When should I replace an ageing golden sample?
Replace an ageing golden sample when deterioration makes it unreliable for judging repeat production. Check the replacement against approved specifications and surviving evidence, then record approval and which orders it covers. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate the comparison through its staff in China.
Replace it when its reference value is lost
Judge the sample by its condition and the features it represents, rather than its age alone. Fading, yellowing, corrosion, distortion, brittle seals, sticky coatings or worn moving parts can make it misleading. Check before releasing a repeat order and after storage damage, heavy handling or disagreement between retained samples.
Record which features remain usable and which need another reference. A faded sample may still show assembly details but no longer establish colour. Mark any restrictions clearly and stop using affected features for acceptance decisions. For the original approval process, see making bulk production match the sample.
Separate sample deterioration from production drift
Compare the buyer's retained sample with the factory's sample, approval photographs, measurement records, drawings, material specifications and colour references. Use consistent lighting and measurement methods. Look for differences associated with storage or handling, such as fading on exposed surfaces or wear where inspectors repeatedly touch the sample.
Ask the factory to identify changes in materials, components, tooling, finish or process since approval. A fresh production piece that differs from an ageing sample does not establish which has changed. If the evidence conflicts, pause acceptance of the disputed feature and agree how to resolve it. Do not average conflicting references or let the factory choose the easier standard.
Verify the proposed replacement against the records
Request a candidate made using the approved production materials and process. Give it a provisional identity and keep it out of inspection use until approved. Prepare a comparison record covering each relevant feature, the controlling document and revision, the check performed, the result and any unresolved difference.
Where records are incomplete, use an unaffected retained sample or traceable batch reference as supporting evidence, explaining its limits. Photographs cannot establish hidden materials, strength or electrical performance. Agree suitable measurements or tests for those features. Keeping reference samples from production batches supports this evidence trail.
Approve renewal separately from a product change
State in writing whether approval renews the physical reference while preserving the accepted requirements, or approves an intentional product change. Record the old and new sample identities, specification revision, comparison evidence, approver, approval date and applicable orders or batches. List every accepted difference explicitly. A signature on a fresh sample alone leaves the scope unclear.
Route changed materials, components or performance through a separate change review; see approving factory material substitutions. Manufacturers and importers placing products on the UK market need to demonstrate compliance with relevant safety requirements. As a practical check, ask whether existing test evidence still represents the proposed product before approving a change.
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Control the handover and future storage
Label, sign and date the approved replacement reference sets for the buyer and factory. Update inspection instructions and obtain acknowledgement from everyone making acceptance decisions. State when the replacement takes effect and how open orders are handled. Mark the old sample as superseded, retain it with the comparison record and prevent its accidental return to inspection use.
Agree storage suited to the material, protection from light, moisture and contamination, controlled access and a condition check before use. Keep handling and destructive tests away from the master reference where possible. Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can coordinate factory comparisons and the handover, with the buyer's named approver authorising the replacement.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I replace a golden sample?
Base replacement on condition and reliability. Check before repeat production and after damage or heavy handling. Replace it when it can no longer represent the approved features reliably.
Can the factory use the latest batch as the new sample?
Only after the buyer's named approver accepts it against the documented requirements. Recent production may contain drift; being new does not make it the accepted standard.
What if my golden sample has faded?
Stop using it to judge colour. Compare against the approved colour reference, unaffected retained samples and approval records. Resolve gaps before approving a replacement.
Does approving a replacement change the specification?
Record explicitly whether the specification stays unchanged. Any intended difference needs its own approval and applicable orders or batches; replacing the physical sample must not silently relax acceptance.