What documentation comes back?
Every new part starts with a first article inspection against the confirmed drawing. On automotive programmes a PPAP-aligned package is prepared at the level the customer's quality department specifies. Material certificates are kept per heat, IMDS entries are filed on request, and lot inspection records are retained.
| Document | When it is issued |
|---|---|
| DFM review | Before tooling, against the drawing or 3D model |
| First article inspection (FAI) | On first-off samples, dimensional results against the drawing |
| PPAP-aligned package | At the level agreed with the customer's quality department |
| Material certificate | Per heat, with the delivered lots traceable to it |
| IMDS entry | On request, where the customer system requires it |
| Inspection records | Retained per shipped lot, available on request |
| Coating and finish records | Salt spray and coating thickness on request |
Die tryout and samples
Dies are tried out on Balford production presses and first articles are inspected in house, so the sample you receive is produced on the process you will be supplied from. Where a test is outside the in-house lab, it is carried out by an audited partner and recorded in the same package.
Stated precisely: the quality system is ISO 9001:2015, and automotive process controls are aligned to IATF 16949 requirements. Balford does not claim IATF 16949 certification, an ISO 14001 registration, a defect-rate percentage or a delivery-statistics figure.