment is essential
Your product requires specific processes — moulding, machining, assembly, electronics, finishing.
You are comparing factories that claim the same capability on paper.
You need documented confidence that a supplier can hold your tolerances.
You are expanding an existing product line to a new factory.
Scope
Possible deliverables
- Capability requirements list from your specification
- Equipment and process mapping
- Tolerance and process-control review
- Capacity assessment against your volumes
- Gap report with qualification recommendations
Process
Assessment process
- 01
Requirement definition
We translate your product spec into the processes and equipment it genuinely requires.
- 02
Factory mapping
The factory's equipment, tooling, process controls and staffing are reviewed against those requirements.
- 03
Gap analysis
Mismatches are listed — missing processes, tolerance risks, capacity limits.
- 04
Qualification plan
We recommend trial runs, first-article inspection or additional audits to close gaps.
Honest boundaries
Assessment boundaries
- Assessment is based on what is observable at the time and what the factory discloses.
- It does not guarantee production consistency — process qualification and inspections are separate controls.
- Highly specialised products may require engineer-level technical review beyond a standard audit scope.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the factory lacks a required process?
We report the gap and options: qualifying an alternate factory, sub-contracting the missing process with quality controls, or adjusting the specification. We do not paper over gaps.
Is this the same as a factory audit?
Related but different. An audit reviews overall operations; a capability assessment is product-specific — can this factory make your product to spec and volume.
Can you assess capacity?
Yes, against your assumed volumes and timelines, based on equipment, staffing and shift patterns observed.
Explore
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Ready when you are
Tell us what you need to source.
Share your product specifications, target market, estimated order volume and timeline. We will review the project and discuss a suitable approach.