Systems Testing

To ensure safety, usability, and functionality of the manufactured building components as well as the final unit, a series of tests and inspections are performed in every manufactured home as shown in Table 1. The testing and inspection procedures establish systematic ways to assure product conformance to specified requirements and are helpful to detect problems and avoid quality failures.

The tests and inspections are listed on the traveler in predetermined sequences and are completed in accordance with the company procedure and design manual, which are based on the applicable codes and standards. When no specific applicable procedure is defined, the tests should comply with the HUD standards (for HUD homes) or the local codes (for modular homes). The traveler indicates what needs to be tested/inspected, and will be marked by the inspector to confirm the reliability of that section. Third party inspectors will have access to the traveler for monitoring purposes. The majority of inspections are completed by the internal audit department. The findings are documented and corrective actions are taken to resolve the noted issues. A failure in a system requires repair and re-testing.

Due to the large geographical area served, the travel time involved, and a possible need for corrections, the majority of the tests are conducted in the factory environment. Most tests should follow a specific procedure that might vary in details according to the local codes and regulations. Various tools are needed for each test and several walk-through inspections take place to verify the performance of building systems. The tests shown in Table 1 are explained in the following sections.