Quality Control

Build / Assembly

Preparation

• Review Work Order and Build Notes

  We review the order and notes to ensure that any special build requests are performed.

• Check Parts and Serial Numbers

  Before starting assembly on your system, we verify that we have all the correct parts and everything is accounted for.

• Remove Protective Film from Parts

  Parts frequently have plastic film applied for cosmetic protection. We remove this protective film from any part that will be mounted internally to the system.

Core Assembly

• Test Power Supply for Correct Voltage Levels

  Using a tester, we check your power supply for basic functionality and correct output voltages before connecting it to any system components. For systems using an external A/C adapter, we use a voltmeter to check that the output voltage is correct.

• Listen to Power Supply

  While verifying voltages we also listen to the power supply to make sure the fan is not abnormally noisy.

• Assemble Core Components

  We assemble the core parts of your system outside the chassis. This includes the motherboard, CPU, CPU cooler, and system memory.

• Glue CPU Fan to Heatsink

  We use a small amount of hot glue to help secure the CPU fan to the heatsink to ensure security during shipping.

• Install Puget Badge on Motherboard

  We install a custom Puget Systems badge on the motherboard's chipset heatsink.

• Check for POST of MB/CPU/RAM

  We check your motherboard, processor, and system memory for correct basic operation before integration into the system chassis, allowing us to catch any major issues early in the build process.

• Update System BIOS to Approved Version

  We update your motherboard's BIOS to the most recent stable release provided by the manufacturer and approved by Puget Systems.

• Verify correct CPU and memory settings

  We check that your CPU is running at the expected frequency and your system memory is running at the manufacturer recommended settings for best stability and performance.

Chassis Assembly

• Verify Condition of Chassis and Panels

  We inspect your system chassis for any structural or cosmetic defects before beginning to mount components.

• Apply Puget Branding to Chassis

  We brand the front door of your chassis with the Puget systems logo.

• Rotate and Align Rear Fan

  We rotate the rear fan so that the power wire is in the top-rear corner for tidy wiring.

• Mount Drives

  We securely install your hard disks and optical drives in your system's chassis.

• Mount I/O Shield

  We install the I/O shield that comes with your motherboard.

• Mount Motherboard

  We install the motherboard in your system and ensure it is fastened securely and ports line up correctly.

• Check Rear Ports and I/O Shield Alignment

  Before proceeding we check the alignment of the motherboard and I/O shield to verify that all ports are free of obstruction and easily accessible.

• Mount Power Supply

  We mount the power supply securely in your system's chassis.

Wiring

• Wire Front Panel Connections

  We connect any switches and ports integrated into your system's chassis to the appropriate connectors on the motherboard or add-in cards.

• Wire Power Supply Connections

  We run the cabling from your power supply to make all necessary power connections to the motherboard, drives, add-in cards, fans, etc. securely and neatly.

• Wire Data Connections

  We connect the data cables for your drives securely and neatly.

• Install Cards

  We install any video cards or other add-in controller cards in your system.

• Hot Glue Unsecured Cables

  We use hot glue on any delicate connections to help keep them from becoming disconnected during shipping.

• Verify Pre-Wiring (If Applicable)

  We make sure that any requested pre-wiring for drives or add-in cards is in place. Additionally, for our more user-serviceable chassis, we ensure every system is wired for at least two hard disks to allow for easy addition of storage to single-drive configurations.

Finishing

• Install CPU Brace

  We install a custom CPU cooler support brace to help protect your system during shipping.

• Install GPU Brace

  We install a custom video card support brace to help protect your system during shipping.

• Sign System

  Your assembly technician will sign your system internally in a discrete location,.

• Apply Order Number Sticker

  We apply a small sticker with the order number to the back of your system.

• Install WiFi Antenna

  We install the antenna so that we can test your WiFi controller for correct operation.

• Verify Power Supply is in Eco/Hybrid Mode

  Your power supply is able to spin down its cooling fan under low load to reduce noise. We verify that it is configured to operate in this mode.

• Check for POST of fully completed system

  With assembly fully completed, we make sure that the system still turns on and boots correctly.

• Verify Fan Settings

  We verify that your systems fans are configured to operate as intended.

• Load BIOS Profile

  We load a profile with the standard configuration settings for your motherboard and configuration.

• Verify Boot Order

  We verify that your system's boot device priority is set appropriately.

• Bundle accessories

  Before moving on to initial testing we bundle any necessary accessories with your system and check the work area to make sure we haven't left anything out.

Assembly Review

• Verify Build Notes are Fulfilled

  We verify that all the build notes in your order have been fulfilled.

• Check that Applicable Systems are Branded

  We verify that our Puget branding is on your system.

• Verify Assembly Check-Off is Complete

  We verify that all the steps in the build process have been completed.

• Verify Last Five of Windows/Office Keys

  We verify that the last five digits of your Windows and/or Office keys match the part assigned to your order.

• Verify Plastic Film Has Been Removed

  We verify that all the plastic has been removed from internal components and internal window panels.

• Verify Condition of Chassis and Panels

  After assembly is complete, we check the condition of your chassis and panels again to verify that there is no damage or scratches.

• Verify Puget Sticker Matches Order Number

  We verify that the sticker we attach to your chassis matches the order number.

• Verify that System is Physically Signed

  All of our builders sign or initial their builds after assembly is complete.

• Insect Wiring for Tidiness

  We inspect our wiring for tidiness and to verify it is not obstructing any installed components.

• Verify SATA Cables are Labeled (RAID Only)

  When your system includes a RAID, we mark the SATA cables to match the corresponding SATA ports.

• Check for Additional Pre-Wires

  We verify that requested pre-wires have been added to your system.

• Verify Hot Glue on Applicable Parts

  We add hot glue to wiring to verify that connections don't come loose in shipping.

• Verify Case Feet and Case Mods are Installed

  We verify that required case modifications have been made and appropriate feet are on your system.

• Ensure Proper I/O Shield Mounting

  We check for proper mounting if your I/O shield and verify that none of your ports are obstructed.

• Verify PSU Eco/Hybrid Mode is Enabled

  We verify that Eco/Hybrid Mode is enabled on your power supply.

• Check for Loose or Missing Screws

  We verify that all the screws in your system are present and tightened.

• Ensure CPU Brace is Installed

  We verify that the correct CPU bracing has been installed in your system.

• Ensure GPU Brace is Installed

  We verify that the correct GPU bracing has been installed in your system.

• Verify Cards are Evenly Seated and Ports are Accessible

  We verify that your expansion cards are seated evenly and that all ports are accessible.

• Verify System LEDs are Working

  We verify that all the LEDs on your system are working properly.

• Verify POST Beep from System Speaker

  We verify that your system POSTs and that the system speaker is working properly.

• Install Wi-Fi Antenna

  We verify that the WiFi antenna has been installed for testing.

• Verify Accessories are Included with System

  We verify that all accessories that were included are sent with the system through the Production process.

• Verify CPU is Recognized Properly

  We verify that your CPU is recognized correctly in your system BIOS.

• Verify the RAM is Properly Recognized

  We verify that all the RAM is properly recognized in your system BIOS.

• Verify Chassis Fan Orientation and Speeds

  We verify proper orientation of your chassis fans and that they are set to the correct speeds.

• Verify BIOS Version, Settings, and Profile

  We verify that your system has the most stable, up-to-date BIOS version and that the proper profiles and settings have been loaded.

Phase 1 Testing

• Verify all fans are spinning at desired RPM/Test fan controller

  We check that all system fans spin up and operate with the intended settings. For fans connected to a chassis controller, we check that they operate correctly on all settings of the controller.

• Test Reset Button (If Applicable)

  We check that your chassis' reset button (if it has one) is connected and functional.

• Verify front LED functionality

  We check that any appropriate chassis indicator lights, such as power or disk activity LEDs, are connected and functioning as expected.

• Run hard drive test

  We run a quick test of any hard disks in your system in order to catch any major defects before OS installation. Your drives will be put through additional testing during system benchmarks.

• Run memory test

  We run an initial test on your CPU and RAM to check for errors that could lead to instability or a corrupted OS install.

Install / Setup

• Check order instructions

  We check for any special instructions there may be for your order to ensure that the system is configured exactly how you want it.

• Synchronize time with server

  Your time is synchronized with an atomic US government clock.

• Load Install Program

  Puget Systems uses an internally developed utility for deploying drivers, updates, software packages and customized benchmark suites.

Primary OS

• Install base operating system

  Your primary drive is installed with a base level install of the operating system, which is later customized to your order.

• Install / update device drivers

  All the most recent drivers (downloaded from the manufacturer) are loaded for your devices.

• Install approved Windows updates

  All Windows updates and service packs are applied.

• Install Samsung Magician

  We install Samsung Magician in order to properly monitor and manage your SSD/NVMe drives.

Testing

• Check partition sizes

  We make sure that all your hard drives are correctly partitioned, and that any special instructions about partition sizes are followed.

• Optimize Windows settings for SSD

  We optimize the operating system settings for your solid state drives using the appropriate software (i.e. Samsung Magician or Intel SSD Toolbox) and verify that the firmware version is current.

• Test standby mode and power off

  We put your system into standby and back, and turn system completely off and back on, to verify normal behavior.

• Test wireless connection

  If your configuration includes wireless, we check for normal reception.

• Test DVD-RW burning

  If you have a DVDRW drive, we burn a short movie to a DVD to test the drive. This DVD is next used to verify DVD movie playback.

• Play movie DVD

  We play a movie DVD in your drive to confirm drive functionality, as well as codec installation. DVD playback software is installed if needed. Not applicable if you do not order a DVD drive.

• Check for sound output

  Your sound card is confirmed to output sound.

• Verify front ports (USB, firewire, eSATA, sound)

  All front ports on your case are verified to be functional. In some cases, it is not possible for all ports to be active (ie, if you have a sound card with no front audio support, we cannot hook it up to the front sound port on a case).

Phase 2 Testing

• Double check system specs

  Your system specs are double checked for any mistakes, using an automated utility we have built that not only checks for the right parts, but that they are configured correctly.

• Stress Test

  We run a combination of Prime95 and Furmark to stress your system far beyond typical loads.

• CrystalDiskMark

  We run CrystalDiskMark to benchmark the read/write speeds of all your hard drives.

• Cinegy Cinescore

  Cinegy Cinescore covers a fair number of commonly used formats and codecs and measures the encoding speed as well as the system load for doing that for the different target resolutions - SD, HD, UHD and 8K.

• CineBench

  CINEBENCH is a real-world cross platform test suite that evaluates your computer's performance capabilities. CINEBENCH is based on MAXON's award-winning animation software CINEMA 4D, which is used extensively by studios and production houses worldwide for 3D content creation

• OctaneBench

  OctaneBench is a benchmarking utility based on OctaneRender (a popular GPU-based rendering engine). This benchmark evaluates the rendering performance of your GPU(s)

• V-Ray Renderer

  V-Ray is commercial plug-in for third-party 3D computer graphics software applications and is used for visualizations and computer graphics. This benchmark evaluates both CPU and GPU performance when using V-Ray

• Pix4D

  Pix4D is a popular photogrammetry application which utilizes both the CPU and GPU. We run two small image sets, a 3D model and a 3D map, through the standard processing steps to measure overall system performance in this type of application. The results shown are the time, measured in seconds, that each image set took to process.

• Unigine Superposition

  Unigine Superposition is used to evaluate system performance in DX11 applications at display resolutions including 1080p, 4K, and 8K.

• Geekbench

  Geekbench provides a comprehensive set of benchmarks engineered to quickly and accurately measure processor and memory performance.

• CPU Frequency Test

  WE verify that the CPU is running at the proper frequencies when various cores are under load

• Linpack

  LINPACK consists of the number of 64-bit floating-point operations to measure the peak theoretical performance of your CPU measured in floating point operations per seconds (FLOPS)

• NBody CUDA

  The Nbody CUDA benchmark is used to verify the maximum theoretical compute performance of NVIDIA-based video cards

• LAME MP3 Encoder

  LAME MP3 Encoder is used to test system performance when encoding MP3 audio files

• Upload benchmarks and temperature logs

  All the benchmarks taken during the phase 2 testing process are recorded on our server, providing you with benchmark scores, and providing us with statistical information that will help us assist future customers. We also upload our temperature logs, giving you a baseline you can compare to after you receive the system.

Quality Control

• Review build log

  We review the entire build log for your machine.

• Verify condition of chassis

  We give the system a physical inspection to ensure there are no scratches / blemishes.

• Verify the Puget order number label is correct.

  We make sure that the serial number we label on your system is correct.

• Check BIOS settings / OC profile

  We double check all Bios settings to ensure build performance, and verify that settings are saved for future use.

• Verify all parts are present and installed correctly

  We re-check the computer to make sure everything is present and installed.

• Verify documented license keys match physical copies (if applicable)

  We re-check that documented and installed software license keys match with the physical copies packaged with your system.

• Ensure rear IO shield is properly mounted (if applicable)

  When installing a motherboard, the rear IO shield can sometimes seat improperly. We check to make sure it is correct.

• Verify fan orientations

  We review your system fan orientation, and make any corrections that might be necessary to implement an optimal cooling strategy.

• Check for loose or missing screws

  We give another check to your screws, to make sure they're all secure. Looks can be deceiving, so we check manually.

• Ensure all items are secure (esp. heavy components)

  To make sure the computer is prepared for shipping, we double-check the solidity of the items inside, especially the heaver ones like video cards or CPU heatsinks.

• Check hot glue for neatness (if applicable)

  We use hot glue to secure certain items -- at this step, we make sure it is tidy and not over-applied.

• Check any high risk heatsink mountings (if applicable)

  We check any heatsinks that are large enough to risk being seated improperly, to make sure they are both secure, and make good contact with the chip they are cooling.

• Verify all PCI cards are seated in their slots evenly (if applicable)

  We make sure your PCI cards are square in their slots. Uneven seating could be due to a partially unseated card, or even an out-of-square chassis.

• Ensure machine is built to customer expectations

  We look at all notes put on the order by your sales rep, and make sure the machine is built with your requirements in mind. This might mean tuning the fans (if you emphasized you wanted it quiet), checking drive placements, etc.

• Check certification and case modifications.

  We double check to make sure your Puget certified system has all case mods that apply to your certification, and verify all branding has been applied to the case.

• Make sure all accessories are present

  Many of your components come with accessories, manuals, CD, or adapters. We make sure they\'re all present.

• Double check partitioning and/or multiple OS instructions.

  We review any provided instructions regarding partitioning and multiple OS installs, to make sure the machine is set up per your instructions.

• Check user / computer names

  We will make sure the username and computer name are both correct. By default, the username will be the customer's first name, and the computer name will be "Puget" followed by your the order number.

• Record wattage draw under idle and load

  We record the wattage draw of your system under idle and load, and check that against your power supply to make sure it is appropriate.

• Run machine load test, and investigate for hot spots

  Not all hot spots have temperature sensors. We run your computer under full load, and use a thermal probe to make sure there are no hot spots that aren't logged.

• Take idle/load thermal images (if applicable)

  We use our thermal camera to take pictures of the system at idle and under load to check for any unexpected hotspots.

• Test any ports not tested during production

  Any ports that are not already tested in the course of the build or installation of your machine are tested at this step.

• Test as thoroughly as possible any special cards (if applicable)

  Some non-standard or special order cards do not have standard tests during our install process. Those cards are manually tested.

• Verify functionality of notebook-specific features (if applicable).

  We test all of the integrated peripherals on your notebook to ensure their functionality.

• Test secondary video outputs

  We verify that all video outputs are functioning correctly. If your machine has SLI, we specifically have to take it out of SLI to test the output ports on the secondary video card.

• Verify high quality sound output

  We double check your audio output for clarity, stereo panning, 5.1 surround sound panning, and volume. We test both analog and digital output.

• Verify functionality of alternate networking adapters (if applicable)

  Since our install process only uses one network adapter, we now test all other adapters (some computers have two LAN ports), including KillerNIC cards and wireless.

• Check for any recent known issues

  We keep detailed logs of failure rates of all our components. Anything with recent known issues is carefully checked to make sure the issue is not present.

• Verify standby functionality

  We check for standby functionality one more time -- as we have found it to be quite problematic with certain configurations.

• Verify proper post and boot-up with USB device attached

  Some computers do not boot up properly when there is a USB device (ie, a USB thumb drive) attached. We make sure this is not an issue.

• Review temperature logs for proper levels

  We review the temperature logs taken during your system benchmarking, and identify anything unusual.

• Compare benchmarks to expected results

  To make sure your computer performs as expected, we check your benchmarks against those of similar machines.

• Review the windows event log

  We review the windows event log for any errors we do not expect (some errors are normal, specifically before all drivers are installed).

• Verify all updates are applied

  We make sure OS updates and anti-virus show all current updates installed.

• Verify proper responsiveness from the OS

  We verify proper responsiveness from the OS (start menu, control panel, application loading).

• Verify proper laptop battery drain rate (if applicable)

  We make sure your laptop battery is performing as expected.

• Verify proper out of box experience

  We reboot your computer one last time and make sure your first experience is as we would like it.

• Record approximate bootup time

  As the machine reboots, we record the boot time, so we have a number to compare to later if you have any problems.

• Record any additional testing performed (if applicable)

  If we performed any other tests, we record them for our benefit and yours.

• Defragment all platter drives

  We defragment all traditional/platter hard drives. Defrag is not run on solid-state disks.

• Clean up installation

  We perform one final clean-up of your installation, so Windows is clean and ready to use!

• Cap secondary video outputs (if applicable)

  If your system is configured with a discrete video card, we cover the onboard video ports to prevent mistakenly connecting to these secondary outputs.

Packing / Shipping

• Create Restore media (if applicable)

  We include System Restore media with all Windows machines.

• Take BIOS Screenshots

  We take screenshots of each page of the BIOS settings. Does not apply to laptops.

• Affix COA to Chassis

  Your Windows COA is attached to your case.

• Take Pictures of the System

  We take pictures of each system before we ship.

• Verify Power Cord and Essential Accessories are Present.

  We double check to make sure you have everything you need for system set up!

• Include Puget Stress Cube

  Getting stressed out? Grab your stress cube and give us a call!

• Include invoice and packet

  A full packet of information, including registration information, contact information, and benchmark information is printed. Also, an invoice and business card packet is included.

• Verify Tools disk is included with system

  We include a Tools disk to assist in the diagnosis of any problem the system may have in the future

• Clean any smudges from the chassis

  Since the computer has been handled, we ensure it is clean as a last step before boxing it up.

• Check latest shipping/Internal notes

  We look at all notes put on the order by your sales rep, and make sure the machine is built and shipped with your requirements in mind. This might mean adjusting shipping methods at the last minute as requested by your sales represenitive.

• Create shipping tag and attach to box

  Your order number is placed into our shipping system, and a tag is generated and placed on your boxes to prevent the possibility of mixup before your boxes receive a shipping label.

• Include a packing slip (if applicable)

  A packing slip is added to the outside of boxes on all requested and purchase orders.

• Install Instapak

  If we are concerned about the possibility of shipping damage, we will install special foam packing inside the case to help hold the components in place.