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AQL Calculator for Furniture Inspection
Enter your order quantity. You get the exact number of units an inspector must check, plus the accept and reject numbers that decide whether the whole lot passes — under ISO 2859-1 (identical to ANSI/ASQC Z1.4).
A "lot" is one SKU of packed goods. Different models count as separate lots.
Change the AQL value
This is the sampling basis for all three verification levels. Level 1 uses the figures shown. Level 2 increases the sample, and Level 3 samples closer to full coverage — so the real coverage on Level 3 is higher than this table shows.
What AQL actually means
AQL stands for Acceptable Quality Limit. Under ISO 2859-1 it is defined as the worst process average that is still considered acceptable when a continuing series of lots is submitted for sampling inspection.
It is a sampling parameter, not a quality guarantee and not a percentage of acceptable defects. On a 1,000-piece lot you will inspect 80 units. If the count of major defects in those 80 units is 5 or fewer, the lot passes. At 6 or more, it is rejected.
Sample sizes for the lot sizes furniture buyers order most
General inspection level II, single sampling, normal inspection. Each defect class is counted separately against its own AQL.
| Lot size | Sample | Critical AQL 0 | Major AQL 2.5 | Minor AQL 4.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151 – 280 | 32 | 0 / 1 | 2 / 3 | 3 / 4 |
| 281 – 500 | 50 | 0 / 1 | 3 / 4 | 5 / 6 |
| 501 – 1,200 | 80 | 0 / 1 | 5 / 6 | 7 / 8 |
| 1,201 – 3,200 | 125 | 0 / 1 | 7 / 8 | 10 / 11 |
| 3,201 – 10,000 | 200 | 0 / 1 | 10 / 11 | 14 / 15 |
| 10,001 – 35,000 | 315 | 0 / 1 | 14 / 15 | 21 / 22 |
| 35,001 – 150,000 | 500 | 0 / 1 | 21 / 22 | 21 / 22 |
Shown as accept / reject. Highlighted rows cover the large majority of furniture orders. Full table runs to 500,000+ units in ISO 2859-1.
The three defect classes we grade against
Critical — AQL 0, zero tolerance
One single finding rejects the lot. For furniture this means: wrong model shipped, species substituted for what you ordered, uncertified gas lifts, tempered glass without a 3C mark, sharp edges, count short against the PI, structural failure under rated load. These are not quality complaints — they mean the goods are not what you bought.
Major — AQL 2.5
Outside your agreed specification, but not a fundamental mismatch: a chair that wobbles, a leg failing a 75 lb four-direction pull, edge banding lifting, a sofa frame that sags under 250 lb, dimensions outside your stated tolerance, wrong colour shipped against order.
Minor — AQL 4.0
Cosmetic only, no effect on function or durability: slight colour variation within an agreed range, a small surface mark on a hidden face, a few skipped stitches. Usually acceptable, often the basis for a negotiated price adjustment.
Why your report must carry these four numbers
Lot size, sample size, accept number and reject number. Without them the report is an opinion. With them it is technical evidence that can support a claim against your supplier or an insurance case. Any verification report that omits them should be questioned.
Normal, tightened and reduced inspection
ISO 2859-1 also switches the plan based on your supplier's quality history, and this is the part most providers ignore:
- Normal — the default, used when there is no evidence the lot is better or worse than the specified AQL.
- Tightened — triggered when 2 of the last 5 lots were rejected under normal inspection. Same sample size, stricter accept numbers. Production is halted if 5 consecutive lots are rejected.
- Reduced — available after 10 consecutive lots pass under normal inspection with stable production. Smaller sample for the same protection.
Ask your inspector which plan they used. A provider who samples under normal inspection forever, regardless of your supplier's track record, is giving the supplier an acceptance probability the data does not support.
What you should send us before a verification
- Your PI or PO number and the factory address
- What is being made and how many pieces
- Your approved sample, or photos of it — this is the single most useful thing you can send
- Your specification sheet or drawing, if you have one
- Any concern you already have: "the last shipment had wobble problems"
If you only have a product link, send that. We build the check criteria for you and tell you what will be looked at before we arrive. That scoping conversation is free.
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