First Article Inspection (FAI) Service

What should a First Article Inspection Report include?

What is First Article Inspection (FAI)?

First Article Inspection is a formal verification process conducted right after a factory begins its first production run. It confirms that the actual manufactured part matches every engineering drawing, material spec, and technical requirement before the order moves into full-scale production.

AQI Service performs FAI as an independent third party, comparing the first units off the line against your approved drawings and specifications – so any gap between what was designed and what was built gets caught while it still costs little to fix.

(Learn more about the Different Inspection Services)

Highlights of AQI Service’s FAI Inspection

FAI is not suited to every product category – it’s most valuable for precision-critical parts where dimensional accuracy matters (see industries below)
We recommend verifying the factory’s quality management system before relying on their in-house FAI, or hiring AQI Service to monitor the process independently
Catches production discrepancies early, before they scale into a full batch of non-conforming parts
Surfaces the corrective actions a factory needs to take before mass production starts
Prevents costly misunderstandings – wrong materials, wrong colors, wrong tolerances – from reaching your customer

What Does a First Article Inspection Report Include?

A First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) is the formal record of what was checked and what was found. AQI Service typically conducts FAI based on:

2D Drawings or 3D files from Design documentation
Material and process specifications
Technical Notes
Any ddditional checklist as required by designer or customer.

Our inspectors verify each measured characteristic against the part drawing and record the results. The report includes:

Part drawing checking report – every dimension and tolerance checked against the drawing
Verified measurements of characteristics – actual measured values, not approximations
Regular test report remarks – notes on any deviation and its likely cause

We inspect the first production samples against your approved “Golden Sample” or specifications, assess how well the factory understood your requirements, and review their production schedule and process controls.

When to Conduct a First Article Inspection?

FAI is typically written into the purchase order as a production process verification step. It’s most closely associated with precision-critical industries – machinery, aerospace and defense, automotive, electrical and electronics, and medical devices – where small dimensional errors carry real consequences.

Before relying on a manufacturer’s own FAI, it’s worth having confidence in their quality management system. That’s why we recommend a factory audit before working with any new supplier.

3D Measurement for the metal ring from AQI Service's first article inspection

According to SAE standards, FAI is required at these points:

First production run of a new part or assembled product
Engineering design change affecting function or material
Material or source changes
A new supplier
Parts that haven’t been produced in over two years
New tooling
Changes to manufacturing process or location

Once FAI is complete, the factory can move into the first mass production run, followed by the PPAP Process to confirm everything is ready for full-scale manufacturing.

Conducting First Article Inspection on Parts or Assembly?

We recommend running FAI on both parts and assembly, with the part-level FAI completed first. This confirms no individual part will affect fit, function, or testing at the assembly stage – then the assembly-level FAI checks the finished unit against your full specification.

How AQI Service Conducts an FAI Inspection

The process for conducting a First Article Inspection on parts and assembly involves several key steps to ensure adherence to customer specifications and quality standards:

1. Review Customer Specifications and Requirements

Our quality control experts will carefully review the customer’s specifications and requirements to ensure that we understand their exact needs and expectations.

2. Gather the necessary documentation

We will gather all the necessary documentation, such as 2D drawings or 3D files, material and process specifications, and technical notes.

3. Conduct the part-level FAI

We will verify the measurements of the product’s characteristics and check the part drawing to ensure that it meets all requirements and specifications. We will also check that no parts will affect the function of the assembly or any fitting, testing.

4. Conduct the assembly-level FAI

Once the part FAI is almost finished, we will conduct the assembly FAI to ensure that the final assembly meets the customer’s exact specifications. During this process, we will check for any potential quality issues and ensure that all parts are properly assembled.

5. Generate the inspection report

After the FAI inspections are completed, we will generate an inspection report that includes all the necessary information about the inspections, such as the part drawing checking report, verified measurements of characteristics, and regular test report remarks.

6. Provide feedback to the customer

We flag any quality issue found and work with the factory on corrective action

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does an FAI inspection take?

This depends on part complexity and how many characteristics need to be measured. A single precision part with a handful of critical dimensions can be completed in a day; a multi-part assembly with tight tolerances takes longer.

What’s the difference between FAI and PPI (Pre-Production Inspection)?

PPI checks materials and components before production starts. FAI verifies the actual first production units against the approved drawing, after the factory has already begun making parts.

Does FAI replace a Pre-Shipment Inspection?

No. FAI validates that the manufacturing process can produce conforming parts. PSI checks the finished, packed goods before they ship – they serve different points in the production timeline.

Can FAI be done on a partial basis?

Yes. A Partial/Delta FAI focuses only on the modified aspects of an existing product – useful when a minor design or material change doesn’t require re-inspecting the entire part.

What happens if a product fails FAI?

Production stops, the factory identifies the root cause, corrects it, and FAI is repeated on a new sample before mass production resumes.

How much does an FAI inspection cost?

The number of Man-days required for a specific FAI depends on the client’s requirements. AQI Service’s FAI services start at USD 100. Contact us today for a cost estimate.

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