Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) is a commonly used sampling standard in foreign trade quality inspection, referring to the maximum defective rate or number of defects per hundred units that is considered acceptable in continuous batch inspection. It does not mean that suppliers are allowed to intentionally produce defective products, but rather a quality tolerance limit agreed upon by both buyer and seller. Usage scenarios include: contract quality clauses, inspection reports (such as ISO 2859-1), pre-shipment sampling inspection, etc. Notes: AQL must be specified with exact values in the contract (e.g., major defects 2.5, minor defects 4.0), and different defect classes correspond to different AQLs; AQL is not equal to 'zero defects'; if the actual defective rate exceeds the AQL, the entire batch is rejected; unlike 'LTPD' (Lot Tolerance Percent Defective), AQL focuses on long-term acceptable quality, while LTPD focuses on unacceptable quality of a single lot. Foreign trade practitioners should understand AQL sampling tables (e.g., General Inspection Level II) to avoid claims or returns caused by misunderstanding.
📝 Examples
1. According to the contract, this batch of goods shall be sampled and inspected under AQL 2.5. If the number of major defects exceeds the acceptance number, the buyer has the right to reject the entire batch. (Note: specifies the AQL value and the consequence of rejection)
2. The inspection report shows that major defects are 1.8%, which is lower than AQL 2.5; therefore, the batch is judged as qualified and can be arranged for shipment. (Note: the actual inspection result is compared with the AQL to decide release)
💡 Foreign Trade Tips
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