TSE ISO/TR 8550-1

TSE ISO/TR 8550-1 is a general guide for selecting and using acceptance sampling systems, schemes, and plans for inspection of discrete items in lots. Rather than prescribing one fixed sampling plan, it explains how acceptance sampling is approached at a conceptual level and how the choice of system depends on the inspection situation.

Acceptance sampling is based on making a decision about a lot from a representative sample instead of inspecting every item. In quality control, this is useful where full inspection would be impractical, costly, or slow. The key distinctions in this subject are between inspection by attributes and inspection by variables, and between a single sampling plan and a broader sampling scheme or system. This part of ISO/TR 8550 provides the general framework for making those selections.

The scope is intentionally broad. It can be applied to finished items such as complete products or sub-assemblies, to components and raw materials, to in-process material, stock, maintenance operations, services, data, records, and administrative procedures. That breadth reflects a general principle of acceptance sampling: the same decision logic can be adapted to many different kinds of inspection and evaluation tasks, not only manufacturing output.

• This document is a general guide, not a stand-alone plan for a specific product type.
• It points readers to ISO/TR 8550-2 for attribute inspection.
• It points readers to ISO/TR 8550-3 for variables inspection.
• Its scope includes products, services, records, and administrative procedures.