First article inspection: what it checks, what the report holds, and when to repeat it

A first article inspection proves the production tool and process make a part that meets every line of the drawing, before volume starts. What it checks, what the report should hold, and when to do it again.

Filed under Line watch and quality control

Short answer: A first article inspection (FAI) measures and tests the first production parts against every requirement on the drawing, before the factory runs volume. It proves the tooling, the material and the process make a conforming part. The result is a first article inspection report that lists each characteristic, its tolerance and the measured value. Repeat it whenever the design, the tool, the material, the process or the location changes.

A first article inspection is the moment a drawing becomes a fact. Up to that point, everyone has agreed on what the part should be. The first article shows what the tool, the machine settings and the material actually produce. This note covers what a first article inspection checks, what goes into the report, what to do when a characteristic fails, and when to repeat it. It sits between two other checks: the golden sample you approved during development, and the pre-shipment inspection that checks each finished lot.

What a first article inspection is, and what it is not

A first article inspection checks a part made by the production process, not a hand-built prototype or a sample made on a soft tool. It is a full check. A routine in-process check measures a handful of critical dimensions; a first article measures every one of them, plus the material, the finish, the markings and the function.

Quality Magazine makes a point that surprises some buyers: "an FAI does not necessarily entail checking the first parts off the production line." The parts are taken from the first production batch, often at random, so they represent the process once it has settled rather than the first warm-up shot.

It is also not the same as approving a golden sample. A golden sample is the reference for how the product should look and feel. The first article proves that production tooling can repeat that reference to the drawing's tolerances.

The standards behind it: AS9102 and PPAP

Two standards set the format most buyers recognize, even outside the industries that wrote them.

AS9102 (aerospace). SAE describes AS9102 as the standard that "establishes documentation requirements for the First Article Inspection (FAI)." Boeing, for example, states that it "has adopted AS9102 as its supplier requirement for applicable purchased hardware FAI." The report uses three forms. Form 1 identifies the part, its revision and the drawing. Form 2, in the words of the IAQG form instructions, "is used if any materials, special processes, or functional testing are defined as a design characteristic." Form 3 "is used to record inspection results for the design characteristics and to document any applicable nonconformances."

PPAP (automotive). The Production Part Approval Process covers more ground than a first article. Quality-One notes that "the PPAP process consists of 18 elements that may be required for approval of production level parts", including the process flow, a control plan, measurement system studies and dimensional results. Dimensional results are, in effect, the first article.

A consumer product or an industrial part rarely needs a full AS9102 or PPAP package. The structure is still worth borrowing, because it forces every requirement on the drawing to be accounted for.

A first article inspection checklist

Use this list to brief a factory or an inspector, or to check a report you have been sent.

1. The right revision. Part number, part revision and drawing revision on the report match the purchase order. A perfect report on the wrong revision is worthless.
2. A ballooned drawing. Every dimension, tolerance and note on the drawing carries a numbered balloon, so nothing is missed and each result can be traced to a requirement.
3. Every dimension measured. Not only the critical ones. Each balloon gets a measured value, the gauge or method used, and a pass or fail.
4. Material. The resin grade, alloy or fabric matches the specification, with the supplier's certificate or a test report. A substituted material can measure perfectly and still fail in use.
5. Special processes. Plating, heat treatment, powder coating, welding and similar processes are named, with who performed them and the evidence they were done to specification.
6. Finish and appearance. Color, texture, gloss and cosmetic defects are checked against the approved sample under agreed lighting.
7. Markings. Part numbers, date codes, country of origin, logos and safety marks are present, legible and in the right place.
8. Fit and function. The part assembles with its mating parts, and functional tests (for an electronics assembly: power-up, buttons, display, current draw) are run and recorded.
9. Packaging, if it is part of the order. Carton, inserts and labels match the packaging specification.
10. Sign-off. The report names who inspected, who approved and the date, and states plainly whether any nonconformance is open.

What goes into the first article inspection report

The first article inspection report (FAIR) is one document that ties the part to the drawing. At minimum it holds the identification of the part and drawing, the ballooned drawing, a results table (balloon number, requirement, nominal and tolerance, measured value, method, pass or fail), material and process evidence, photos of the inspected parts and the sign-off.

Ask for the measured values, not ticks. A result of 25.08 against 25.00 ±0.10 passes, but it tells you the dimension sits near the top of its tolerance, which matters once the tool wears. A tick mark hides that.

When a first article fails

A failed first article is not unusual on a new tool. It is the reason the check exists. What matters is how the failure is handled:

• Stop and find the cause. Production should not continue on a failed characteristic. Quality Magazine describes the normal sequence: if a component fails, production stops until the cause is found and fixed, and then another FAI is done.
• Fix the process, not the part. Steel-safe tool adjustments, process window changes or a material correction are real fixes. Sorting out the bad parts is not.
• Decide on deviations in writing. If a dimension is out but the part still works, the buyer may accept a deviation or change the drawing. That decision should be recorded and signed, not agreed by phone.
• Re-inspect what changed. After a fix, the affected characteristics are measured again and the report is updated.

When to repeat a first article inspection

A first article is valid only for the process that made it. Boeing's planning requirements tell suppliers to "evaluate the need to perform a full FAI or a partial FAI in the event of changes that invalidate the original results", naming engineering changes, production process changes and tooling changes. Quality Magazine adds a production gap: "when a production lapse of two years or more happens", a first article should be part of restarting manufacturing. It also lists changes in materials, sourcing, process, tools or location.

In practice, ask for a new or partial first article when:

• the drawing revision changes;
• a tool is repaired, modified, replaced or moved to another factory (see who owns your mold);
• the material grade or material supplier changes;
• a process step moves to a subcontractor or a new line;
• production has been idle for a long time.

A partial first article measures only the characteristics the change could affect, and references the original report for the rest.

How JCH handles first articles

JCH checks every order at incoming material, first article, in-process and pre-shipment, as set out in step 9 of our process. The first article is measured against your drawing before volume starts, and you see the results before the lot is released to run. If you already have a supplier and want someone to witness the first article on the floor, line watch puts one of Jack's inspectors on your line. To set up a first article plan for a new part, send us the drawing.

Straight answers

What is a first article inspection?

A first article inspection (FAI) is a full check of parts from the first production run against every requirement on the drawing: dimensions, material, special processes, finish, markings and function. It proves the production tooling and process make a conforming part before volume production starts.

What is in a first article inspection report?

A first article inspection report (FAIR) identifies the part, part revision and drawing revision, includes a ballooned drawing, and lists each characteristic with its requirement, tolerance, measured value, method and pass or fail. It also holds material and special-process evidence, photos and the sign-off. AS9102 organizes this into three forms.

What is the difference between AS9102 and PPAP?

AS9102 is the aerospace standard for first article inspection documentation. PPAP is the automotive Production Part Approval Process, which has up to 18 elements, including process flow, control plan and measurement system studies; its dimensional results are in effect a first article.

When should a first article inspection be repeated?

Repeat a full or partial first article after a drawing revision, a tool repair, replacement or move, a material or material-supplier change, a process change or a move to a new line or factory, and after a long production gap. Quality Magazine cites a production lapse of two years or more as one trigger.

Is a first article inspection the same as a pre-shipment inspection?

No. A first article inspection checks every requirement on a few parts from the first production run, once, before volume starts. A pre-shipment inspection samples each finished lot against an AQL plan before it ships.

How this note was made: researched and drafted with AI assistance, checked against the sources listed below and edited at JCH Design & Manufacturing.