Glossary · Quality & audit
Non-Conformance Report (NCR) meaning
A non-conformance report (NCR) records what failed a requirement, what was done with it and who decided. See the usual fields, a worked example and NCR vs CAPA.
What is an NCR in quality?
In quality work, a nonconformity is the failure to meet a requirement: a drawing dimension, a material grade, a customer specification or an approved procedure. ISO 9001, the quality management system standard, expects an organisation to control outputs that do not conform and to deal with nonconformities through correction and, where needed, corrective action, keeping a record of what was done. The standard does not prescribe a form called an NCR. The NCR is simply the most common way factories, suppliers and contractors keep that record.
The record is stronger when evidence is captured at the point of failure. With a pre-dispatch inspection app such as Autowhat's AutoQC, a piece out of tolerance goes back to the line as Redo with a reason, or is put on Hold so nobody can pack or load it, and each barcode keeps one page of evidence with photos, measurements, photographer and reviewer.
What goes in a non-conformance report?
- NCR number, date, and who found the problem and where
- The item: part or SKU, batch or lot, supplier or line, quantity affected
- The requirement that was not met, and what was actually found, with photos or measurements
- Containment: where the affected items are held and how they are marked
- Disposition, and who authorised it
- Whether a corrective action is needed, with a reference to it
- Closure: date and sign-off
What dispositions can an NCR record?
| Disposition | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rework | Make the item meet the requirement, then inspect it again |
| Repair | Make it usable, though not fully to the original requirement |
| Use as is | Accept it unchanged, usually with a documented concession from the customer or an authorised person |
| Regrade | Move it to a different use or grade where it does conform |
| Reject or scrap | Remove it from use, or return it to the supplier |
What does an NCR look like? A worked example
Illustrative only. At goods receipt, a plant inspects 500 castings from a supplier and finds 30 with surface porosity beyond the drawing limit. The NCR records the part number, lot, supplier, quantity (30 of 500), the drawing clause, and photos of three typical defects. The 30 pieces are tagged red and moved to the hold area; the other 470 are released after a tightened sample check. Disposition: 18 pieces can be machined clean and are reworked and re-inspected; 12 are rejected and returned to the supplier. Because porosity has appeared in two earlier lots, the NCR is linked to a supplier corrective action request before it is closed.
What is an NCR often confused with?
- NCR vs CAPA. The NCR records one failure and what happened to the affected items. CAPA investigates the cause and stops it recurring. Many NCRs need no CAPA; repeated ones do.
- NCR vs deviation. In pharma, a deviation is a departure from an approved instruction or procedure. Some companies use both terms, with NCR reserved for product and material failures.
- NCR vs customer complaint. A complaint comes from outside and may lead to an NCR once the failure is confirmed.
- NCR vs Delhi NCR. In quality, NCR always means the report, not the National Capital Region.
For what evidence to keep so an NCR holds up in a dispute with a supplier or customer, see the quality dispute evidence playbook.
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Where this shows up in our work. AutoQC: One barcode per piece, four measured photos against the spec, QA pass from anywhere. Book a 30-minute working session with an engineer.
Questions
What is the full form of NCR in quality?
In quality management, NCR stands for non-conformance report. It is the record raised when a product, material or process does not meet a specified requirement, and it tracks what was done with the affected items.
What is the difference between an NCR and a CAPA?
An NCR documents a single failure, its containment and its disposition. A CAPA investigates the root cause and puts in actions to stop the problem recurring. A serious or repeated NCR usually triggers a CAPA.
Does ISO 9001 require an NCR form?
ISO 9001 expects nonconforming outputs to be controlled and a record kept of the nonconformity and the action taken. It does not prescribe a particular form; the NCR is a common way to meet that need.