Use of Terminology - Difference between NC, deficiency, punch lists, etc.

Can you please make a differentiation between NC and all other terminology like deficiency, punch lists etc.
We are an engineering service provider company performing tests for our clients.

When we detect a test result not meeting requirement of our contract, can we use it as a NC. The auditor says these are NC for the contractor and to be detected by the client or their authorised rep. If we are authorised for inspection ,Are wew not responsible to term it as NC ?
Please clarify.

Thanks

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[Marc]

I would call it an anomaly (the results obtained are not the results expected). The old term was test failure but the word 'failure' has a real heavy negative effect on juries in trials.

When you are testing a company's product or material and it does not meet the specification you are testing it to, it is up to your customer to label it as nonconforming or whatever. It is their product, not yours. All you do is test it and say whether it passed the test or not.

Marc,

Thank you for your reply. This solves the first problem ,Now what about continuous inspection result, if these are visual examination and inspections performed through out the process of construction phase.

Ak

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[Marc]

"...continuous inspection result..." I don't know what you mean by this. If you are a testing laboratory you do not inspect anything per se. You test and report your findings. If there are pass-fail criteria (pass-anomaly) you report that. If, for example, you are asked to "....review material for cracks under 50X microscope..." you report either finding cracks or not finding cracks.

You talk about construction - if you test concrete strength and there is no criteria (your customer asks you to "....test to failure..." you report the point at which it breaks.

Now - are you part of the construction company or are you supplying them with a service?

Marc,

Thanks for your analytical response. We do a steel erection -visual inspection inspection,
firestoping material inspection etc.
Apartb from abocxe we also do the laboratory testing. The question was asked keeping job site visual inspection only.

Thanks,