Writing the spec — what goes on the print

A print callout that reads "NITRIDE" is not a spec. It commits the vendor to nothing, defines nothing, and gives the buyer no basis to reject a bad job when the parts come back. A complete nitriding callout has eight elements, each closing off a degree of freedom the vendor would otherwise pick. The first seven define what the cycle has to produce; the eighth defines the evidence the certificate has to carry. The five spec mistakes that turn a controlled job into a disputed one follow the steps.