Underkill occurs when an inspection process fails to detect non-conforming products, allowing defective units to proceed down the line or reach the customer. This usually happens due to loose testing tolerances, poorly calibrated sensors or inadequate visual inspection criteria. While overkill wastes good parts, underkill damages brand reputation and can lead to expensive product recalls.
Heard on the job
We had an underkill issue on the optical sorter yesterday and shipped two pallets of scratched lenses.
Insider tip
Underkill is often a symptom of prioritizing speed over precision at the inspection station.
Also heard as
- false accept
- Type II error
Do not mix it up with
- Overkill: Underkill passes bad parts as good, while overkill rejects good parts as bad.