What Is a Non-Conformance Report (NCR)?

A non-conformance report (NCR) is a formal record that a part, material or process does not meet a specified requirement. It identifies the affected items, describes the deviation against the drawing or specification, and records the disposition decision — such as rework, repair, use-as-is or scrap — along with any corrective action.

In short: an NCR turns "these parts are wrong" into a traceable decision about what happens to them.

What Goes Into an NCR?

A good NCR lets someone who was not there understand the problem and the decision later. NASA's hardware quality requirements, for example, recommend recording:

A unique NCR number, the initiator, and the dates it was opened and closed
The order or contract, part number, revision and serial or lot numbers
The quantity affected and the number of occurrences
Where in the process the problem was detected
A clear description of the deviation and the drawing or specification it breaks
The immediate cause and, once found, the root cause
The disposition, the reasoning behind it, and who approved it

How Are Nonconformances Classified and Dispositioned?

Severity decides who must approve the outcome. US federal acquisition rules use three levels: a critical nonconformance is likely to create hazardous or unsafe conditions; a major one is likely to cause failure or materially reduce usability; a minor one is not likely to materially reduce usability.

The disposition then decides what happens to the parts. Rework brings them back into full conformance. Repair makes them usable but not fully conforming, so it needs explicit approval. Use-as-is accepts the deviation, normally with customer or engineering sign-off. Scrap removes the parts; return to supplier sends them back for correction or replacement.

NCR vs Corrective Action Report vs 8D Report

	NCR	Corrective action report (CAR)	8D report
Question it answers	What is wrong with these items, and what do we do with them?	Why did it happen, and how do we stop it recurring?	Both, through a fixed team-based sequence
Scope	The affected parts or lot	The process or system that allowed it	The problem from containment to prevention
Typical trigger	Any failed inspection or deviation	A significant, repeated or customer-reported NCR	A customer complaint, especially in automotive supply
Closes when	The items are dispositioned	The fix is verified effective	All disciplines, D0 to D8, are complete

The 8D method was introduced by Ford Motor Company in 1987 as "Team Oriented Problem Solving." Its steps: D0 plan; D1 build a cross-functional team; D2 describe the problem; D3 contain it, isolating suspect stock so it cannot reach the customer; D4 find the root cause; D5 plan and verify corrective actions; D6 confirm they work; D7 prevent recurrence by updating FMEAs, control plans and work instructions; D8 close and recognize the team.

A certificate of conformance is the opposite document: a supplier's declaration that a batch does meet requirements.

How to Handle NCRs With a Supplier

Agree in advance how NCRs will be raised, who can approve use-as-is or repair, and how fast containment must happen.
Keep nonconforming parts identified and segregated until the disposition is signed.
Ask for root cause, not just a replacement, when the same NCR repeats.
Close the loop: confirm the corrective action reached the control plan and inspection sheets.

Structured inspection is what keeps NCRs rare in the first place. High-volume manufacturing at NICE Rapid runs PPAP or first-article sign-off before mass production, then scheduled batch inspection and SPC monitoring.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a non-conformance report (NCR report)?

It is a record that a part, material or process has failed to meet a specified requirement. It identifies the items, describes the deviation against the drawing or specification, and documents the disposition — rework, repair, use-as-is, scrap or return to supplier.

What is the difference between an NCR and a corrective action report?

An NCR deals with the affected items: what is wrong and what to do with them. A corrective action report deals with the cause: why it happened and what change stops it recurring. A serious or repeated NCR usually triggers a corrective action.

What is an 8D report?

It is a structured problem-solving report, introduced by Ford Motor Company in 1987, that takes a team through eight disciplines plus a planning step: team, problem description, containment, root cause, corrective action, validation, prevention of recurrence and closure.

Related Services at NICE Rapid

High-Volume Manufacturing — in-line dimensional monitoring, batch inspection, SPC and PPAP documentation for automotive and regulated programs.
Plastic Injection Molding — full dimensional inspection, material traceability and batch records on every order.
Request a Quote — state your quality documentation and nonconformance-handling requirements with your files.

Sources

NASA NPR 8735.2C, Hardware Quality Assurance Program Requirements for Programs and Projects, Appendix E: Recommended Materials Review Board Process Elements — nonconformance categories (major/minor); recommended record elements including identifiers, quantity, detection point, description, affected specification, proximate and root cause, and "the disposition (e.g., corrective action(s), rework, repair, use-as-is)" with rationale and approver; scrapping as a resolution path — nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov
48 CFR 46.101, Definitions (FAR), via Cornell LII — definitions of critical, major and minor nonconformance — law.cornell.edu
48 CFR 46.407, Nonconforming supplies or services (FAR), via Cornell LII — nonconforming supplies rejected, with the contractor given the opportunity to correct or replace them — law.cornell.edu
Rusman, K. & Hetharia, D. (2025), "Quality improvement through 8D methodology: an automotive industry case study," Operations Excellence: Journal of Applied Industrial Engineering 17(1) — 8D introduced by Ford Motor Company in 1987 as "Team Oriented Problem Solving"; D0–D8 steps, containment by isolating stock, D7 updates to FMEA, control plan and work instructions — publikasi.mercubuana.ac.id
IATF, "The Value Add of IATF 16949 Certification" brochure (October 2022) — corrective action by a structured approach to problem solving that prevents recurrence — iatfglobaloversight.org