What Are The Fundamentals Of A First Article Inspection?
A production procedure that goes through the planning phase, manufacturing, and ultimately verification has the reference of (FAI) or First Article Inspection. The report is documentation certifying that each production sample received inspection according to the specifications as set forth by the client.
The FAI consists of confirmation and comparison between a mandated designation or product design and the outcome or product result. The supplier has to create this inspection per the applicable industry standards (like AS9102) or according to the requirements set by the client before manufacturing can even start.
Understanding “First Article” Inspections
The “first article” represents the initial piece manufactured by implementing similar processes as would be seen by a subcontractor using mass production. With this system, the consumer can confirm how the supplier’s production process for the parts and assembly could pass the design and engineering mandates on a mass level.
What Is FAI or First Article Inspection?
After manufacturing a new part or revision to a piece with the initial production process, it’s essential to ensure all requirements are met with the designated drawings and specifications, which is confirmed with an inspection of a random piece from the first run. This is referred to as the FAI or First Article Inspection report, which shows the outcome of the process. Generally, three (3) pieces are selected for sample testing, and the best of those is chosen as the prototype.
With the FAI, many industrial companies inspect every detail down to the mandatory specifications and each dimension for the sample as they compare to the drawings.
The inspection serves as an element of verification of the production outcome versus the design. That takes place before the actual manufacturing process has a chance to start. The part becomes the “gold standard” to represent what the procedures are capable of with the current planning strategy. The inspection confirms not only the process but the quality control.
This validation ensures that you recognize and incorporate adequate processes and rendering documentation and tools to comply with customer specifications for the company’s product. The process will be consistent throughout the manufacturing production.
What Is An Advantage Of FAI?
Any time a subcontractor is put in place for a manufacturing process for a company, that subcontractor receives specifications and drawings for which the parts need to align entirely.
To ensure the “first article: follows the submitted guidelines, a random part goes through an exceptionally rigorous and thorough screening procedure. The sample needs to meet every dimension and all specifications according to the drawings. In that way, the leaders can rest assured that the manufacturing process was followed adequately with an ideal outcome.
The benefits of this process include the manufacturer’s production success and overall client satisfaction. Look here for the reasons FAI is important for manufacturing. The primary advantages industry leaders see throughout the creation of the first article will include:
- Flaws: Going through an initial manufacturing process to develop a “prototype” has many advantages for the industry. You can learn where the flaws lie in your approach and work through “corrective action” to ensure these don’t make their way into the actual manufacturing process.
Suppose there are any problems maintaining compliance or issues in achieving quality. In that case, you have this trial run as an opportunity to figure out why so in real-time, you don’t suffer from delays or waste unnecessary money in creating a faulty product.
The sample serves as a baseline from which future parts are created, particularly if the piece meets all necessary guidelines, since it receives the optimum inspection compared to any other one produced.
An Agreement Between The Manufacturer And The Client
As a rule, a supplier and the buyer settle on a contract where this first inspection is a primary component and which each finds mutually advantageous. The client will have confirmation that the products they intend to purchase will meet all the necessary requirements and the expectations they have set forth. The things a client looks for include:
- Density/weight
- Color
- Surface finish/sturdiness
- Distance from the edges
- Position/shape of holes
The FAI is about each minute detail. The sample selected needs to match the drawings to a fault with no imperfections or flaws of any kind. It needs to be the perfect piece.
The manufacturer can save time, effort, and expenses by running a piece that has already met specifications and quality requirements with complete client acceptance and approval.
The only necessity is maintaining that sense of consistency to duplicate the process throughout the entire production process. That means the staff, the tools, the materials, and other elements need to be precisely the same throughout the real-time production as they were when the prototype was created. If any of those components change, it can dramatically affect the outcome of the product.
Final Thought
A priority when engaging in First Article Inspections is documentation throughout every stage of the process. That benefits both parties. If at any time there is nonconformance, the documentation can be scanned to find out where the discrepancy lies and can be corrected.
With technology today, this can be done digitally instead of handling paper, emails, photographs, or other inconveniences that can easily be misplaced or mishandled. The software is searchable and secure, so details of the agreement and other materials can easily and quickly be located. Learn the benefits of the technology at https://spacecoastdaily.com/2020/03/seven-benefits-of-using-fai-software/.
While an FAI is an incredibly beneficial component of the manufacturing process, it’s tough, requiring exceptional detail and rigorous inspection. While the sample might ultimately meet the specifications to the letter with immediate acceptance and final approval by the client, the supplier needs to be able to repeat those conditions, remaining consistent throughout the duration of the manufacturing process.
That means each item will match the sample identically. If someone were to call off sick or a tool breaks, that could change the entirety of the project drastically. That’s just an incredible amount of pressure to try to handle for an industry leader.
