Factory audit checklist
This comprehensive factory audit checklist is used to screen existing or potential factory suppliers. this template can be used by quality and compliance teams to evaluate whether the suppliers meet the required business standards in producing quality products. the template can serve as a guide for the inspector to do the following: provide a general information of the factory supplier;evaluate all key areas such as production, quality and compliance;take photo evidence of any risk which needs immediate resolution;assign actions to responsible teams and authorized people;determine whether the supplier evaluated can assist your business;complete the audit by signing off.
What does this form include?
This form contains 15 sections:
Date established Date
Total annual sales
No. of Employees
No. of Quality Control Employees
No. of Operators
No. of Machines
Quality Control
- Does the supplier has a quality system?
Cost Control
- Are top managers (general manager, production manager, finance manager, sales manager, QC manager) part of the owner’s family? Or are they professional managers?
- Are there several empty floors?
- Can you see recent investments in expensive machinery?
- Are there idle machines?
Maintenance
- Is equipment failure down time calculated?
- Are there checklists for maintenance? Do they seem to be followed?
Visual Control
- Is the number of pieces per labor hour displayed on a wall, and tracked day-by-day?
- Is the amount of scrapped material displayed on a wall, and tracked day-by-day?
- Is the total unit cost displayed on a wall, and tracked day-by-day?
Degree of "Lean-ness"
- Can you see a lot of inventory kept before production and kept between each production step?
Production
- Before a new product is launched, are some jigs/tools prepared by the engineering department?
- Is pre-production inventory well organized?
- Is work-in-process inventory stored in a predictable way, or do people need to look around to find what they need?
- Where do the components used in production come from? How long does transportation take?
- Is production organized as a continuous flow, without any work-in-process inventory visible in the workshop? (best)
- Is there a kanban system? (very good)
- Is there a production planning, with details for each workshop, and updated every day? (good)
- Is there no production planning at all? (worst)
- Is there a list of approved subcontractors, who can take over part of the job? For which process steps?
- Is there a power generator?
- Is equipment failure downtime calculated?
- Are there checklists for maintenance? Do they seem to be followed?
- Is the proportion of on-time shipments displayed on a wall, and updated at least weekly?
- Is the time to make one piece, from start to finish, displayed on a wall, and updated daily?
- Can you see a lot of inventory between each production step?
Compliance
- Are there enough fire extinguishers (in workshops, dormitories)? Are they accessible, and up to date?
- Are there enough emergency exits? Is it possible to lock them? Are they used as storage areas?
- Do workers have appropriate personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, glasses, safety boots)?
- Are there enough first-aid kits? Are they available and full?
- Does production generate a lot of waste? Is this waste treated?
- Has the factory invested in energy-efficient equipment?
Summary of Findings
- General organization in the factory
- Working environment (light, noise..)
- Motivation of top management
- Ease of mutual understanding
Full Name and Signature of Inspector/QC Manager
Use this template