First article inspection report: what it is and how to build one fast.
A first article inspection report (FAIR) proves the first production part off a new process meets every requirement on the drawing. The report is not the hard part — getting every characteristic numbered, measured, and recorded without errors is. Here is how to do that fast.
What a first article inspection report actually is
A first article inspection report is a documented check that part number one conforms to every callout on the drawing — each dimension, tolerance, material, finish, and note — with the actual measured reading recorded next to each requirement. In aerospace it follows the AS9102 standard and uses three forms. In automotive it is usually folded into PPAP; in medical devices it sits under ISO 13485 process validation.
The key word is documented. "It looks fine" is not an FAI. Every characteristic gets a number, a stated requirement, and a measured result — signed and traceable.
Why the FAI exists
Your customer is about to trust you with a production run. Before they release the PO, they want proof that the first article is correct. A clean FAI builds that trust; a sloppy one gets bounced, and each bounce costs days.
FAI is triggered by a new part, a new supplier, a process or tooling change, or a long gap in production. It is mandatory in aerospace and defence and good practice everywhere precision matters.
What goes into the report: AS9102 Forms 1, 2, 3
Even outside aerospace, the AS9102 Rev B three-form structure is a solid template:
| Form | Purpose | What it captures |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1 | Part Number Accountability | Part number, revision, drawing, sub-assemblies, FAIR identity |
| Form 2 | Product Accountability | Materials, special processes, functional tests, certifications |
| Form 3 | Characteristic Accountability | Every ballooned characteristic, its requirement, measured result, and tool used |
Form 3 is where the hours go. A part with 187 characteristics means 187 rows — each one a chance for a transcription slip. For a line-by-line Form 3 walkthrough, see our AS9102 Form 3 example, or jump straight to the free AS9102 Form 3 Builder.
The fast path: balloon first, then measure
Teams that turn FAIs around in an afternoon all do the same thing: they split the job into two clean stages and let software carry each one.
Stage 1 — Balloon the drawing automatically
Instead of circling and numbering callouts by hand, auto-balloon the PDF. CadNexa's Smart Detect ballooning scans the sheet, places numbered balloons on detected dimensions and tolerances, and reads each value with OCR. You review, fix what it missed, and you have a numbered characteristic list in minutes instead of hours.
Stage 2 — Capture the measurements cleanly
With the characteristic list ready, inspection becomes a structured fill-in: requirement on the left, measured reading on the right, pass/fail computed for you. The Form 3 Builder handles the pass/fail logic and PDF export; pair it with a Cp/Cpk check where the customer wants capability evidence on Form 2.
How to build the report, step by step
- Lock the revision. Confirm the exact drawing revision on the PO before you start.
- Balloon every characteristic. Auto-balloon the PDF, then check the title block and notes by hand — material, finish, and general tolerances are characteristics too.
- Plan the inspection. Assign the right tool to each characteristic: CMM for position and profile, micrometer for diameters, gauge for threads, profilometer for finish.
- Measure and record. Capture each reading against its requirement. Note non-conformances honestly — a flagged deviation with a disposition beats a hidden one.
- Complete Forms 1, 2, 3. Part accountability, materials and special processes, then the full characteristic table.
- Review and submit. Have a second person check the report, then send it through a secure, traceable link — not a loose email attachment.
Common mistakes that cause rejections
Auto-ballooning plus a manual notes check kills the first one. Moving data instead of re-typing it kills the fourth — the single most common source of FAI errors.
FAQ
What is the difference between FAI and PPAP?
FAI (AS9102) verifies the first article against the drawing and is common in aerospace. PPAP (AIAG) is the automotive equivalent and bundles control plan, MSA, capability study, and PSW across Levels 1 to 5. FAI is often one part of a PPAP package. Our PPAP checklist covers the full submission.
Who signs off the report?
Usually the supplier's quality engineer prepares and signs it, and the customer's quality team reviews and approves. Some customers require source inspection first.
How long does an FAI report take?
By hand, a 150-characteristic part can take a full day. Auto-ballooning the drawing and flowing data straight into the report can cut the paperwork to under an hour, leaving time for actual measurement.
Do I need an FAI for a non-aerospace part?
Not always mandated, but a first article check is good practice for any new part, supplier, or process change — and the AS9102 structure works as a template.
What is the fastest way to balloon the drawing?
Upload the PDF to an auto-ballooning tool such as CadNexa's Smart Detect, run automatic detection, review, and export the numbered characteristics to the report.