How to control the casting quality of cast iron and cast steel products made in China

I have worked in China foundries for years as a marketing manager, so I have met many quality complains and problems, so I am thinking how to control the cast iron and cast steel casting quality.

Many importer and trading companies were heating to import metal castings parts, especially cast iron and cast steel casting parts, this is because there are many quality problems with them. Even if you find a very good foundry as supplier in China, looks like quality problems will happen anyway.

The basic reasons are two aspects. One is the casting production processes are very complex and there are many aspects which will affect the quality. Second reason is the workers’ skill and quality is very low and different in China foundries. The working conditions are bad in foundries, so only farmers and physical working man are willing to work in this condition, so they will affect the stable quality.

However, in India, their quality of workers will be worse than Chinese, so you will have to import casting parts from China anyway, then you will need to hear about the following suggestions to control the quality.

1. REPORTS
Inspection reports are very effective and useful method to control the quality of iron and steel castings. The reports will prove that the foundries have performed the inspection, and they also promise the casting quality as the reports.

Material report includes chemical composition, and mechanical properties, including tensile strength, yield strength, hardness, nodular rate, etc.

Dimensional reports will show the inspection results to the dimensions. Our Dandong Foundry also shows surface quality and other inspection results on the dimensional reports.

2. TOOLING
Inspection tooling is very useful for the manufacturer to control the quality. For example, if this metal casting part needs to assemble with other parts, then if it is possible, please send these parts to the manufacturer, so they can use them as the inspection tools. Otherwise, suggest the foundries to make some inspection tools for the key dimensions. For tapping thread, you could send some No-Go gage to the foundries or tell them the exact types, so they could buy them in China.

Personally, I think inspection tool will be more useful to control the dimensions than dimensional reports.

3. PHOTOS
If you want to check the surface quality, painting and packing, then you could require the Chinese foundries to take some photos for the metal castings. Please believe me that they are useful. Many of our clients discussed quality issues with us by photos with denotation, which has helped us to solve many problems.

4. ASK FRIENDS TO INSPECT

If you want to inspect the casting quality or want to survey a China foundry, but you do not have time to do so, then you could ask one of your suppliers to help you to do so. I have helped many clients to do the factory investigation. After I review their Chinese website and calling to their contact, I will make a personal opinion to judge if they are cheater, if they are qualified, and if skillful to complete the products of yours.

Sometimes, we can send an inspector to site to inspect the quality. One aspect, we could inspect some problems. Second aspect, the suppliers will notice that you have inspectors in China, so they will control the quality stricter than normal.

5. ENTRUST THIRD PARTY INSPECTION

If you have lots of money, and inspection is very important for you, then you could try to entrust the third party inspection company to site inspecting. However, one disadvantage is very high cost, another disadvantage is they can not find out the quality problems. Most of Inspection Company or organization declared that they can inspect quality, but actually, they just could do some simple dimensional inspection. Even if they have some inspection devices, such as UT inspector, their devices are not almighty, they can find out some big quality problems, but can not find out small problems.

Our foundry does not have resistance to third party inspection, moreover, during each time inspection, we can learn more knowledge from them, and however, what I said is also the truth. I just said the third party inspection is not almighty, and the result also depends on their real capability, not as their propaganda.

In addition, please try to tell you supplier how you will use these casting parts, sending some assembly drawings or photos to them, this information will be the best for their quality control. Many clients may think this is necessary, you just need to meet the tolerance and requirements on the drawing, no need to understand how we will use them. Actually, this is the biggest mistake. This information will help the manufacturers to know the key dimensions, the main requirements to surface quality, and inside defects. Please, please believe me, this is very important.

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