FAI (First Article Inspection) is the item-by-item verification, and documentation, that the first part produced at the start of series production, or after a change affecting production, meets every design requirement. In aviation, space and defence the common rules for this are set by AS9102, the International Aerospace Quality Group's (IAQG) 9102 standard, published by SAE International.
According to SAE, the current version is AS9102C, published on 28 June 2023; earlier versions date from 2000, 2004 and 2014. According to the IAQG summary of changes, Rev C states explicitly that FAI is not a product acceptance document and adds a requirement for a documented process to plan FAI.
In short:
- FAI is objective evidence that the production process can make conforming parts; it is not the acceptance of a single part (IAQG).
- The report has three forms: part number, materials and special processes, and characteristic results.
- Changes in source, location, process, tooling or a break in production put a full or partial FAI back on the agenda.
What is FAI and why is it done?
According to SAE's summary, AS9102C sets the requirements for performing and documenting FAI, and these requirements complement, rather than replace, customer and statutory or regulatory requirements. The IAQG describes the standard's aim as standardising FAI process requirements as far as possible at every level of the supply chain and reducing organisation-unique requirements. According to the IAQG, the standard can also be used in other sectors that need a standardised FAI process.
The FAQ document the IAQG issued for 9102B, which it says has been incorporated into Rev C and the Supply Chain Management Handbook (SCMH), summarises the value of FAI as validating that production processes can make parts that meet engineering and design requirements. The same document stresses that FAI reduces risk at the start of series production and after process changes, and helps ensure safety of flight.
What are the AS9102 forms?
The First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) consists of three forms. According to the form templates published by the IAQG:
- Form 1, part number accountability: part and drawing numbers with revision levels, manufacturing process reference, supplier details, whether it is a detail part or an assembly, the choice of full or partial FAI and the reason for a partial FAI. For assemblies, the list of sub-parts is also on this form.
- Form 2, product accountability: materials, special processes (such as heat treatment or plating) and functional testing, each with its specification number, supplier and certificate of conformance.
- Form 3, characteristic accountability: for each design characteristic on the drawing, its number, location on the drawing, requirement and measured result, plus any designed tooling used and a nonconformance number where relevant.
According to the FAQ, an organisation may use its own forms, but they must contain all required and conditionally required information with the same field numbers. There are three separate forms because in some companies different people or departments complete them. Measurement reports may be attached, provided traceability between the characteristic numbers on Form 3 and the results is clear.
Digital product definition (DPD) was already on the agenda under Rev B. According to the FAQ, where there is no traditional 2D drawing, the design characteristics needed for production should be extracted from the model data, verified and included in the report, and the organisation is expected to define an extraction process. Rev C also added a requirement, during FAI planning, to verify the revision of embedded or deliverable software.
Rev C changed the forms as well. According to the IAQG summary, the FAIR identifier became a required field on all three forms, the complete/not complete field on Form 1 was replaced by a field asking whether the FAIR contains a documented nonconformance, and the signature and date fields were removed from Forms 2 and 3.
When is first article inspection required?
The basic case is a new part entering series production for the first time. According to the IAQG's Rev C summary of changes, it was clarified that each item requires a separate FAI, and the earlier exemption for one-time production runs not intended for ongoing production was removed. For events that call for a repeat FAI, the 9102B-era FAQ gives these examples:
- A break in production: After a lapse of two years or more, FAI is required for characteristics that may be affected by the inactivity; if a full FAI is not performed, the rationale must be written into the organisation's procedure.
- A change of location: Moving production to another facility requires assessment; the distance of the move is not in itself a factor.
- A change of special process supplier: A partial FAI covering the moved processes and characteristics is required.
- A change of inspection tooling: When the tooling recorded on Form 3 changes, FAI is required for the affected characteristic.
A version difference matters here. Rev B looked at whether a change could "potentially affect fit, form or function". According to the IAQG summary, Rev C removed that criterion and replaced it with an assessment of characteristics invalidated by the change or not represented in the previous FAI, plus a documented process for evaluating any change. The question is no longer "does this change affect the part?" but "which characteristic evidence from the previous FAI is no longer valid after this change?"
What is the difference between partial and full FAI?
A full FAI covers all design characteristics of the part. A partial FAI verifies only the characteristics affected by a change and builds on an earlier FAI. According to the FAQ, the "baseline" field on Form 1 records the part number of the previous FAI, or the approved configuration, including revision level, on which the partial FAI is based. The quality of a partial FAI therefore depends directly on the order of the baseline report and revision records, which links the topic to configuration management.
Conclusion: setting up FAI as a process, not a document
With AS9102C the emphasis has shifted from filling in forms to planning, evaluating and, where needed, re-accomplishing FAI. A practical start is to define in a written procedure which changes trigger FAI, to standardise characteristic numbering (ballooning) on drawings, and to store each FAIR matched to the part revision. Because a customer's purchasing requirements can add to the standard, contract requirements should be built into the plan from the outset.
"First Article Inspection – FAI" is part of Orient Global's corporate training catalogue; details are on the trainings page.
#interimmanagement #forwarddeployedengineering #fai #firstarticleinspection #as9102 #aerospacequality