IQ, OQ and PQ are quality assurance standards. Specifically, they fall under the category of “validation and verification.” IQ stands for “installation qualification,” OQ stands for “operational qualification” and PQ stands for “performance qualification.”
Startpoint
There are two other “qualifications” before IQ. These are “design qualification” (DQ) and “function qualification” (FQ).
Implementation
These three protocols check whether a product or service fulfils legal requirements and conforms to the specification and requirements. IQ involves checking that installation of equipment follow the blueprints given at the beginning of the project. This step also requires that the supplier delivers sufficient documentation to the client to enable future maintenance.
Testing
Once the equipment has been installed, OQ confirms the equipment's operating processes. This check includes running through a standard operating procedure (SOP) for each state of the equipment. The PQ check make sure the equipment is able to perform the task for which it was purchased at the required throughput.