A First Article Inspection (FAI) proves that the production process makes a part that meets every requirement on the drawing and the purchase order. In aerospace it follows AS9102, and most customers require it before the first shipment.
When is an FAI needed?
- First production of a new part
- A drawing revision
- A change of production site, method or supplier
- A long break in production
The three forms
- Form 1, part accountability: part number, revision, sub-assemblies.
- Form 2, product accountability: raw material, special processes and functional tests.
- Form 3, characteristic accountability: every dimension and note on the drawing, measured and recorded.
Ballooning
Form 3 starts with ballooning: every dimension, tolerance and note on the drawing gets a number, then each number gets a measured result. Done by hand, it takes hours, and a missed characteristic is the most common finding.
How long does yours take?
Upload your drawing to NTB SpecPro and see how quickly characteristics are read, numbered and ready for results.
The NTB SpecPro quality control module helps you balloon the drawing, enter results and prepare the FAI report. Authorized quality personnel check the measurements and approve the report.
General information only; does not replace the standard.
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