A first article inspection, or FAI, is a full check of the first parts made with production tooling, materials and processes. Every dimension, note and requirement on the drawing is measured or verified, and the results are recorded in a report.
Its purpose is simple. It proves that the factory can make your part as drawn before it makes hundreds or thousands of them.
What an FAI report contains
- A ballooned drawing, where each requirement has a number that links to the report.
- The nominal value, tolerance and measured result for every dimension.
- The measuring method or instrument used for each feature.
- Material certificates and heat treatment records for the batch.
- Results for coatings, hardness, surface finish and any functional tests.
- A clear pass or fail for each line, and the signature of the inspector.
When to ask for one
Ask for an FAI on any new part, and again whenever something changes. Changes that should trigger a new FAI include a new drawing revision, new tooling, a new material source, a move to a different machine, or a long gap in production.
Aerospace buyers often require FAI to the AS9102 format. Automotive buyers usually ask for a PPAP, which includes a full dimensional report and more. Our overview of PPAP and Indian suppliers explains the difference. For general industrial parts, a clear FAI to your own template is often enough.
How many parts to measure
One part is the minimum. For parts made in multi-cavity tools or on several machines, ask for at least one part from each cavity or machine. For critical parts, measuring several pieces gives a better picture of variation.
Make sure the first article really comes from production conditions. Parts made slowly by the best operator on a toolroom machine can pass FAI and still fail in volume. Ask which machine, tooling and operator made the samples, and whether they will be the same in production.
An FAI is not a capability study. It shows that the process can make a good part, not that it will make good parts every time. For that, you need statistical data from a production run.
Checking an FAI report
Count the balloons and count the lines. They should match. Look for features marked "OK" with no measured value, which often means they were not measured. Check that the instruments can resolve the tolerance; a vernier caliper cannot verify a tolerance of a few microns.
Ask for the measured parts to be kept or sent to you. If your own measurements do not match the report, you have physical evidence to discuss. For a wider view on checking certificates, see reading a lab certificate.
Next step
We review FAI reports against your drawing and can check key features at the factory. Book a free sourcing review.