Final answer:
Acceptance sampling is primarily used to inspect incoming lots of purchased products, ensuring that only high-quality items proceed in the production process or reach the customer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Acceptance sampling is a quality control method used in manufacturing and production processes to determine whether a batch of products meets certain predetermined standards. The core principle of acceptance sampling is to inspect a random sample of units from a larger batch to make decisions about the entire lot without examining every single unit.
In the context of the question, acceptance sampling is most closely related to the inspection of incoming lots of purchased products. It helps in controlling the quality of products received from suppliers, ensuring that defective items are identified and dealt with before they become part of work-in-process inventory or reach the customer. This technique is crucial in supply chain management, especially when implementing strategies like just-in-time delivery, where the timely delivery of high-quality parts is essential for maintaining a smooth production process without the need for large warehouses.
Therefore, the final answer to the student's question is d) Incoming lots of purchased products.