These terms are not used identically by every supplier, buyer, or inspection company. The purchase agreement should define each sample's timing, materials, process, approval scope, quantity, custody, and effect on production. Writing “sample approved” without those details creates false confidence.

This guide shows how to build a sample system for custom American Mahjong tiles, accessories, and packaging.

Why One Sample Cannot Answer Every Question

A custom Mahjong set combines several production systems:

An early handmade sample can confirm size and visual direction but may not represent bulk fixtures, cycle time, color lots, or final packaging. A shipment sample reflects bulk output but arrives too late to prevent a production-wide error.

Use several sample checkpoints, each with a defined decision.

Sample Type Comparison

Sample type Typical purpose Production timing Main limitation
Material/color sample Choose physical material and color direction Before final product sample Does not prove complete tile construction
Process trial Test engraving, print, fill, bonding, or edge result During development May cover only representative artwork
Appearance/prototype sample Confirm concept, dimensions, and visual direction Before production release May use manual or non-production methods
Golden/master sample Preserve approved physical reference After agreed approval stage Only controls documented characteristics
Pre-production sample Confirm final files, materials, components, and pack-out before bulk Before bulk manufacture May still use limited-quantity preparation
First article/first-off sample Verify earliest output from intended production setup At production start Does not prove the rest of the lot remains stable
During-production sample Monitor actual bulk output During manufacture Represents only its time and production position
Shipment/retention sample Record finished packed product from bulk lot At or after final production Too late to prevent the lot already produced

The project may not need every named type as a separate physical set. It does need the decisions those checkpoints represent.

1. Material and Color Samples

Material samples establish the physical inputs before detailed product sampling. They can include:

Label every sample with supplier, material code, color code, date, and project. A loose color chip in an unmarked envelope is not a controlled reference.

What material approval means

Approval should state whether the sample controls:

It does not automatically approve tile dimensions, artwork, process, durability, packaging, or bulk lot variation.

2. Process Trials

A process trial tests the manufacturing method on representative artwork before creating a complete set. It is especially useful for:

Choose trial artwork that covers the difficult features, not only the easiest logo. Include both dense and delicate designs, inside corners, close color boundaries, and artwork near the allowed safe area.

Record which machine, material, method, settings reference, and finishing process produced the approved result. The buyer does not necessarily need every confidential process parameter, but the supplier should be able to reproduce and control the approved output.

3. Prototype or Appearance Sample

A prototype helps the buyer evaluate the complete concept:

It may be handmade, created with substitute material, or produced using a slower method unsuitable for bulk. That is acceptable when disclosed.

Mark every non-production characteristic directly in the sample approval record. For example:

Approved for: overall dimensions, artwork scale, face layout, case structure.
Not approved for: final material color, bulk engraving depth, production fill finish,
barcode, master carton, or transit protection.

A prototype should not quietly become the golden sample if it cannot be reproduced through the intended production process.

4. Golden or Master Sample

The golden sample is the controlled physical benchmark for agreed product characteristics. “Golden” does not mean perfect in every possible respect. It means the parties have documented which features the sample represents.

The reference may control:

Create more than one controlled copy

Where practical, maintain matching signed or sealed references with the buyer and supplier. A third reference may be held for inspection or dispute resolution. Photograph each sample and record a unique ID.

Do not rely on a sample that travels repeatedly between organizations, becomes scratched through handling, or sits unprotected near sunlight, heat, chemicals, or production dust.

Golden sample identification

Attach a durable record containing:

If the sample changes, issue a new ID. Do not relabel an old sample without a revision history.

5. Pre-Production Sample

A pre-production sample, often abbreviated as PPS, should represent the final intended product before bulk manufacture begins. Its purpose is to confirm that the supplier has translated all approved inputs into one buildable configuration.

The PPS review should cover:

Sample production typically begins after artwork approval and payment confirmation according to the agreed project process. Timing and cost depend on artwork readiness, material availability, sample scope, packaging, processes, and revision count.

Representative subset versus full set

A supplier may propose a representative tile subset to reduce development work. That can be appropriate for early process trials, but the approval must state which manifest rows were physically produced.

Before bulk production, decide whether a full-set PPS is required. A subset cannot prove the composition, count, complete artwork mapping, tray fit, or total packed weight of a 152, 160, 166, or custom configuration.

6. First Article or First-Off Sample

The first article is selected from the initial output of the intended production setup. It verifies that released documents, materials, programs, tooling, fixtures, and operators produce the expected result.

First-article checks can include:

Do not inspect only one attractive piece selected by the operator. Define the selection and evidence needed. For dozens of unique tile faces, the first-article package may include one of every unique face plus measured production pieces across key processes.

Approval authorizes continued production under the agreed conditions. It does not waive later in-process inspection.

7. During-Production Samples

During-production samples reveal drift that a first article cannot:

Select output from different times, machines, material lots, operators, and packing stations where relevant. Label when and where each sample was taken.

A buyer may receive photographs, measurement records, or physical samples. Remote approval from close-up images should be limited to characteristics that images can show reliably. Color, transparency, surface defects, dimensions, adhesion, and hand feel often need physical or measured evidence.

8. Shipment and Retention Samples

A shipment sample is taken from finished bulk goods. A retention sample is preserved by the supplier, buyer, or both for later comparison.

It can support:

The sample should be selected from the actual lot, ideally through a defined random or witnessed process. Record the carton, batch, date, inspector, and condition. If the retention unit is opened or tested destructively, update its status.

A factory-made “shipment sample” prepared separately from bulk production is not equivalent to a random unit from the shipment.

Define Approval Scope Characteristic by Characteristic

Use an approval matrix instead of one signature under “approved.”

Characteristic Reference Status Comment/action
Material/construction Sample ID + spec Approve/revise/not reviewed
Material color Physical chip/sample Approve/revise/not reviewed
Tile dimensions Drawing + measurements Approve/revise/not reviewed
Edge geometry Drawing + sample Approve/revise/not reviewed
Face artwork Artwork index Approve/revise/not reviewed
Engraving/print/fill Process sample Approve/revise/not reviewed
Tile composition Manifest Approve/revise/not reviewed
Accessories BOM + sample Approve/revise/not reviewed
Retail packaging Dieline + pack-out Approve/revise/not reviewed
Labels/barcode Controlled proof + scan Approve/revise/not reviewed
Master carton Carton spec Approve/revise/not reviewed
Transit protection Agreed test/report Approve/revise/not reviewed

Add “approved with action” only when the action, owner, deadline, and verification method are explicit. Otherwise it becomes an unresolved change released into production.

Freeze Documents With the Sample

A physical sample without its documents is ambiguous. Freeze these together:

Use matching revisions in the purchase order, factory work order, inspection instruction, and packaging station.

Changes That Should Trigger Re-Sampling

Not every administrative correction needs a new physical sample, but any change that could affect the product should be reviewed for re-sampling.

Common triggers include:

The supplier should notify the buyer before implementing a controlled change. The buyer and supplier then document whether digital proof, representative sample, partial sample, or full PPS is required.

How to Review a Physical Mahjong Sample

Use a repeatable sequence:

  1. Photograph the unopened parcel and note transit damage.
  2. Verify sample ID and document revisions.
  3. Check retail packaging and actual pack-out.
  4. Count accessories and tiles against the BOM and manifest.
  5. Lay out every unique tile face and verify mapping.
  6. Review material, color, transparency, layers, and finish under defined light.
  7. Measure dimensions at stated points.
  8. Compare edge geometry and surface quality with references.
  9. Inspect engraving, fill, or printing across fine and dense artwork.
  10. Check face-to-back orientation.
  11. Perform only approved functional or durability tests.
  12. Record every decision in the approval matrix.

Do not write on the only production reference. Use a separate evaluation unit or removable label system where needed.

Common Sample-Approval Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a golden sample the same as a pre-production sample?

Not necessarily. A pre-production sample describes timing and production readiness. A golden sample describes its role as an approved physical reference. A PPS may become the golden sample if the parties document that decision and its approval scope.

Do I need a full 160-tile sample?

It depends on project risk and approval stage. Representative trials can validate processes, but only a complete set can demonstrate the full face mapping, composition, accessory fit, packaging, and packed weight of that configuration.

Can I approve color from a photo or video?

Images are useful for communication but are not reliable physical color standards because lighting, camera processing, screens, and surroundings alter appearance. Use an approved physical reference where color is important.

Who should keep the golden sample?

Both buyer and supplier should keep controlled matching references where practical. Additional samples can support inspection, complaints, and reorder comparison.

Does sample approval guarantee bulk production will match?

No. It defines the target. Supplier process control, first-article approval, in-process checks, lot inspection, and change control are still required.

Plan the Right Sample Sequence

Send Lucky Mahjong your artwork status, tile construction, packaging direction, quantity, and highest-risk characteristics. We can propose a project-specific sample sequence and define what each sample will confirm before bulk production.

Discuss a Custom Mahjong Project or email [email protected] with the subject line Custom Mahjong Sample Plan.