# Sheet Metal First Article Inspection Report Template

> Source: https://netray.co/tools/sheet-metal-first-article-inspection-report-template
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: Free Tools

## Short answer

A first article inspection report for fabricated parts with a characteristics table, measured results, material cert reference and approval lines.

## Category

quality

## Industry

Sheet Metal Fabrication

## Audience

- Quality inspector
- Quality engineer
- Fabrication shop

## Tool

**Kind:** template

**Output:** document

**Fields:**

#### Supplier name

**Key:** company

**Type:** text

**Default:** Northline Metalworks

#### Customer

**Key:** customer

**Type:** text

**Default:** Harlan Enclosures Inc.

#### Part number

**Key:** part_no

**Type:** text

**Default:** HE-2204-B

#### Drawing revision

**Key:** rev

**Type:** text

**Default:** C

#### PO number

**Key:** po_no

**Type:** text

**Default:** PO-77412

#### Reason for FAI

**Key:** reason

**Type:** select

**Options:**

- New part
- Drawing revision change
- Tooling change
- Process change
- Customer request

**Default:** New part

#### Material and cert reference

**Key:** material

**Type:** text

**Default:** 5052-H32, 2.0 mm, mill cert L-55318

#### Measuring equipment used

**Key:** gauges

**Type:** textarea

**Default:** Digital caliper ID C-114, bevel protractor ID P-021, height gauge ID H-007. Calibration current.

#### Inspector

**Key:** inspector

**Type:** text

**Default:** R. Banda

#### Inspection date

**Key:** date

**Type:** date

**Default:** 2026-10-20

#### Overall result

**Key:** result

**Type:** select

**Options:**

- Accepted
- Accepted with deviation
- Rejected

**Default:** Accepted

**Blocks:**

#### First Article Inspection Report

**Body:** Supplier: {{company}}
Customer: {{customer}}
Part: {{part_no}} rev {{rev}}
PO: {{po_no}}
Reason: {{reason}}

#### Material

**Body:** {{material}}

#### Measuring equipment

**Body:** {{gauges}}

#### Characteristics

**Table:**

**Columns:**

- Balloon
- Feature
- Requirement
- Tolerance
- Measured
- Pass / Fail

**Rows:**

**0:** 1

**1:** Overall length

**0:** 2

**1:** Overall width

**0:** 3

**1:** Hole diameter

**0:** 4

**1:** Hole position to datum A

**0:** 5

**1:** Flange height

**0:** 6

**1:** Bend angle

**2:** 90 deg

**3:** +/- 1 deg

**0:** 7

**1:** Flatness

**0:** 8

**1:** Hardware seated (PEM)

**2:** Flush

**0:** 9

**1:** Finish and color

#### Result

**Body:** Overall result: {{result}}
Inspector: {{inspector}}
Date: {{date}}

#### Approvals

**Signatures:**

- Inspector
- Quality manager
- Customer representative (if required)

**Notes:** This is a general structure for first article reports on fabricated parts, not a copy of any customer or industry form. If your customer requires AS9102 or a PPAP package, use that required format.

## Content

**Intro:** A first article inspection (FAI) proves that the first parts off a new setup meet the drawing before the full lot is run. This template gives fabricators a clean report with ballooned characteristics, measured values and sign-off.

**Sections:**

#### How to use the report

**Body:** Balloon every dimension, note and tolerance on the drawing and number them. List each balloon in the table with the requirement and tolerance, then measure the first piece and write the actual value. Mark pass or fail per row. Set the overall result and sign. Keep the marked-up drawing with the report so a reviewer can trace each number. Run the FAI before releasing the lot to the next operation.

#### When an FAI is needed

**Body:** Typical triggers are a new part number, a revision change, a major tooling or program change, a move to a new machine or a long gap in production. Many customer quality agreements spell out their own triggers, so check the terms. Even when not required, an FAI on a new bent and welded part catches program errors early, when only one piece is affected.

**Bullets:**

- New part or new revision
- New tooling, die or laser program
- Process or location change
- Extended production break

#### Measuring sheet metal parts

**Body:** Flat features such as hole size and position can be measured with calipers, pin gauges or a CMM. Bend angles are usually checked with a protractor or an angle gauge, and flange lengths with a height gauge or a profile fixture. Account for springback on formed parts and measure after the part has settled. Record equipment IDs so calibration can be verified later.

#### Common mistakes

**Body:** Skipping notes and finish requirements on the drawing is common; they count as characteristics. Another miss is measuring a part that was hand tuned and cannot be repeated by production. Run the FAI part on the actual production setup. Also avoid rounding measured values to the tolerance limit; record what the gauge shows.

**Cta:** If you want FAI data to feed supplier scorecards or ERP quality records, we can discuss how to capture it without retyping.

**Faq:**

#### Is this the same as AS9102?

**Answer:** No. It is a general first article report for fabricated parts. AS9102 has specific forms and rules for aerospace. If your customer requires AS9102, use its required forms instead of this template.

#### How many parts should I measure?

**Answer:** A first article is typically one representative piece, though some customers require several. Follow the quality agreement. For critical features you may also want a short capability check on additional parts.

#### Do I need to balloon the drawing?

**Answer:** Yes, ballooning gives each requirement a number that links drawing and report. It also makes sure no dimension or note is skipped. Ballooning can be done on a PDF markup or on a printed copy.

#### Can I add more characteristics?

**Answer:** Yes. The table has nine starter rows. Export to Word or Excel and add rows for every balloon on your drawing.

## Search terms

first article inspection report template, sheet metal fai report, fai form excel, first piece inspection sheet metal, first article inspection form, inspection report fabricated parts, ballooned drawing inspection report

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