First Article Inspections (FAI) is an advanced quality inspection method that allows you to verify production results thoroughly against product designs before manufacturing begins. It involves taking the first product or subassembly sample (the first article) from the production line and a comprehensive study of whether it meets your engineering, design, and technical specifications.
People involved in manufacturing or quality control roles always ensure that products meet the manufacturing requirements. The one way is to do it through FIA. Here we provide quick introduction and answer common questions related to First Article Inspections.
First Article Inspection (FAI) verifies that any component of the product produced by a new process or sample from the first batch either meets the manufacturing requirements or not. It involves detailed technical analysis performed by the supplier.
FAI is basically the purchase order requirement of your purchaser. If the manufacturer does not have the in-house testing capability or inspections, third-party supplier management companies providing Quality Inspection Solutions can also perform this task.
First Article Inspections (FAI) are essential due to following reasons:
First Article Inspections aim to ensure safety and quality to avoid expensive mistakes. Conducting an in-depth FAI is imperative to your company. You can detect errors early in the manufacturing process to save time, money, and resources.
FAI's objective is to assess the quality of items selected for testing, confirm engineering design and specifications are correctly implemented, and ensure the production process is reliable, consistent, and repeatable.
FAI is an essential requirement for industries or products with complex manufacturing processes and strict quality assurance standards.
It is most commonly used by companies in the aerospace, automotive, and medical industries. It is also helpful for customers who have products that have high production costs and advanced manufacturing processes. Here is the list of conditions that trigger the FAI:
An authorized person performs FAI - a supplier or manufacturer test one or several parts from the production line. It may be a second-party inspector equipped with laboratory and specialized measuring tools.
If a part fails the FAI, it will go back to the production line, and corrective actions are performed. After the changes, another FAI will be performed. However, if the component passes successfully, mass production runs.
There is the significant difference between PPAP and FAI (subset of PPAP).
PPAP (Production Part Approval Process ) | FAI (First Article inspection) |
---|---|
It requires tens to hundreds of parts for the test. | It only requires one part for inspection or, in some cases, three to five components. |
It is used to access the manufacturability of the supplier to fulfill customer quality requirements. | FAI is used for initial quality control |
PPAP needs formal documentation for production processes,
including:
|
FAI only focuses on dimensional records and a subset of
documentation:
|
You must provide First Article Inspection if your company has ISO certification and manufactures Aviation or Aerospace components. Companies that require FAI include Aviation, Aerospace, and the Manufacture of parts or supplies for Aviation or Aerospace.
AS9102 First Articles is the type of inspection used by the aerospace and defense industries includes 3 forms:
Unlike PPAP, FAI does not require tens or hundred parts for inspection. Typically one or two components are needed for FAI. In some cases, there may be three to five parts required.
We perform inspections in accordance with AS 9102, ISO, IE, and other industry or regulatory standards. Inspection objectives are determined in line with your engineering needs however here are some of the key areas we focus on:
We also perform the testings in order to establish the baseline for future quality inspections and to ensure that the supplier has correctly understood your production specifications.
Our First Article Inspectors are Level 4 Quality Inspectors with strong inspection, product, production, and advanced engineering backgrounds. We match our personnel based on a detailed assessment of your requirements.
First Article Inspections are part of your Quality Management processes to ensure your supplier’s continuing conformance with your specifications.