01. What is a inspections companies and how does it work? Known as a First Article Inspection (FAI), it is a business process that determines whether or not a part's manufacturing process is capable of consistently delivering parts that conform to specifications.

In the case of one part, a First Article is a comprehensive review of the engineering documentation and the manufacturing process from raw materials through conversion (machining, molding, casting, and so on), special processing (anodization, plating, hardening, and so on), and finally functional testing. It is critical for both the buyer and the supplier (manufacturer) of a part to understand what is known as a First Article. An FAI provides an opportunity for the supplier to evaluate the manufacturability of a part, ensure the completeness of the design documentation, identify design errors, recommend design changes to improve manufacturability, and establish the manufacturing process and supply chain for the part. An FAI provides the buyer with an opportunity to confirm that the design requirements have been understood and that the supplier's manufacturing process, external special processing steps, and functional testing are capable of consistently delivering good parts. Inspection Requirements for the First Article

02. When is it necessary to perform a Pre-Shipment Inspection? An FAI will typically evaluate one part under the important unwritten assumption that every subsequent part will be manufactured using the exact same manufacturing process, and that the process will therefore consistently produce high-quality parts on a consistent basis.

Any change in the design of the part or in the manufacturing process is a violation of this assumption, and as a result, a new First Article Inspection must be performed. Here's a partial list of the conditions or events that will result in a new first article being published on the site:Introduction of a New ProductChanging the design (adding a new Part Number or Revision)Changes in the manufacturing process occur outside of the manufacturing process. A Change in Vendors and a Factory RelocationAfter a lengthy hiatus, production has resumed.

For some of these modifications, a complete new first article inspection is required. In the case of a change in manufacturing process from a 4-axis CNC to a Swiss screw lathe, a completely new First Article Inspection will be required. In a similar vein, switching from laser cutting to stamping will necessitate a complete rework of the CMM Inspection Companies process.

A more localized change, such as a change in the powder coating process or a change in the packaging of a part, may not necessitate the production of a complete first article. Perhaps a first article that is only partially completed will suffice.


There are a variety of First Article Inspection Report formats available, both industry-standard and customer-specific. Although the content of these reports is the same, the layout and format can differ significantly.

In order to complete every First Article Inspection report, it is necessary to keep a dimensional record. The majority of them require a Gage ID for each measurement. Furthermore, a subset necessitates the inclusion of a Calibration Due Date for each Gage ID. In most cases, the following documentation will be included in a FAI report:Detailed design records (drawings, bill of materials, etc.) are required. Raw Material Records are a type of record that contains raw materials. A Drawing with BalloonsReport on the Dimensional InspectionTraceability of Measurement SystemsProcessing on an Individualized BasisCerts are a type of document that certifies a person's ability to do something. Results of the Functional Test

When it comes to an FAI, what is the difference between the PPAP and an FAI?

PPAP stands for Production Part Approval Process, and a quality inspection china is a subset of PPAP. Because of this, there are some significant distinctions. For example, in contrast to the full PPAP, which typically requires the production of dozens to hundreds of parts for run-at-rate and process capability studies, an FAI only requires the inspection of one part (or, in some cases, three to five parts) during the inspection process.

For every step of the new product introduction process, including Quality Control Plans, PFMEAs, Process Flow Diagrams, Gage R&R, and other formalized documentation, a PPAP is required, as is the use of formalized documentation. An FAI, on the other hand, is concerned with the dimensional record as well as a subset of the documentation, such as raw materials, special processing, and functional testing (see Figure 1). Supplier Quality Control Plans are assumed to be in place, and that these quality control plans are actually being used, by companies that choose the First Article process (which is frequently incorrect).