Foam Inspection Liaison
Position Summary
The Foam Inspection Liaison is responsible for providing on-site quality support for automotive seating foam components. This position serves as the primary point of contact between the supplier, customer plant, and inspection personnel to ensure quality concerns are identified, communicated, contained, and properly documented.
The liaison will monitor incoming and production foam quality, support containment activities, verify inspection standards, track defects, and provide timely reporting to both the supplier and customer.
Key Responsibilities
- Represent the supplier and provide on-site quality support at the customer facility.
- Inspect automotive foam components for visual, dimensional, and functional defects.
- Verify product against approved samples, inspection criteria, drawings, quality alerts, and customer requirements.
- Identify and document defects such as:
- Tears, cuts, holes, or surface damage
- Voids, porosity, or foam imperfections
- Improper molding or incomplete fill
- Flash or excessive material
- Density or firmness concerns
- Dimensional or profile concerns
- Contamination or foreign material
- Incorrect part identification or labeling
- Insert, wire, clip, or attachment location issues
- Packaging or handling damage
- Respond to customer quality concerns and assist with verification of suspected nonconforming material.
- Establish and communicate clear inspection criteria to inspectors performing containment or sorting activities.
- Verify inspectors are following the approved inspection method and defect criteria.
- Coordinate containment activities when suspect material is identified.
- Assist with segregation and identification of certified, suspect, and rejected material.
- Maintain traceability of inspected material when required.
- Communicate significant defects or repeated quality concerns immediately to appropriate supplier and customer contacts.
- Provide photographs and detailed descriptions of defects when necessary.
- Track daily quantities inspected, accepted, rejected, and contained.
- Prepare daily or shift quality reports and communicate findings to management.
- Monitor defect trends and identify recurring or developing quality concerns.
- Support root-cause investigations by collecting defect samples, production information, lot numbers, timestamps, and other relevant data.
- Attend quality meetings or production discussions when supplier representation is required.
- Maintain a professional working relationship with customer quality, production, material handling, and supplier personnel.
- Follow all customer facility safety, security, and quality requirements.
Reporting Expectations
The liaison is expected to provide accurate and timely reporting that may include:
- Total quantity inspected
- Total quantity rejected
- Defect type and quantity
- Part number
- Lot, batch, or production information
- Location where the defect was discovered
- Photos of nonconforming material
- Containment status
- Certified inventory status
- Significant customer concerns
- Open quality issues requiring supplier follow-up
Critical quality concerns should be escalated immediately rather than waiting for the daily report.
Qualifications
- Automotive manufacturing or quality inspection experience preferred.
- Experience with automotive seating, molded foam, trim, or related components is highly preferred.
- Strong visual inspection and attention-to-detail skills.
- Ability to understand inspection standards, boundary samples, work instructions, and quality alerts.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfortable communicating directly with customer quality personnel and supplier management.
- Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and electronic reporting.
- Ability to independently prioritize multiple quality concerns in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Ability to maintain accurate records and communicate objective, factual quality information.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to stand and walk throughout an automotive manufacturing facility for extended periods.
- Ability to handle, rotate, and visually inspect automotive foam components.
- Ability to bend, reach, and perform repetitive inspection activities as necessary.
- Ability to comply with required PPE and plant safety requirements.
Preferred Experience
Experience in one or more of the following areas is preferred:
Automotive quality inspection • Foam manufacturing • Seating systems • Containment/sorting • Supplier quality • Customer liaison support • Safe Launch/GP-12 • Incoming inspection • Defect documentation • Production quality
Position Objective
The primary objective of the Foam Inspection Liaison is to protect the customer from nonconforming material while providing the supplier with accurate, timely information regarding product quality. The liaison should help identify concerns early, maintain clear communication between all parties, and ensure containment and inspection activities are performed consistently and effectively.
