Two pilots ran in the same week on similar platforms. One produced a fixture change, a revised test limit and a verified packing process; the other produced photographs of some units and a request to proceed. Both were called pilots, and only one of them de-risked the production order.
Charger pilot run: what the pilot has to verify
Five things: the fixture and the assembly process, the test limits, the packing and accessories, the traceability record, and the output rate.
The pilot is the first time the product runs through the real process rather than being assembled by hand, so it is the first opportunity to see what the process does to the product. Each of the five items produces either a confirmation or a change, and both are useful as long as they are recorded before the production order is placed.
The order of the five follows the production sequence, which is also the order in which problems appear when the pilot starts.
Step 1: agree the acceptance criteria before it starts
A pilot judged afterwards becomes a negotiation.
Write the criteria first: which parameters are measured, on how many units, against which limits, and what outcome counts as a pass for the process rather than for the sample. The criteria document is the same one used for production, which is what makes the pilot a rehearsal rather than a demonstration.
Step 2: run the real process, not a comfortable version
The value of the pilot is proportional to how ordinary the conditions are.
Use the real line, the real fixture at every station that needs it, the real component lots and the planned shift pattern. A pilot run on a quiet day with the best operator and a single fixture produces results that describe the best case. Where the line cannot be used, that limitation belongs in the record so the first production batch is treated as the real pilot.
Step 3: verify the five items and record what changed
Each item produces a finding, and the findings are the output.
The fixture may need a second copy or an adjustment; the test limits may need re-deriving from the measured distribution; the packing may need a change to the insert; the traceability record may need a field added; and the output rate may be lower than planned because of station time. A pilot whose record contains none of these has either been run on a product that is already in production, or has not been measured closely enough.
| Item | What to verify | Record produced | Common finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixture and assembly | A fixture at every station, plus a spare | Fixture list with quantities | A second fixture is needed |
| Test limits | A measurement series against the limits | Measured values per unit | Limits re-derived from the data |
| Packing and accessories | An assembled carton with the accessory set | Packing proof with the revision | Insert or language change |
| Traceability | Lots, station and results linked | A traceability sheet for the batch | A missing field |
| Output rate | Units per shift against the plan | The measured rate | Station time longer than planned |
Step 4: close the findings before the production order
A finding that is not closed becomes a production problem.
Each finding gets an owner and a date, and the production order starts when the fixture, the limits, the packing and the traceability record are settled. Where a finding cannot be closed in time, the option is to schedule around it explicitly rather than to proceed as though it did not exist.
Step 5: use the pilot as the baseline for production
Measured in production, compared with measured in the pilot.
The pilot’s measurement series becomes the reference against which the first production batch is compared, which is far more informative than comparing a batch with a specification limit alone. A shift in the distribution between the pilot and the first batch points to a lot change, a fixture change or a station change, and the comparison is available because both sets of values were recorded.
What the pilot is not
Three things it is often mistaken for.
It is not a sample approval, because a sample proves the design and the pilot proves the process. It is not a marketing photograph session, although photographs are a useful by-product. And it is not a discount negotiation, because its purpose is to produce evidence rather than a price.
FAQ
How large should a pilot run be?
Large enough to run the real process through a full shift on every station and to produce a measurement series. For most charger programmes a few hundred units is enough, and a larger pilot only adds information about the process at volume. Ask how long the pilot has to run to cover a full shift on the slowest station, because that station sets the size.
Can the pilot double as the first production batch?
It can where the process is already established and the fixture, limits and packing are unchanged. Where the pilot is expected to produce findings, those findings need to be closed before the volume build starts. Where the pilot is expected to produce findings, close them before the volume build starts, because a pilot that doubles as the first batch cannot absorb a change.
Who signs off a pilot?
The factory signs the process results and the buyer confirms that the acceptance criteria were met. Where an independent inspector is used, the same criteria document is used, which is what keeps the result comparable. The factory signs the process results and the buyer confirms the acceptance criteria, and an independent inspector uses the same document so the result stays comparable.
What if the pilot fails a criterion?
Close the finding and repeat the affected points rather than the entire pilot. A failed criterion that produces a fixture change and a verified rerun is a successful pilot; one that produces a discount is a pricing conversation. A failed criterion that produces a fixture change and a verified rerun is a successful pilot, while one that produces a discount is a pricing conversation.
Next step
Send the configuration, the packaging version and the expected volume to Wecent Group through the contact page. The reply sets out the pilot scope, the acceptance criteria, the records it produces and the findings that have to close before the production order. Related reading: our charger factory, OEM and ODM charger manufacturing and charger manufacturing services. External references: ICC Incoterms rules, IEC standards, IEC Webstore, UL standards and certification, BSI ISO 9001 quality management and Intertek testing services.
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