A first article inspection (FAI) is a planned, complete, independent, and documented inspection and verification process to ensure that prescribed production processes have produced an item conforming to engineering drawings, Digital Production Definition*, planning, purchase order, engineering specifications, and/or other applicable design documents.
Purpose of FAI's is to identify product realization processes that are not capable of producing conforming product, and initiate and/or validate corrective actions.
An FAI must be performed on new products that are representative of the first production cycle. The first parts for this production delivery require an FAI.
This process must be repeated if changes occur that (may) affect the original results (for example engineering changes, changes in the manufacturing process, changes in the tool).
Summarized: FAI is a validation method within the Production Process.
*e.g. 2D and 3D drawings or models
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