Sampling and quality
Sample Approval Before Production
Edited by LesomTech
A sample is not a marketing piece. It is the evidence that a design can be produced and that the finished product will fit the intended vehicle or opening. Before requesting one, decide what it has to prove; otherwise it arrives with nothing agreed and no way to judge it.
This guide covers what to specify for the sample, which checks belong on the vehicle, and why the approval record matters commercially. Sample quantity, charges and delivery are confirmed in the quotation.
1. State what the sample must prove
Write the purpose down before ordering: dimensions, installation, removal, headroom, retention, folding or roller operation, finish, or branding placement. A sample intended to prove fit cannot also be assumed to prove appearance, and a sample intended to prove finish does not establish fit.
Record sample quantity, charge, any development work and the delivery schedule separately from production. These are quoted as separate items and are not part of the production unit price.
2. Approve on the target vehicle, not on the workbench
A shade that fits on a table can still clash with a headliner, a mirror housing, a door frame or interior trim. For a vehicle-specific design, fit the sample to the actual vehicle before approving it.
Check edge gaps, contact with interior trim, headroom and clearance to mirrors and sensors. Photograph the fitted sample from the same positions each time so that a later comparison has a reference.
3. Construction-specific checks
Roller roof shade: open and retract it, then agree the travel, the operating effort, the handle position, the attachment points and the clearance inside the cabin.
Fold-flat roof shade: check the panel outline, edge gaps, headroom and clip retention, then fold, unfold and reinstall the sample and agree the frame shape and fabric tension after those checks.
Side-window set: test attachment, removal and door and window movement. Do not assume that every construction allows the window to open, and agree coverage and sight lines before approval.
Windshield shade: with the vehicle parked, check interior coverage and mirror and sensor clearance, then fold and unfold the sample and approve logo placement, labels and packaging. The instruction to remove the shade before driving belongs on the product.
Exterior snow cover: check exterior coverage, the fastening route and the vehicle-contact points on a parked vehicle, then review the material against the test method you requested.
4. Record the agreement
Keep the approved sample, the agreed drawing or specification and the approval record together, with the date and the people who approved it. That approval is the reference for the production order.
List what the sample includes: fittings, clips, accessories, storage pouch, labels, instructions and packaging. A sample shown without its accessory list is not a complete sample.
5. A change after approval is a priced change
A change in fabric, mounting, dimensions, colour, logo or packaging after approval affects material, tooling, labour and timing. Send the change in writing and ask how it changes the unit price and the delivery basis before it is implemented.
If a change is required for regulatory or destination-market reasons, state that in the same message. One documented change is easier to re-quote than a later disagreement about which sample was approved.
Copy this checklist into your enquiry
- What the sample must prove, item by item
- Sample quantity, charge, development work and delivery schedule
- Target vehicle or opening the sample will be fitted to
- Checks to perform on the vehicle, by construction type
- Fittings, accessories, labels, instructions and packaging included
- Where the approved sample, drawing and approval record are kept
- Process for requesting a change after approval
Factory and quality information
100 pieces / style
What would you like to make?
Send a vehicle model, product reference or drawing. A clear brief is enough to start the conversation.