4.0 AQL - Normal Inspection

Lot Size Sample Size Acc Rej Criteria for Continuing Inspection
1 - 8 All * * N/A
9 - 90 5 0 2 If 1 defective found, go to S/S of 13**
(Cumulative S/S) 13 1 2 If 1 defective found, go to S/S of 13**
91 - 150 13 1 3 If 2 defectives found, go to S/S of 20
(Cumulative S/S) 20 2 3 If 2 defectives found, go to S/S of 20
151 - 280 13 1 4 If 2 - 3 defectives found, go to S/S of 32
(Cumulative S/S) 32 3 4 If 2 - 3 defectives found, go to S/S of 32
281 - 500 20 1 6 If 2 - 5 defectives found, go to S/S of 50
(Cumulative S/S) 50 5 6 If 2 - 5 defectives found, go to S/S of 50
501 - 1200 32 2 8 If 3 - 7 defectives found, go to S/S of 80
(Cumulative S/S) 80 7 8 If 3 - 7 defectives found, go to S/S of 80
1201 - 3200 50 3 11 If 4 - 10 defectives found, go to S/S of 125
(Cumulative S/S) 125 10 11 If 4 - 10 defectives found, go to S/S of 125
3201 - 10,000 80 5 15 If 6 - 14 defectives found, go to S/S of 200
(Cumulative S/S) 200 14 15 If 6 - 14 defectives found, go to S/S of 200
10,001 - 35,000 125 8 22 If 9 - 21 defectives found. go to S/S of 315
(Cumulative S/S) 315 21 22 If 9 - 21 defectives found. go to S/S of 315
Over 35,000 200 12 22 If 13 - 21 defectives found. go to S/S of 312
(Cumulative S/S) 315 21 22 If 13 - 21 defectives found. go to S/S of 312

An AQL means that as long as a supplier maintains his / her process average (% defective) at the assigned AQL or lower, there is a very high probability that shipments from that supplier (inspected using the Exchange sampling plans) will be accepted. Conversely, there is a very high probability that shipments (inspected using the Exchange sampling plans) will be rejected if a supplier's process average (% defective) remains higher than the assigned AQL.

*Reject only defectives found.

**If lot size is 13 units or less, inspect all and reject only defectives found.

QA Links

Acceptance Quality Levels (AQLs)

All Hardlines Merchandise

Jewelry, Shoes, Clothing, Softside Luggage and any Cut & Sewn Item

Extra Value, Budget, or Entry Price Point Type of Merchandise

Here is how the random sampling works:

Let us say that the shipment or lot size is 2,000 items or pieces. Then:

  1. Take a sample of 50 pieces at random from this shipment.
  2. Inspect all 50 pieces.
  3. If 2 or less defective pieces are found, accept the shipment.
  4. If 8 or more defective pieces are found, reject the shipment.
  5. If 3 to 7 defective pieces are found, then take additional 75 samples at random.
  6. Inspect all 75 samples.
  7. If a total of 7 or less defective pieces are found, accept the shipment.
  8. If a total of 8 or more defective pieces are found, reject the shipment.

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