What term refers to faults or flaws found in a product?

The term that accurately refers to faults or flaws found in a product is "defects." This term is commonly used in quality control and manufacturing contexts to denote any deviation from the intended specification or standard that adversely affects the product's performance or suitability for its intended use.

Defects can arise due to various reasons, including issues during the production process, material inadequacies, or failure to follow design specifications. Identifying and addressing defects is crucial for maintaining product quality and customer satisfaction, ensuring that the products meet the required functional and aesthetic standards before they reach consumers.

While the other terms like errors, shortcomings, and imperfections can describe similar concepts, they do not specifically convey the same notion as defects in this context. For instance, errors might refer more broadly to mistakes in a process, shortcomings could pertain to limitations or deficiencies in capability, and imperfections generally address minor flaws rather than significant faults that could impact usability or safety. Hence, "defects" is the most precise term for faults or flaws in products.