Before full production starts, the first part from a new or changed process goes through a first article inspection (FAI). The supplier checks every drawing requirement and records the actual measurements. The buyer then reviews the results and gives approval. If the part meets the drawing, production can move forward with confidence in the process.
Picture a quality engineer opening a first article package from overseas. The report runs one page. Every row of the characteristic list says "pass." No row shows a measured value. Three weeks later, the parts reach your line, and a hole pattern will not line up with its mating bracket. Row 14 is the culprit, and its entry reads "pass."
You have no way to see how close that hole sat to its limit. You cannot tell whether the supplier measured it at all.
A real first article inspection leaves no such gap. It records the measured value for every requirement, names the tool that took each measurement, and attaches the certificates that prove material and process. This guide explains how first article inspection works, when you need one, and what a complete report contains. It covers the AS9102 standard, the step-by-step process, and the traps that differ for castings, forgings, welded fabrications, and fasteners. You get a first article inspection checklist for your next order with an offshore partner.
What is first article inspection?
First article inspection (FAI) is the detailed check carried out on the first part made from a new or changed manufacturing process. The supplier reviews every drawing requirement, including dimensions, notes, materials, and process requirements, and records the results in a report. The customer reviews that report before regular production starts. The first article inspection meaning is not just about proving that one part came out right. It also checks whether the tooling, programs, fixtures, work instructions, and inspection methods can produce the same result again.
What counts as the first article?
The first article comes from the first production run, and that part may not be the first one off the machine. For a first article inspection, the shop builds the part with production tooling, production equipment, and the operators who will run the job. A part made on a prototype tool, or by an extra-careful senior operator at slowed feeds, does not qualify. Such a part shows the best case, while the buyer needs the normal case.
How does first article inspection differ from routine inspection?
Routine inspection checks parts while production is running to make sure the process remains consistent. A first article inspection is different: it checks every characteristic at the beginning to confirm the process can make the part correctly. Both are needed. The first article checks the initial setup, while routine inspection keeps an eye on production afterward. Our quality assurance and transparency approach includes checks throughout production and gives clients a clear view of what is happening at each stage.
Why does first article inspection come before production?
The reason is cost. A tooling error, a misread note, or a wrong datum shows up in the first part. If nobody checks it, the same error shows up in every part that follows. For example, a supplier that ships 5,000 brackets with one bad hole pattern has made 5,000 scrap parts, and the buyer learns about it at assembly. A first article inspection catches that error while it is one part.
First article inspection works as a gate between supplier qualification and serial production. It gives the buyer objective evidence before volume ships.
What first article inspection catches early
Darrell Ferris, a member of the IAQG AS9102 writing team, lists the benefits in Quality Progress. First article inspection identifies process issues that produce nonconformances. It provides documented objective evidence in a standardized report. It validates corrective actions through a closed loop that repeats until the nonconformances are gone.
What happens when a first article fails?
A failed first article inspection is the quality system doing its job. The team documents the miss with the measured value, finds the root cause, and fixes it. Typical causes include tool wear, a fixturing problem, or a program error. The team then builds a new first article and repeats the inspection. Finding the same problem after the full run costs more.
When is a first article inspection required?
Contracts decide when first article inspection applies, but the usual triggers stay consistent across industries.
What triggers a new first article inspection?
AS9102 considers a two-year break in production a reason to repeat the inspection, although customers may set their own time limits. Check the purchase order for the exact conditions, since first article inspection requirements can differ from one customer to another.
Even a small drawing change may require another inspection, though a delta inspection can sometimes cover only the affected areas. Moving the work to a new supplier also means a new first article is needed. A factory audit can then help confirm that the quality system supporting the report is actually in place.
Does a one-off order need an FAI?
Older AS9102 revisions carried an exception for unique single-run orders that were not intended for ongoing production, such as out-of-production spares. Ferris reports that Rev C removed that exception because readers misinterpreted it. Plan a first article inspection for one-off parts when your customer flows AS9102 down.
Does ISO 9001 require first article inspection?
ISO 9001 does not specifically mention a first article inspection, although it does require processes to be properly defined and controlled. For aerospace work, AS9100 covers production process validation in clause 8.5.1.3, according to Advisera’s AS9100 guidance.
Other sectors handle the same need in different ways. Automotive buyers generally use PPAP, while medical device manufacturers work under FDA and ISO 13485 process validation requirements. On precision jobs, contract manufacturers often carry out a first article inspection even when there is no formal requirement to do so.
What is AS9102?
AS9102 is the SAE aerospace standard that sets the requirements for performing and documenting first article inspection. Its full title is Aerospace First Article Inspection Requirement. AS9102 first article inspection is the format most US aerospace and defense buyers expect, and many other buyers copy it.
How does AS9102 relate to AS9100?
AS9102 is a reference document within the AS9100 family. A customer must call it out before a supplier has to use it. Many suppliers adopt it anyway because it gives them a consistent first article inspection process and standard report forms. Boeing, for example, adopted AS9102 as its supplier requirement for purchased hardware FAI, flowed down in the purchase document. AS9102 does not apply to software. Boeing points to AS9115 for that.
What changed in AS9102 Rev C?
SAE published AS9102 Rev C in June 2023 as the current revision, and it replaces Rev B. Ferris described the main changes before release:
- First article inspection planning got a rewrite. Each organization needs a documented planning process that names the responsible functions and the work to finish before the FAI.
- The exception for unique single-run production orders is gone.
- A certificate of conformance must list requirements and results instead of stating conformity alone.
- A multidisciplinary team must decide whether a change invalidates an earlier FAI.
- Variable data must carry the same numerical accuracy as the tolerance.
- One "FAI Verified By" signature set now covers the whole report.
Read the standard itself and your customer's flow-down terms before you finalize a procedure.
What goes in a first article inspection report?
The first article inspection report (FAIR), or FAI report, is the evidence package. It shows what the supplier inspected, how, and with what result. Under AS9102, it uses three forms plus supporting documents.
Form 1: Part Number Accountability
Form 1 lists the basic details used to identify the part. This includes the part number, part name, drawing revision, serial number, manufacturer, and whether the FAI is full or partial. For an assembly, it also lists the detail parts and sub-assemblies included in the finished item.
Form 2: Product Accountability
Form 2 covers the paperwork that supports the part. That includes material certificates, process records, and test results. It also records the material used, the required specifications, any special processes, and the outcome of functional tests.
For example, if the drawing calls for 17-4 PH stainless steel, the paperwork should include the correct mill certificate and the related heat-treatment record.
Wootz.work works with 143 materials. Our material expertise helps us choose the right grade for the application. Mill certificates are supplied with the parts and include the corresponding heat numbers.
Form 3: characteristic accountability
Form 3 is where the results for each ballooned characteristic are written down. Add the drawing requirement, what you measured, how you measured it, and the outcome. A “pass” on its own is not enough; the actual reading should be there too.
Rev C also expects the measurement to use the same decimal places as the tolerance. For example, if the tolerance is ±0.05 mm, the result should also be written to two decimal places.
This first article inspection report sample is illustrative:
Why ballooning matters
A ballooned drawing keeps the first article inspection report organized. Every requirement on the drawing is given its own number, which matches a row on Form 3. If even one note is missed, the report can be rejected even when the part itself is correct.
What are the types of first article inspection?
Not every first article inspection re-inspects the whole part. The scope depends on what changed.
A partial first article inspection report must name the earlier approved report, the reason for the update, and the affected characteristics. Rev C requires a multidisciplinary team to make that call. AS9102 recognizes only full and partial FAI; delta and assembly FAI are common names for how a partial or full FAI is scoped.
What is the first article inspection process?
The first article inspection process has six main steps. It starts before any machining begins.
Step 1: Plan and balloon the drawing
Start with the information needed for the first article inspection: the latest drawing and model, purchase order requirements, material specifications, special-process requirements, and critical characteristics.
Balloon every requirement on the drawing. If a datum is unclear, a tolerance looks unrealistic, or a finish may be difficult to achieve, raise it now. These issues are much easier to deal with before production starts. Our design capabilities include a drawing review before we quote.
Step 2: Build the first article under production conditions
Make the first article exactly as you plan to make the production parts. Use the usual machines, tools, material source, and production team.
Do not slow the machine down or give the part special treatment just to make it pass. A first article inspection on a part that has been hand-finished or made under different conditions does not show how the production process will really perform.
Step 3: Measure every characteristic with the right tool
An FAI inspection is only useful if the measurements can be trusted.
Use a measuring tool that suits the tolerance. A hand caliper is fine for a ±0.2 mm dimension. A 0.02 mm position tolerance, however, needs a CMM. Also check the calibration status of every instrument used. If the gauge cannot repeat the result closely enough, the measurement does not tell you much.
Step 4: Record actual values
Form 3 should show what was actually measured during the first article inspection. Add the result for each characteristic, the serial number of the measuring tool, and note any non-conformance that came up.
Attach the certificate of conformance and any required functional test reports.
Step 5: Review before you submit for approval
Before the report goes to the customer, have a quality engineer check it from start to finish.
Look for missing balloons, incorrect numbering, blank fields, unreadable certificates, and wrong revision levels. The customer then reviews the report and may also witness the inspection or check some characteristics independently.
Step 6: Release production or correct and repeat
If the first article inspection is accepted, the same approved setup can be used for production. Our scalable manufacturing capabilities help take the process from small batches into larger production runs.
If a requirement does not pass, the team records the problem, works out the cause, makes the correction, and produces another first article. The inspection is then repeated where needed.
The approved baseline stays in place until something changes in the tooling, program, material, location, sub-tier process, or drawing revision.
PPAP vs FAI vs in-process inspection
First article inspection, PPAP, and in-process inspection are sometimes treated as the same thing, but they serve different purposes. The table below explains the difference.
The main difference in PPAP vs FAI is how much each one covers. PPAP includes dimensional results along with control plans, process flow diagrams, FMEAs, and capability studies. First article inspection is more focused on the first part produced and the records that support it. In-process inspection is used alongside both, but it cannot take the place of either one.
Why do first article inspections fail?
Most first article inspection failures trace back to paperwork or setup errors that a checklist would have caught.
A hidden non-conformance destroys trust in the whole first article inspection report. Disclose it and ask for a disposition. Unrealistic tolerances sit behind many of these failures, and our sheet metal design guide lists realistic tolerances for cut and bent features.
How do you design parts that pass first article inspection the first time?
A lot of first article inspection problems can be traced back to the drawing. The way tolerances, datums, and critical features are defined affects how easily the part can be checked and approved.
Set tolerances by function
Use the tolerance the part needs, not the tightest one available. Overly tight tolerances make the part more expensive, take more time to inspect, and increase the chance of rejection. A value engineering review can catch tolerances that do not serve a real function. Removing them can make the first article inspection much more straightforward.
Define datums before the first cut
Do not wait until inspection to sort out the datum references. If the supplier and customer are working from different references, their measurements can differ even when neither side has made a mistake.
Set the primary, secondary, and tertiary datums clearly. The inspection setup should also be defined, especially for flexible parts that can sit differently in a fixture.
For a food packaging robotics OEM, we worked on a 490 mm stainless steel arm where the bores had to stay within 0.2 mm of a common datum. Before production began, our engineers prepared a DFM drawing with the agreed tolerances and shared it with the customer.
Make critical features measurable
A critical feature is not much help if it cannot be inspected easily. Features that are difficult to reach can slow the first article inspection and sometimes call for extra equipment.
Deep bores, internal grooves, and hidden undercuts may need special probes, sectioning, or CT scanning. While reviewing the drawing, check whether each critical feature can be measured without cutting or damaging the part. The drawing should also make the inspection method clear.
What does first article inspection look like for castings, forgings, fabrications, and fasteners?
The principle stays the same across processes, but the details change from one process to another.
Machined parts
With machined parts, most of the attention goes to tight tolerances and datum control. A CMM report showing actual and nominal values is usually expected. If there is a new program, fixture, or machine, that normally means a new first article inspection as well. Our CNC machining partners work to tolerances as tight as 3 microns on critical features and provide material traceability, inspection reports, and CoCs. At that level, the inspection method needs to be suitable for the tolerance being checked.
Castings
For castings, the first article inspection should be carried out using production tooling, not a prototype pattern. Dimensions need to be checked on the as-cast areas as well as the finish-machined surfaces. If the drawing requires material testing or heat treatment, those records should be included with the inspection report.
Forgings
The production die should be used for inspection. If the die is new or has been reworked, it is treated as a tooling change and a new first article inspection is required. Dimensions, hardness, and test reports should all be checked against the drawing.
Welded fabrications
The main concern with welded fabrications is distortion. Measurements should be taken after welding and machining, using datums that remain valid through both stages. In one recent program for a food and beverage OEM in ANZ, a large welded stainless frame had to maintain a height of 536 ±1 mm after machining. The top faces also required 0.2 mm flatness and 0.1 mm parallelism in a single setup. For the same OEM, the upright assemblies depended on correct datum selection, accurate fixturing, and thermal relief design from our metal fabrication partners to keep weld distortion under control.
Fasteners
For fasteners, thread gauge results, coating thickness, hardness, and salt spray testing form an important part of the report. Each size and finish should have its own first article inspection, with traceability kept from the raw material through to the final batch. Our industrial fasteners range includes metric and imperial threads in several coatings, so the report needs to state exactly which combination was inspected.
How to order offshore parts with first article inspection included
Offshore sourcing adds distance to the first article inspection process. You need the same report, and you need to ask for it before the order.
What to put in your purchase order
State these first article inspection items in writing:
- The drawing and model revision
- The standard and forms required (AS9102 or your own format)
- The sample size and where it comes from in the first production run
- Required certificates and proof of any special processes
- The method that will be used to check tight tolerances
- When the report will be shared: before shipment or along with the first lot
- Whether the customer will attend the inspection or verify some of the measurements
- The rule for re-inspection after a change, including the two-year gap
What to ask a supplier before you award
Ask for sample first article inspection reports from earlier jobs. Check CMM capacity, the calibration system, and GD&T skills. Ask which sub-tier vendors run heat treatment and coating, and how the supplier flags unclear drawings. A factory audit confirms the answers.
How Wootz.work handles first article packages
At Wootz.work, first article inspection is considered from the quoting stage itself. Every drawing is reviewed before a quote is sent, and that first quote also includes a free DFM review.
Our technology platform helps organize drawing information so suppliers can flag issues with tolerances, material availability, or lead times before production begins. Each requirement on the drawing is tracked through the job, which helps catch non-conformances before the parts are dispatched.
Orders are supplied with first article inspection packages prepared in line with the AS9102 format. These include CMM dimensional reports showing actual and nominal values, along with mill certificates and heat numbers.
For repeat production, we monitor SPC on critical features and work to a Cpk target of 1.33 or above. The documentation is prepared so your QC team can review the results remotely instead of traveling to the manufacturing site.
Buyers in the US, UK, and Italy are supported by our engineering and commercial teams in those markets. Manufacturing is handled through our base in India and Southeast Asia.
How do you ship a first article?
Ship the first articles with the first article inspection report and clearly mark them as FAI samples. It is also important to confirm the delivery terms before the samples are sent. Our global doorstep delivery network manages import compliance across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. We ship on DAP and DDP terms, which helps avoid delays caused by freight or duties during the approval process.
When offshore first article inspection is the wrong fit
Some customers verify supplier first articles themselves. Boeing runs its own first article inspection verification process on supplier parts, and it may check individual characteristics on the part itself. Plan travel or a third-party inspector for programs like that. For critical applications such as pressure equipment and aerospace fasteners, Wootz.work coordinates third-party material testing and inspection. A single prototype needed within a week suits a local shop better.
First article inspection checklist for buyers
Use this first article inspection checklist before you release a purchase order and again when the report arrives.
Before you place the order
- Confirm the drawing and model revision.
- State the standard and forms the customer requires.
- Define the sample size and its source.
- List the required certificates and special-process evidence.
- Agree on measurement methods for tight tolerances.
- Set when the report arrives relative to production.
When the report arrives
- Check the part number and revision on Form 1.
- Confirm every drawing note has a balloon.
- Look for measured values instead of the word "pass."
- Verify that certificates trace to the inspected part.
- Check the calibration dates on the tools.
- Read every non-conformance and its disposition.
- Approve, reject, or request a partial FAI in writing.
Want to see the QC documentation before a full order? Order a free sample box. The fastener kit ships with the same QC documentation as commercial orders.
Conclusion
First article inspection is the final check before a supplier moves into serial production. It shows whether the process can actually make the part to the drawing. It also gives you a set of measured results to refer back to later.
A first article inspection really starts with the drawing, not the finished part. Before the order is placed, the tolerances, datums, forms, certificates, and timing should already be clear. Getting those details sorted early makes the inspection much easier to carry out and review later.
For your next first article inspection, use the checklist above as a working reference. Ask for the actual measurements, review the certificates, and do not ignore a failed first article. It usually tells you exactly what needs attention before production starts.
Send us your drawing. Your first quote comes with a free DFM review.
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