Xometry VQC: the complete Virtual Quality Check guide
Prepare the right evidence, cross-check every critical field, resolve shipment holds, and keep human judgment in the final release.
Xometry Virtual Quality Check is a pre-shipment evidence review. The packet should show that the part identity, revision, quantity, inspection results, certifications, traceability, required photos, and job-specific instructions agree.
What a defensible VQC packet has to prove
Customer/Xometry part number, supplier identifier when used, drawing revision, PO or job reference, and serialization status are unambiguous.
The selected inspection level is satisfied, required characteristics correlate, actual results are recorded, and tool evidence is traceable.
CoCs, material records, and special-process certificates support the exact material, condition, finish, process, and part released.
Heat, melt, batch, or lot identifiers remain connected through source records, transfers, processing, inspection, and final certificates.
Ordered, produced, sampled, inspected, serialized, and shipped quantities make sense together; OCR duplication is resolved.
Workmanship, special features, marking, cleanliness, protection, and packaged-in-box evidence receive qualified human review.
Do not apply one checklist to every job
The required packet follows the inspection selected on the job. Xometry’s public guidance describes different deliverables for standard, formal, CMM, FAIR, source, build-and-hold, and custom inspection.
| Inspection context | Typical evidence focus | Preflight question |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Material, features, finish, and job requirements; documentation may not ship. | Are you asking for formal-report evidence the job never required? |
| Formal dimensional | Recorded dimensions or attributes with a correlated ballooned print and applicable sampling. | Does every required characteristic map to a readable result? |
| CMM | Dimensional report produced through the required measurement method and correlated to the print. | Are the method, results, units, tolerances, and characteristic mapping clear? |
| FAIR / AS9102 | Objective evidence that design and specification requirements are understood, accounted for, verified, and documented. | Are all applicable forms, characteristics, notes, and certifications represented? |
| Custom / source / build-and-hold | Customer-defined requirements, scheduled source review, or first-part approval before production continues. | Did the packet follow the specific written plan rather than a generic template? |
How to prepare for VQC
- Read the live jobStart with the PO, Workcenter instructions, inspection selection, customer notes, and permitted data path.
- Gather the evidenceCollect the report, drawing when permitted, CoCs, material and process records, traveler evidence, and required photos.
- Classify each fileIdentify what the content proves. A PDF can be an inspection report; a filename alone does not determine document type.
- Cross-check shared fieldsCompare part, revision, quantity, serials, specifications, condition, heat/lot, approvals, and characteristic references.
- Resolve exceptionsDistinguish missing, unreadable, duplicated, conflicting, N/A, and intentionally withheld evidence. Never fill gaps by guessing.
- Release the physical shipmentInspect workmanship and packaging, capture required photos, and have a qualified person make the final decision.
Independent links behind this guide
This page summarizes public guidance; it does not republish it. Use these outside records to verify the current requirement and then compare it with the specific job.
Determine whether the job is Standard, Formal, CMM, FAIR, Source, Build and Hold, or Custom.
Dimensional evidenceXometry CNC & Sheet Inspection OptionsConfirm when a dimensional report and correlated ballooned print apply.
Document examplesXometry Sample Inspection DocumentsCompare the packet structure with public dimensional-report, FAI-form, and balloon-drawing examples.
Material traceabilityXometry Material TraceabilityCheck heat or lot continuity through mill/manufacturer, transfers, packing records, and CoCs.
FAI purposeIAQG 9102 First Article InspectionVerify the independent industry purpose of standardized first-article inspection documentation.
Sampling contextASQ Z1.4 & Z1.9Understand what an acceptance sampling system does and does not establish.
Conformity assessmentNIST Conformity Assessment BasicsSeparate supplier declarations, inspection, testing, and certification as related but distinct evidence.
One direct answer per problem
Short answers for search and shop-floor review
What does Xometry VQC mean?+
VQC means Virtual Quality Check. It is a pre-shipment review of the evidence required for the job, such as inspection reports, drawings, certifications, traceability records, and photos.
What should I upload for Xometry VQC?+
Upload the documents and photos required by the live purchase order and Workcenter instructions. Depending on the job, that may include the inspection report, correlated drawing, partner and customer-facing CoCs, material and special-process certificates, ownership-chain records, and part or packaging photos.
Is a ballooned drawing always required?+
No universal rule applies to every job. It is normally central to formal dimensional, CMM, and FAIR evidence, but the selected inspection and data-handling restrictions control. Missing should trigger a clear review item, not an invented universal failure.
Can the inspection report be a PDF?+
A readable PDF can be analyzed as an inspection report. The live Xometry step may separately require an original Excel form or another prescribed upload, so file readability and submission-format compliance must be checked separately.
Can an XLSM inspection report be read safely?+
Yes. Cell values can be extracted without executing VBA macros or external links. Password protection, corruption, or missing cached formula results should be reported as limitations.
What must a Certificate of Conformance include?+
The job controls. A useful preflight verifies issuer and approval, part number, revision or legitimate N/A, shipped quantity, serial declaration when applicable, PO reference, specifications, and heat or lot references connecting the supporting records.
Why is my shipment on hold?+
A hold means an exception needs resolution; it does not identify the cause by itself. Read the exact message, locate the affected requirement and source document, correct the source evidence without guessing, rerun the full cross-check, and resubmit through the official workflow.
Does a clean VQC packet guarantee acceptance?+
No. Document consistency reduces avoidable errors but does not replace qualified physical inspection, the live contract requirements, or Xometry and customer approval.
VQC Checker is independent software and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Xometry. This guide is general operational information, not customer approval, legal advice, export-control advice, or a substitute for qualified inspection.