Pre-Audit a LED Driver Factory(Series)

A North American customer(For confidentiality, we have replaced the actual name with "Robert Lighting".) asked us to visit and audit a LED Driver manufacturer in Shenzhen asap.

Please note that pseudonyms have been used and some information has been changed to protect the privacy of our customers and factories.

Mar 1, 2025. I received the audit order

I feedback Robert lighting: I am asking documents from the supplier, if their documents reviewed ok by us, we will go to their factory, and charge you the audit the cost. If their documents not ok, we will not go to their factory, and only charge you the pre-audit(background checking) cost.

Pre-Audit by checking the documents and background

Mar 1, 2025. I sent the 1st email to the supplier.

Hi Anny,

How are you?

Here is hank, 3rd party QA&QC, work together with Robert lighting USA.? We need to audit your factory.

Before we visit your factory, we need to check your register info and documents, so, could you please:

1. Send me Your company introduction material, equipments list, register certificate.

2. Send me Testing report by your own quality department or R&D department for 1-2 products, the testing include safety, performance, reliability ,etc.

--Reminding: please?do not?send us the reports\certificates by SGS\INTERTEK\TUV, etc. We only need the testing reports by your own.

3.? Is your factory address the same as the register certificate？

After the above stage pass, we will go to your factory, visit your production lines, lab, warehouse,etc. As Robert lighting USA told me this is urgent, it will be great if you can feeback me asap.

March 2, 2025. I received the feedback from the supplier.

Dear Hank,

?Thanks for your email.

?Kindly see attached our files.

?Any further questions, Let me know pls.??

March 3, 2025. I feedback the supplier after reviewed their documents.

Hi Anny,

Thank you for your documents.?

I have watched your video and read your documents. I can see your company in shenzhen,was established since 2012 and focus on LED driver, your factory is clean, we have checked your ownership is stable, these are very good.

However, I also have a few questions, can you help me to check:

1. In the instrument list, I didn't see the Hi-pot testing or?Insulation resistance testing instrument,etc. These are critical electric safety testing instuments, because for Robert Lighting USA, safety is TOP priority to protect the end user and comply with local regulations. So could you check if you really don't have these instruments, or just forget to put them in the excel?

-I don't see oven\high temp charmper either,? please check together.

2. Per your testing video and aging test records. I didn't see the temperature grow testing records , reliability testing records. Can you find that from your R&D department and share it with me please? It's will be excellent if these records are exactly for the products which Robert lighting wants to buy from you.

March 3, 2025. The supplier revised their documents to me

Dear Hank,

We have the high pressure(Hi-pot) and temperature testers you mentioned, please check the updated list.

About temperature grow testing records , reliability testing records. We test according to customer requirements, and there is no relevant report at the moment. We can assist you with any subsequent testing you may require.

Kindly advise. Thanks.?

March 4, 2025. I feedback the supplier after reviewed their revised documents.

Hi Anny,

Thanks.

So your facilities are ok.

But for?temperature grow testing and reliability testing, they are the basic and necessary testing for all the driver products. These testings are very important because it can help you to verify the lifespan of the products before selling them to the customer.

I know and understand your company has been there for >10 years, and may make drivers for a long time, you have much experience on the design and comonnents selection, I understand very well these points are very helpful to avoid many quality issues.? However, test the products' temperature and reliability are mandatory and should be an important part of your Quality Management System.

Based on this, I am sorry I can't give a "PASS" to you, and I will not arrange the factory audit, until I get further requirement/special approval from Robert Lighting USA.?

Thanks for your understanding, I am quality man, it's my responsibility to say "no" or "yes" in some cases according to our process.

March 4, 2025 The supplier contacted me to know what is temperature testing, and updated the documents again to me

Dear Hank,

Thanks very much for your email.

I'm sorry I misunderstood yesterday，I didn't know you wanted a temperature rise report. All our products go through a lot of testing during the development process to ensure quality.?

Attached test report for check pls. Most of our products are sent to professional laboratories for testing, such as UL, which have very strict testing standards.

We hope you can come to inspect our factory, We are a very trustworthy supplier. You can also test our products at will.?

Any further questions, Let me know pls.?

March 5, 2025. I feedback the supplier after reviewed their 2nd updated documents.

Hi Anny,

That's fine.

That's an important document I asked for, Tks.

I still need one more--The Reliability Testing documents: normally some factories do accelerate aging test for weeks, by putting the driver working in a chamber with constant temp and humidity.

If you can provide it, the onsite audit will be in this week.

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