What is First Article Inspection (FAI)? What is the process of First Article Inspection?

First Article Inspection (FAI) is also known as "initial quality control". It is a check and comparison between product design requirements (specifications) and final production results. During the First Article Inspection process, samples from the first product or first batch of parts produced using a new method are fully tested. Usually, the supplier performs the First Article Inspection, and the customer (such as you) is responsible for evaluating the inspection report.

"First article" refers to the first product produced by any factory or supplier under a contract. Before large-scale production begins, suppliers must complete a first article inspection process according to industry standards, usually when the supplier has produced 1% to 10% of the order to prevent large-scale errors. Through this process, you can save a lot of time, energy and money without having to conduct extensive product inspections and re-production.

The purpose of this inspection is to ensure that the production process is set up correctly from the beginning. Before mass production, manufacturing engineers have a final chance to optimize the process. If you think it is necessary, you can also ask authorized subcontractors to perform first article inspection.

Types of First Article Inspection

There are two types of first article inspection:

1. Standard/Full FAI
2. Partial/Delta FAI

When only minor changes are made, partial first article inspection is used, as described in detail below.

Why is First Article Inspection Necessary?

Before a product goes into mass production, an engineering evaluation must be performed. Both you and the manufacturer will benefit from the first article inspection process. The following points explain the importance of first article inspection:

• Verify and review documented requirements.
• Record the first piece produced.
• Ensure the continued production of high-quality parts.

When is the first article inspection conducted?

Typically, first article inspection is performed based on a key assumption: each subsequent product will strictly follow the same production process to ensure the production of high-quality parts. If there are any changes to the design or production process of the part, the first article inspection needs to be repeated. The following situations require first article inspection:

1. After changing the contract manufacturer or outsourcer, different manufacturers may use different raw materials or production processes, resulting in different product results. In this case, you need to ensure that all products meet the requirements.
2. First article inspection is a must after initial production is completed and before new products are manufactured. It would be disastrous if a problem was discovered after most of the products have been manufactured. Therefore, inspection after the first batch is completed can avoid the waste and cost caused by defective products.
3. Design changes often result in changes in product outcomes. Performing a first article inspection ensures that there are no design errors in the newly designed product. If only minor design changes have been made, a partial first article inspection is necessary because the design changes may affect the fit, form, or function of the product.
4. If a product uses a new material or source, its specifications may be different from the original material. You need to perform a partial or full first article inspection process to ensure that the material used meets the requirements.
5. First article inspection is also required if a company moves to a new location or changes the product process or equipment used. These changes can affect the fit, form, and function of the product. Without first article inspection, a large number of non-conforming products may be produced.
6. If a product is being produced again after being out of production for many years, there may be changes in the process or equipment. Therefore, first article inspection must be performed to ensure product quality and meet customer needs.

First Article Inspection Process

The first article inspection report consists of three forms:

1. Table 1: Part Number Responsibility Table
2. Table 2: Product Liability Table
3. Table 3: Characteristic responsibility table and annotation diagram

Here are the steps to create a First Article Inspection Report:

Step 1: Prepare in Advance

Before conducting the first article inspection, necessary documents need to be prepared to avoid misunderstandings by the third-party inspection team and ensure a smooth inspection process. The documents that need to be prepared include:

• Engineering drawings: These are annotated drawings that show the 2D or 3D design of a product and all its dimensions.
• Datasets for digital products: These data are provided to ensure that products comply with relevant standards.
• Bill of Materials (BOM) and their quantities.
• Process Specifications: Includes product description, reference standards, performance and other relevant details.
• Production plans, schedules and work orders: information used to control the production process.
• Supplier or source information: Make sure the supplier or source channel is correct.

Step 2: Develop an inspection plan

• Mark the requirements that need to be inspected and indicate them with the marking number.
• Fill out the AS9102 forms, with the first form for number liability and the second form for product liability.
• Lists dimension position references.
• List the requirements, including units of measurement and any additional specifications based on tolerances.
• Classification requirements, including critical, important and major criteria.

Step 3: Produce the product

Before the inspection, the factory's quality management system can be verified to ensure that the inspection results are more reliable. You can also hire a third-party inspection company to monitor the process. During this stage, small batch production begins and all production and inspection results are recorded.

Step 4: Get the data

Inspect parts according to the inspection plan developed in step 2 and record the calibrated and certified inspection tools and operator information.

Step 5: Generate Report

Enter the measurement results into AS9102 Form 3 and fill in the following:

• Measurement results.
• Serial number of the measuring device used.
• Non-conforming information.
• Certificate of Conformity (COC).
• Functional test report.

Finally, the first article inspection report includes the following:

1. Parts drawing inspection report.
2. Verified characterization results.
3. General test report notes.

What if the product does not pass the first article inspection?

The purpose of the First Article Inspection process is to verify that everything is as expected before production begins. If a product fails First Article Inspection, production is stopped and corrective actions are developed and implemented.

The reason for the failure of the first article inspection is usually that the product is found to have non-conformity with the requirements during the inspection process, such as defects, color problems or even functional defects. When production is restored to test conditions, a trial production or small batch production is required, and the first article inspection is performed again to verify the compliance of the product.