When an FAI Is Required
Customer contracts and your quality system decide. Typically an FAI is triggered by the first production of a new part, a drawing revision that affects form, fit or function, a change in manufacturing process, location or tooling, or a lapse in production over a period the customer specifies. AS9100D requires it where customers invoke AS9102.
Medical and automotive customers have equivalents such as PPAP elements. Read the purchase order quality clauses carefully, since some primes require a full FAI and others accept partial FAI for a revision change.
The Workflow From Print to Report
The steps are consistent. First balloon every dimension, note and requirement on the print with a unique number. Then plan measurement: which feature uses a CMM, a gauge, a micrometer or a visual check.
Machine and inspect the first part, record measured values against nominal and tolerance, record material certs and special process certs, and assemble the forms with the marked-up drawing. Finally the quality manager reviews and signs. Each step is manual in most shops, and a complex part with 100 or more characteristics can take a full day of paperwork.
- Balloon the drawing, including notes and flag notes
- Assign measurement method per characteristic
- Record actual values and pass or fail
- Attach material and special process certifications
- Complete AS9102 Forms 1, 2 and 3 and obtain approval
Where Time and Errors Pile Up
The usual problems: missed characteristics because a note on sheet two was not ballooned, transcription errors between the CMM output and the form, revision mismatches where the FAI references the wrong drawing revision, and certs that arrive after the part ships. Shops using ProShop, E2 or JobBOSS often hold the material and process data in the ERP but re-enter it by hand into FAI forms. Standardizing templates for each customer, and linking the ballooned drawing to the job, removes much of the rework.
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AS9102 Form 2 Product Accountability Template
Fill in AS9102 Form 2 style product accountability records for raw materials, special processes and functional tests, then export a PDF or Word file.
Automating the Paperwork Without Losing Control
Some of the work can be automated safely: extracting dimensions from a drawing into a draft ballooned list, importing CMM results into the characteristic table, and pulling material heat numbers and process certs from the ERP into Form 2. The inspector must still verify every characteristic; automation produces a draft, not a signature. Netray builds this kind of private drafting assistant over your ERP and documents, on your own hardware, with human sign-off before anything is released.
It is not worth it if you run an FAI only a few times a year.
Keeping FAI Records Audit Ready
Store each FAI against the part number, drawing revision and job, with the CMM raw data and certs attached. Auditors under AS9100 or a customer audit expect to retrieve a record by part and revision quickly, and to see that a revision change triggered a new or delta FAI where required. A monthly check that every active part number has a current FAI on file takes an hour and prevents a bad day at the audit.
Keep retention aligned with the longer of your customer and regulatory requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What are AS9102 Forms 1, 2 and 3?
Form 1 is Part Number Accountability, covering the part and its assembly structure. Form 2 is Product Accountability, listing materials, special processes and functional tests. Form 3 is Characteristic Accountability, listing each ballooned drawing characteristic with its measured result. Together they document that the part meets drawing requirements.
How long should an FAI take for a CNC part?
It depends on characteristic count and measurement method. A simple part may take an hour or two; a complex aerospace part with hundreds of characteristics and CMM programming can take a day or more, mostly in documentation. Standard templates and importing CMM data reduce the clerical share.
Do I need a new FAI when the drawing revision changes?
Often yes, at least a partial or delta FAI covering the changed characteristics, but the requirement depends on your customer and the nature of the change. Check the purchase order quality clauses and AS9102 guidance, and confirm with the customer when unsure. Document the decision either way.
If FAI paperwork is eating your quality manager's week, we can show a draft assistant that fills AS9102 forms from your ERP data and CMM output. Bring one recent FAI package.