Choosing an overseas moulder on price alone is a common and expensive mistake. A practical audit checklist covering capability, quality systems, tooling, people, compliance and communication, so you choose a partner rather than a quote.
Two moulders in the same region quoted almost identical prices for a family of housings. On paper they were equivalent. On site, the differences were stark. One had a measurement room with a calibrated CMM, documented process sheets at every machine, dryers on every hygroscopic material and a quality manager who explained their last three customer complaints in detail. The other measured parts with callipers on the shop floor, could not find the process settings for the sample parts it had sent, and had no records of material drying.
An audit before awarding business is the cheapest insurance an overseas sourcing project can buy.
Company and capacity
- Ownership, history, financial stability and key customers.
- Machine list: tonnage range, age, brands and condition, and spare capacity for your volumes.
- Shifts worked and utilisation.
- Secondary operations: assembly, printing, ultrasonic welding, packaging.
- Subcontracting: what is done in-house and what is not.
Quality system
- Certifications relevant to your industry, such as ISO 9001, IATF 16949 or ISO 13485, and the date and outcome of the last audit.
- Incoming material inspection and traceability.
- Process documentation: process sheets, work instructions, control plans.
- Measurement capability: CMM, vision systems, calibrated gauges, measurement system studies.
- Handling of non-conforming product and corrective actions, including an 8D example.
- First article and PPAP capability, as described in PPAP explained.
Process control
- Material handling and drying: correct dryers, documented drying times and dew points.
- Process parameters documented and controlled, ideally using scientific moulding principles.
- Regrind policy and control.
- Mould temperature control equipment.
- Shot-to-shot monitoring or SPC on critical processes.
Tooling
- In-house tool design and build, or partners.
- Mould maintenance: preventive maintenance schedules, records and toolroom capability.
- Storage and protection of customer tools.
- Ability to handle tools built elsewhere.
People and management
- Engineering team: experience, qualifications and English language capability.
- Training records for operators and setters.
- Management engagement with quality and improvement.
- Housekeeping and safety, a reliable indicator of overall discipline.
Compliance and ethics
- Labour practices, working hours and safety.
- Environmental permits and practices.
- Restricted substances management.
- Intellectual property protection and confidentiality.
Communication and service
- Responsiveness during the quoting and audit process.
- Clarity and honesty of answers, including about problems.
- Reporting practices: what you would receive weekly during a project.
Scoring and decision
Score each area, weight it by importance for your product and compare suppliers. Combine the audit with trial orders on lower-risk parts before transferring critical products. And remember that the relationship continues after selection, as described in managing toolmakers in China and remote supplier management.
