Genuine Innovations prides itself on building quality into every valve, every regulator, every inflation device we make. Working with high pressure gas systems requires the highest standards in quality control. Incoming components are inspected to be sure they meet our established specifications. Then, during the production process, each valve is 100% tested for function, leakage and flow rate. We take these extra steps to guarantee the highest quality products are sold by Genuine Innovations. And we mean guarantee. We have a lifetime warranty replacement program. What this means is that, remote as it seems, if you receive a product with a defect, we replace either the defective part, or in many cases, the complete product.Our commitment to high quality, high performance, and safe devices is unsurpassed.
Our extensive product testing begins on the production line, not afterwards. Since we assemble all our products here in Tucson, Arizona, we're able to provide excellent quality control. We conduct inspections at crucial points all along the line, not just at the end of the assembly. We perform measurements to thousandths of an inch, visual inspections are done to be sure parts, such as o-rings, aren't left out. We also do functional tests of sub-assemblies prior to building the final product to further our defect rate.
For example, when a lance assemblies are built, each one is visually inspected to be sure the lance tip hasn't broken, that o-rings are installed correctly and have no deformities. A lance, once installed in the fitting, is checked using a depth gauge to make sure it's at a specified depth, to within thousandths of an inch. If it doesn't meet specs, it goes into a rework bin. If it doesn't meet spec after a rework, it's rejected and although this is a bit expensive, since brass and steel aren't cheap metals, but, in the long run, you get a product you know works. And, it's safe. There's very little likelihood of an accidental discharge of the high pressure gas unless it's purposely done.Here's a couple interesting things:
1) Being human, and not being perfect, we have some returns. But, it's a return rate of approximately .002 % per month! You read it right. Now, I must admit I didn't do all my homework, so I don't have exact figures, but that's pretty impressive.
2) One of our engineers, Carey Costle, said they've tested inflators for leakage by placing them in water to see if there were any bubbles, indicating a leak. They mathematically figured out that, using a 16 gram CO2 cartridge in an inflator, if a 1/4" bubble round floated to the surface every ten seconds, it meant the CO2 would last 16-18 days. That's if we allowed even that small amount of leakage through. But we don't. We allow NO leakage, or at least none that's reasonably detectable.
When we build CO2 regulators we test each one for the correct pressure (Pounds per Square Inch, PSI) or flow rate (Liters/Minute). When you place an order for a regulator that needs a pressure of 35 psi at the output, you can rest assured you're going to get 35 psi. Our customers often need a regulated device to be set to a pressure but really need a device at a specific flow rate. We did this for the CO2 Airbrush we sold to Visage, Helen of Troy so each unit sprayed at nearly the same rate. Each regulator assembly was tested and adjusted to specific flow rate. We do this level of testing whether the order is for one or one million.
We perform 100% functional tests of finished products to be absolutely sure they work prior to going to the warehouse for shipping. We test hand pumps by, you guessed it, actually pumping it. If it leaks, it's rejected.
So, to answer the original question: Why 100% testing? Well, we want you to order valves and regulators you know will work, right out of the package and that you know are safe. And, we want your repeat business. And what it really boils down to is that we're all rather proud of our company and we have a reputation to uphold.
