A first article inspection report is the evidence that a manufacturing process can make a part exactly as the drawing describes, before the production run begins. One part — the first article — is checked against every requirement on the drawing and in the order: each dimension and note, the material, any special processes, and any functional test. Each requirement is numbered on the drawing with a balloon so nothing is missed and every result can be traced back to it. This form follows the usual three-part layout: what the part is and why it is being inspected, the materials and processes with their certificates, then a characteristic-by-characteristic record, ending with the result and the approvals. You can fill it in here and download a finished PDF without creating an account.
When a first article inspection is needed
The obvious case is a new part going into production for the first time. But the same check is usually required whenever something could have changed the part without anyone noticing: a new drawing revision, a move to a new supplier or a new factory, a change to the manufacturing method, tooling, machine program or inspection method, or a long gap since the part was last made — many customers set that gap at two years.
The reason goes at the top of the report because it decides how much has to be checked. A brand new part needs a full FAI. A design change may only need a partial, or delta, FAI covering the characteristics that changed and anything they affect, with a reference back to the previous full report.
Balloon the drawing, then measure every balloon
Before measuring anything, number every requirement on the drawing: each dimension, each tolerance, each note (deburr, surface finish, marking, cleanliness), each flag note and each specification called up in the title block. Those numbers are the balloons, and each one gets its own entry in the report with the requirement, the actual result, the tool or method used, and accept or reject.
Write the actual measured value, not "OK". For a characteristic checked with an attribute gauge, write the gauge and that it passed. Mark characteristics the drawing designates as critical or key, because customers often want those measured on every production part afterwards too.
Materials, special processes and certificates
The materials section lists every raw material and every special process the part went through — heat treatment, plating, anodizing, painting, welding, non-destructive testing — with the specification it was done to, who did it, and the certificate that proves it. In regulated industries the company doing a special process often has to be one the customer has approved; the form asks that question for each one.
If the drawing or order calls for a functional test, log the procedure and the result too. A part that measures perfectly and fails its pressure test has not passed.
Full, partial and AS9102
In aerospace, first article reports are commonly laid out to AS9102, which defines the three forms and when a full or partial FAI is due. Many automotive and industrial customers ask for something similar under their own names. This form records the same information in a walk-through order and lets you note which format the customer expects; check the customer's own requirements for anything extra they ask for.
Speak while you walk, and the document writes itself: say "balloon fourteen, bore twelve millimeters plus five hundredths, measured twelve oh two on the bore gauge, accept" and the characteristic fills in.
Common questions
What is a first article inspection?
A complete, documented check of one representative part from a new or changed production process against every requirement on its drawing and purchase order, done before regular production starts, to show the process can make the part correctly.
What is the difference between a full and a partial FAI?
A full FAI checks every characteristic on the drawing. A partial, or delta, FAI checks only the characteristics affected by a change — a revised dimension, a new process step, a new machine — and refers back to the last full FAI for the rest.
What is a ballooned drawing?
A copy of the part drawing with every requirement numbered in a small circle, or balloon. Each balloon number becomes one line in the inspection report, so every requirement is accounted for and each result can be traced to its place on the drawing.
Is this an AS9102 form?
It records the information an AS9102 first article report asks for — part identity, materials and special processes with their certificates, and a characteristic-by-characteristic record — but it is not the official form. If your customer requires that exact layout, use this to gather the data on the shop floor and transfer it as they ask.
What happens if one characteristic fails?
The first article has not passed. The failed characteristic gets a nonconformance report, the process is corrected, and the affected characteristics are inspected again on a new part, usually as a partial FAI, before production is released.
Can I re-check only the characteristics that failed?
Yes. In the ReportWalk app, start a re-inspection from this report and only the rejected characteristics and checks come back, each asking whether it now meets the drawing, with a photo. Re-inspections are free.