First article inspection is a full, documented check of one of the first parts made by a new production process, to prove the process can meet every requirement on the drawing and purchase order. Every dimension, note, material, finish and special process is verified and recorded, usually against a ballooned drawing. In aerospace the record follows the AS9102 forms. A new or partial FAI is needed when the design, process, tooling, location or supplier changes, or after a long production gap.
Example: A shop wins a new aerospace fitting. It balloons all 46 drawing characteristics, measures them on the first part off the production setup, attaches material and plating certificates, and submits the completed FAI report before running the rest of the order.
An FAI catches drawing misreads, wrong program revisions and missed notes before a whole lot is made. It differs from a first-piece check at each setup, which confirms that a proven process was set up correctly that day.
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