Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 10:01:43 -0500
To: balloon@balloonhq.com
From: Gary Cole <snazaroo@mindspring.com>
Subject: testing balloons

-From: "John Michael Stevens" <joyfulnoise@uswest.net>
-Only 3-4 bad balloons per bag? That's pretty good, less than 5%...BTW, what
-do you think they do, have a bin full of "bad" balloons, that they sprinkle
-in a few into every bag???  No manufacturer--whether it be of balloons or of
-automobiles, ever wants a "bad" one to get through.  This is why they have
-quality control in every factory in this country.  Anyway, with balloons,
-how can you tell it's "bad" in the first place, until you inflate it and
-begin twisting?

John-

I have visited my share of Malaysian, Indonesian and Taiwan factories that 
make balloons, latex gloves and condoms. The process is all the same and on 
gloves and condoms they inflate every single one and test them for defects. 
It is a very easy thing to do. It takes 1.5 seconds each.

In my opinion a 5% defect rate is VERY POOR. What other industry allows a 
known 5% defect rate? Do you want 1 out of every 20 gallons of milk, light 
bulbs, or pencils for that matter to be defective? I would agree that 5% is 
about norm for Qualatex. I often get balloons stuck together like Siamese 
twins. One can not tell me quality control can't detect  these.

That's my 2 cents worth.

Gary Cole

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