Most sourcing failures do not happen at the press. They happen in the last two weeks: a first article that was never formally approved, a PPAP file that arrives after the parts, or a carton that protects the parts for the first 8,000 km and not the last 200.
What has to be agreed before the first shipment leaves a Chinese stamping supplier?
Before the first shipment, four things should be closed out in writing: first article inspection against the drawing with the measurement method identified; the PPAP submission at the level the customer requires, normally Level 3 for new automotive programmes, together with IMDS entries and RoHS, REACH and EU POPs declarations; the packaging specification, covering material, quantity per bag or tray, separation of parts, desiccant where needed, carton strength, and whether returnable packaging is used; and the shipping documentation with labelling requirements, part number, revision level, quantity and traceability to the production lot. A supplier that treats packaging as an afterthought will treat the deviation report the same way.
First article approval is a decision, not an email
The first article is where the customer either accepts the process or sends it back. Approving by photograph postpones the decision to the receiving inspection, where it costs more. The practical sequence is a dimensional layout report on a defined sample, the material certificate, a note of any agreed deviation from the drawing, and an explicit approval record with the revision level referenced.
Packaging is part of the specification
- Parts that will be plated or painted need protection from handling marks, not just from impact
- Thin-wall drawn parts need separation — the cheapest way to scrap a housing is to let 500 of them rub together for three weeks
- Moisture control matters for steel parts in humid transit; desiccant and barrier bags are a specification decision
- Carton and pallet configuration should be agreed against the customer's own material handling
- Labelling must carry part number, revision, quantity and lot so the receiving inspection can trace back
Where Chinese suppliers most often lose the programme
Not on the forming, and not on the price — on documentation discipline. IMDS entries that do not match production, PPAP files without traceability to the measured parts, declarations that quote no list version, and packaging that was never specified. Each of those is fixable at kick-off and expensive after the first container.
The pre-shipment checklist
- First article report approved, with the drawing revision referenced
- PPAP submitted at the agreed level and accepted
- IMDS entry created or updated to match production
- RoHS / REACH / POPs declarations issued against the current list version
- Packaging specification approved, including separation and moisture protection
- Shipment labelling and lot traceability defined
- Agreed route for deviations, including who can approve them
Key point
A programme is not launched when the tool produces a good part. It is launched when the paperwork, the packaging and the traceability are all agreed — and that is a conversation to have before the first shipment, not after.
Frequently asked questions
What PPAP level does Balford submit?
PPAP Level 3 is the standard submission for new programmes and is what most customers request. Contents are agreed at kick-off according to the customer's requirements.
Should I use returnable packaging from China?
It depends on volume and route. Returnable packaging controls damage well but adds logistics cost; for lower volumes a specified single-use pack with separation is usually more practical.
How is traceability maintained?
By tying each shipment to a production lot and keeping the inspection records, material certificates and any special process records for that lot.