Personnel examining paperwork beside a steel component on the workshop floor.
A steel fabrication inspection and test plan should distinguish operations that require written release from those that call for witnessing or document review. Zhonghengfeng’s September 17, 2026 guidance recommends placing hold points where an error would be difficult or disproportionately costly to correct later, rather than marking almost every operation as a hold.
Distinguish H, W and R points
- H, Hold: the next operation must not proceed until the required written release has been obtained.
- W, Witness: the buyer or supervising party has an opportunity to attend. The source describes work continuing in the witness’s absence with a record retained; the actual notification and non-attendance rules must be defined in the agreed ITP.
- R, Review: the intervention mainly concerns documents such as reports, records and certificates.
Too many hold points can obstruct production. Too few at irreversible stages can leave the project without an effective release gate. The final selection belongs in the contractual ITP.
Five manufacturing gates to consider
- Material identity before cutting: reconcile heat or batch numbers, material certificates and required retest conclusions before material enters cutting.
- First-article approval before batch production: check the first component or segment for the specified dimensions, edge preparation, holes and visible weld condition before increasing output.
- Required NDT acceptance for critical welds: complete the contractually required examination and obtain an acceptable result before coating or shipment preparation.
- Substrate inspection before coating: verify the required surface-preparation grade and cleanliness while the surface remains accessible.
- Document and identifier reconciliation before dispatch: check component marks, conformity records, inspection reports and packing-list completeness before shipment.
These are examples of manufacturing-stage hold points, not a universal mandatory list or a substitute for the project’s acceptance criteria.
Define who can release a hold
The ITP should identify the release authority, the witness window and the treatment of nonconforming work. Repair, concession or rejection should follow the agreed approval process. This prevents uncertainty later about who was entitled to sign and whether the next operation could begin.
Keep factory holds separate from installation checks
Factory hold points govern fabrication quality. Final tightening of high-strength bolts at site, field-weld testing and erection acceptance belong in separately agreed interfaces where they fall within installation or main-contract responsibilities.
This guidance concerns the steel fabrication and supply interface. The contract and technical agreement determine the actual responsibilities; it does not offer EPC general contracting or assume responsibility for site installation.
Zhonghengfeng Construction Group Co., Ltd. identifies its manufacturing and processing base as Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China. The company can discuss the relevant fabrication and supply interfaces with buyers, with the scope of any preliminary technical discussion agreed separately.
Archive source: Zhonghengfeng’s original Chinese company article, published 17 September 2026.