Reference

AQL sampling for furniture orders, explained

Every furniture inspection report turns on three numbers: the sample size, the accept number and the reject number. They are not invented per order — they come from a published standard, ISO 2859-1, and once you can read the table you can check any inspector's maths yourself.

Book an AQL inspection Open the AQL calculator See a sample report

AQL calculator

Enter your order quantity and the AQLs in your contract. You get the sample size and the accept and reject numbers an inspector should apply, so you can check any report's maths yourself.

Code letter J General Inspection Level II

Draw 80 pieces at random from packed cartons.

Class	AQL	Sample	Accept	Reject
Major	2.5	80	≤ 5	≥ 6
Minor	4.0	80	≤ 7	≥ 8
Critical	0	All drawn	≤ 0	≥ 1

Any critical defect fails the lot, whatever the major and minor counts.

Got a report? Check the verdict

Enter the defects counted in the sample. The verdict applies the plan above.

Lot accepted

3 major defects against an accept number of 5, 6 minor defects against 7, and no critical defect. Every count is within its limit.

Single sampling, normal inspection, AQL 0.65–10. Values from MIL-STD-105E Tables I and II-A (public domain), the long-standing values also carried in ISO 2859-1 and ANSI/ASQ Z1.4; check the edition your contract names. Tightened, reduced and double sampling are not modelled. Your contract's AQL and level always take precedence.

What AQL actually is

AQL — Acceptance Quality Limit, often called Acceptable Quality Limit, is the worst average defect rate per 100 units that a sampling plan treats as acceptable across a run of lots. It limits the process, not any single shipment: a lot that passes can still contain defects the sample did not catch. Instead of checking every piece, the inspector checks a statistically sized random sample and counts defects against an accept/reject threshold. The sample size and those thresholds are fixed by ISO 2859-1 (closely aligned with ANSI/ASQ Z1.4), so two honest inspectors given the same order size and AQL will draw the same sample and apply the same numbers. Every term below is also in the glossary.

How AQL works: your order in four steps

The same four steps decide every AQL inspection. These numbers follow the calculator above, so change your order there and watch them move.

01 · Lot 600 pieces in the lot
Everything offered for inspection: one product type, made under the same conditions, packed and ready to ship.
02 · Code letter J General Inspection Level II
The lot size and your inspection level select a code letter from the standard's first table.
03 · Sample 80 pieces drawn at random
The code letter sets the sample size. The inspector draws it from packed cartons, never from pieces the factory lines up.
04 · Decision ≤ 5 · ≤ 7 majors · minors to pass
Pass with 5 or fewer major defects, 7 or fewer minor defects and no critical defect. Reject at 6 majors, 8 minors or any critical.

What a pass actually tells you

An inspection looks at part of the lot, so a pass is a probability, not a guarantee. This chart, called an operating-characteristic curve, shows how often your plan passes a lot at each true defect rate.

Major plan · sample 80 · accept 5 Minor plan · sample 80 · accept 7

Defect rate in the lot 10%

If 10% of the pieces in your lot had a major defect, the major plan would pass it 18% of the time. At the same rate of minor defects, the minor plan would pass it 45% of the time.

At your major AQL of 2.5%, the plan passes 98% of lots. Sampling is built to accept production that runs at the AQL.
At 10% defective it still passes 18% of the time. That leftover chance is the buyer's risk, and why a first order with a new factory deserves a tighter AQL or Level III.

Binomial model: assumes the lot is large relative to the sample. Percentages are the long-run share of lots that would pass at each defect rate.

The AQL inspection, from booking to decision

What happens at each stage of a Qualis pre-shipment inspection, and what you do as the buyer. Select a step.

Step 1 of 6Agree the standard

Before the factory finishes, the AQL, inspection level and defect classes go into your purchase order alongside the spec sheet and golden sample. We agree the checklist, AQL and golden sample references with you before arrival, so the inspection measures what you actually bought.

Your part

Send the purchase order, specification, packing list and golden sample references. For a mixed order, decide whether each SKU is inspected as its own lot.

Step 2 of 6Book at 80% packed

Book when production is at least 80% complete and goods are packed, ideally 5 to 7 days before your container date, so any rework fits before the vessel. You get a fixed quote and confirmation within 24 hours.

Your part

Book the date, cluster and product, and ask the factory to have the order packed and accessible on the day.

Step 3 of 6Draw the random sample

The inspector counts the lot, reads the code letter and sample size from the standard, and draws cartons at random from packed goods. Pieces the factory has set aside are refused, and the refusal is recorded in the report.

Your part

Nothing on the day, unless you asked for live WhatsApp photo updates while the inspection runs.

Step 4 of 6Check and classify

Each sampled piece goes through the checklist: quantity against the PO, moisture, dimensions, structure and joints, finish against the golden sample, workmanship, hardware against the BOM, function, packaging, and marks and labels. Every finding is photographed, measured and classed as critical, major or minor.

Your part

Stay reachable for questions your spec does not answer, such as a borderline colour match.

Step 5 of 6Count and report

Major and minor defects are counted against their accept and reject numbers, and any critical defect fails the lot on its own. The report, with photographed findings, severity classes, standard references and the pass or fail result, reaches you within 24 hours.

Your part

Read the decision page and check the counts. The verdict checker above does the arithmetic for you.

Step 6 of 6Decide

On a call with your inspector you choose: release the balance payment, demand rework, or hold the container. After rework, a re-inspection re-checks the failed points in full.

Your part

Tie the balance payment to a passed report in your contract, so the decision stays yours to make.

Pre-shipment inspection: scope, timing and prices

The AQL sampling table for furniture

Single sampling, normal inspection, General Inspection Level II — the standard default Qualis uses unless your contract says otherwise. Read across from your order quantity.

Order quantity (lot)	Code	Sample size	AQL 2.5 — major		AQL 4.0 — minor
Order quantity (lot)	Code	Sample size	Accept	Reject	Accept	Reject
91 – 150	F	20	1	2	2	3
151 – 280	G	32	2	3	3	4
281 – 500	H	50	3	4	5	6
501 – 1,200	J	80	5	6	7	8
1,201 – 3,200	K	125	7	8	10	11
3,201 – 10,000	L	200	10	11	14	15
10,001 – 35,000	M	315	14	15	21	22

ISO 2859-1 / ANSI-ASQ Z1.4 · single sampling · normal inspection · Level II. Orders under ~90 pieces use the next larger sample size; critical defects are always zero-tolerance.

How to read it — a worked order

Say you have 600 dining chairs on one order. That lands in the 501–1,200 row, code J, so the inspector draws 80 chairs at random from the packed cartons — not a line-up the factory chose.

Counting major defects against AQL 2.5: accept at 5 or fewer, reject at 6 or more. Counting minor defects against AQL 4.0: accept at 7, reject at 8. Both tests have to pass. And a single critical defect — a split frame, a toppling stool — fails the lot on its own, whatever the other counts say.

That is the whole decision. It is why a report can say "reject" on 6 defects out of 80 and be completely correct: the standard, not the inspector's mood, drew the line.

More worked furniture orders

The same rule at four more order sizes, at General Inspection Level II with AQL 2.5 for major and 4.0 for minor defects. Any critical defect still fails the lot.

Order	Code	Draw	Major · accept / reject	Minor · accept / reject
200 coffee tables	G	32 pieces	≤ 2 ≥ 3	≤ 3 ≥ 4
800 dining chairs	J	80 pieces	≤ 5 ≥ 6	≤ 7 ≥ 8
1,200 bar stools	J	80 pieces	≤ 5 ≥ 6	≤ 7 ≥ 8
2,000 flat-pack shelves	K	125 pieces	≤ 7 ≥ 8	≤ 10 ≥ 11

Same numbers as the calculator above. A different AQL or level changes the sample and the limits; use the calculator for your own order.

The full AQL chart

Two tables decide every plan. The first turns your lot size and inspection level into a code letter. The second turns the code letter and your AQL into a sample size and accept and reject numbers.

Download the AQL chart (CSV, free)

Table 1 · Lot size to code letter

Lot size	Special levels				General levels
Lot size	S-1	S-2	S-3	S-4	I	II	III
2 – 8	A	A	A	A	A	A	B
9 – 15	A	A	A	A	A	B	C
16 – 25	A	A	B	B	B	C	D
26 – 50	A	B	B	C	C	D	E
51 – 90	B	B	C	C	C	E	F
91 – 150	B	B	C	D	D	F	G
151 – 280	B	C	D	E	E	G	H
281 – 500	B	C	D	E	F	H	J
501 – 1,200	C	C	E	F	G	J	K
1,201 – 3,200	C	D	E	G	H	K	L
3,201 – 10,000	C	D	F	G	J	L	M
10,001 – 35,000	C	D	F	H	K	M	N
35,001 – 150,000	D	E	G	J	L	N	P
150,001 – 500,000	D	E	G	J	M	P	Q
500,001 and over	D	E	H	K	N	Q	R

Table 2 · Code letter to sample size, accept (Ac) and reject (Re)

Code	Sample	AQL 0.65		AQL 1.0		AQL 1.5		AQL 2.5		AQL 4.0		AQL 6.5		AQL 10
Code	Sample	Ac	Re	Ac	Re	Ac	Re	Ac	Re	Ac	Re	Ac	Re	Ac	Re
A	2	↓		↓		↓		↓		↓		0	1	↓
B	3	↓		↓		↓		↓		0	1	↑		↓
C	5	↓		↓		↓		0	1	↑		↓		1	2
D	8	↓		↓		0	1	↑		↓		1	2	2	3
E	13	↓		0	1	↑		↓		1	2	2	3	3	4
F	20	0	1	↑		↓		1	2	2	3	3	4	5	6
G	32	↑		↓		1	2	2	3	3	4	5	6	7	8
H	50	↓		1	2	2	3	3	4	5	6	7	8	10	11
J	80	1	2	2	3	3	4	5	6	7	8	10	11	14	15
K	125	2	3	3	4	5	6	7	8	10	11	14	15	21	22
L	200	3	4	5	6	7	8	10	11	14	15	21	22	↑
M	315	5	6	7	8	10	11	14	15	21	22	↑		↑
N	500	7	8	10	11	14	15	21	22	↑		↑		↑
P	800	10	11	14	15	21	22	↑		↑		↑		↑
Q	1,250	14	15	21	22	↑		↑		↑		↑		↑
R	2,000	21	22	↑		↑		↑		↑		↑		↑

Single sampling, normal inspection. ↓ use the first plan below the arrow, and its sample size. ↑ use the first plan above it. If the sample is at least the lot size, inspect every piece. Values from the public-domain MIL-STD-105E tables, which ISO 2859-1 and ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 share.

Major, minor, critical — the three classes

The same defect list is sorted into three severities before the counts are applied. How Qualis classifies each one is set out in the Defect Library.

Minor · AQL 4.0

Cosmetic issues a customer might notice but that do not affect use — a faint finish mark, a slightly proud plug. Tolerated in larger numbers because they neither break nor stop a sale.

Major · AQL 2.5

Defects that hit function, durability or saleability — a loose joint, wrong dimensions, moisture over the limit, colour drift from the golden sample. Judged at the stricter limit.

Critical · zero tolerance

Anything unsafe or unshippable: a structural failure, a sharp edge, a fire-label breach on UK upholstery. One is enough to fail the order outright.

Test yourself: classify the defect

0 of 7 answered

A faint finish mark, visible only at an angle
A wooden plug standing slightly proud of the surface
A chair joint that moves under hand pressure
A finish colour visibly different from the golden sample
Moisture readings above the limit in your contract
A split in the frame of a dining chair
A screw tip protruding where a hand rests

Answers: A faint finish mark, visible only at an angle: Minor · A wooden plug standing slightly proud of the surface: Minor · A chair joint that moves under hand pressure: Major · A finish colour visibly different from the golden sample: Major · Moisture readings above the limit in your contract: Major · A split in the frame of a dining chair: Critical · A screw tip protruding where a hand rests: Critical.

Your contract's defect list always comes first. These answers follow the Qualis defaults above.

Setting your AQL and inspection level

If your buyer or retail programme specifies an AQL, use theirs — Qualis adopts whatever is written into your contract. If you are setting it yourself, AQL 2.5 major / 4.0 minor at General Inspection Level II is the sensible furniture default, strict enough to protect a balance payment without rejecting orders over trivia.

Tightening to AQL 1.5 usually keeps the same sample and lowers the accept number; moving to Level III draws a larger sample. Either is worth it for a first order with a new factory, or after a problem shipment. Loosening rarely pays: the inspection fee is a fraction of one rejected container. When in doubt, we will recommend a plan for your order on the pre-shipment inspection booking.

Inspection levels compared for 600 pieces

Level	Code	Sample size	When to use it
Special S-1	C	5	Checks that damage the piece or are slow and costly
Special S-2	C	5	Checks that damage the piece or are slow and costly
Special S-3	E	13	Checks that damage the piece or are slow and costly
Special S-4	F	20	Checks that damage the piece or are slow and costly
General I	G	32	When less discrimination is acceptable: a smaller sample than Level II
General II · default	J	80	The default for furniture
General III	K	125	A first order with a new factory, or after a problem shipment

Sample size before any arrow for your AQL. The highlighted row is the level selected in the calculator.

AQL questions we get asked

What does AQL 2.5 mean for a furniture order?

AQL 2.5 is the Acceptable Quality Limit for major defects: the lot is judged against a sample, and up to a set number of major defects is tolerated before the whole order is rejected. The sample size and its accept/reject numbers come from ISO 2859-1 at General Inspection Level II, sized to your order quantity. Qualis uses AQL 2.5 for major defects and 4.0 for minor by default.

How many pieces get inspected?

Not all of them — that is the point of sampling. The number is set by your lot size under ISO 2859-1, General Inspection Level II. A 600-piece order draws 80 pieces; a 2,000-piece order draws 125. The inspector selects them at random from packed cartons, never a set the factory prepares.

What is the difference between major, minor and critical defects?

Minor defects are cosmetic and judged at AQL 4.0. Major defects affect function, saleability or durability and are judged at the stricter AQL 2.5. Critical defects — anything unsafe or unshippable — are zero-tolerance: a single one fails the order regardless of the counts.

Can I set my own AQL?

Yes. Retail chains often specify their own AQL and inspection level, and Qualis adopts whatever is in your contract. If you have no house standard, AQL 2.5 major / 4.0 minor at General Inspection Level II is the sensible default for furniture.

Does a passed AQL inspection guarantee zero defects?

No. Sampling is a statistical control, not a promise that every piece is perfect. It gives you a defensible, standards-based decision on whether the lot as a whole meets the quality you agreed — which is what protects your balance payment and your claim position.

Does AQL 2.5 mean 2.5% of my order can be defective?

Not exactly. AQL 2.5 is the defect rate the plan is designed to accept as a process average across many lots. A single lot that passes can be a little better or worse than 2.5%, and a lot well above it can still pass by chance, as the chance-of-passing chart on this page shows. The accept and reject numbers are what decide your lot.

Who picks the pieces that are inspected?

The inspector, at random, from packed cartons. Pieces the factory has set aside or prepared are refused, and the refusal is recorded in the report. Random selection is what lets a sample stand for the whole lot.

Should each product in a mixed order be its own lot?

Ideally, yes. ISO 2859-1 asks that a lot consist of one product type made under essentially the same conditions. For a mixed container, agree before the inspection whether each SKU is sampled as its own lot or the order as one, and put the choice in the inspection checklist.

What happens if my order fails?

You get the photographed report within 24 hours and a call with your inspector. You decide whether to release the balance payment, demand rework, or hold the container. After rework, a re-inspection re-checks the failed points in full.

What are tightened and reduced inspection?

They are switching rules for a run of lots from the same supplier. Under ISO 2859-1, if 2 of 5 consecutive lots are rejected under normal inspection, inspection switches to tightened, with stricter accept numbers, until 5 consecutive lots pass. Reduced inspection, with smaller samples, is allowed only after a sustained run of accepted lots. The calculator on this page covers normal inspection, the default for a single order.

What does c=0 mean in an AQL table?

c is the acceptance number: the most defects the sample may contain and still pass. c=0 means the lot passes only if the sample has no defect at all. In the standard tables c=0 plans appear for small samples at tight AQLs, and c=0 sampling plans are also published as a separate method. Qualis applies c=0 to critical defects at every lot size: one critical defect fails the lot.

Can I download the AQL chart?

Yes. The full chart on this page, lot size to code letter and code letter to sample size with accept and reject numbers for AQL 0.65 to 10, is a free CSV download with no sign-up. It is built from the same data as the calculator.

Does the factory see my inspection report?

No. Under the Qualis Independence Charter, findings, photographs and results go only to you, the buyer who pays for the inspection.

Put the table to work on your next order.

An AQL-sampled pre-shipment inspection, photographed and standards-referenced, with the accept/reject maths shown. Confirmed within 24 hours; reported within 24 hours of the inspection.

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