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AS9102 Form 3 Characteristic Accountability Worksheet

Form 3 is the heart of an AS9102 first article report. Every requirement on the drawing and in the referenced specifications gets a number, a measured result and an accept or reject decision. This worksheet computes deviation and margin for each row so a drifting characteristic is obvious before the report is signed.

Download:
Char no.Drawing zone or locationRequirementDesignatorNominalTolerance minusTolerance plusActualDeviation from nominalMargin to nearest limitGage or methodResult
0.03999999999999915
0.060000000000002274
0.009000000000000341
0.009000000000000341
0.03200000000000003
0.018000000000000682
0.0600000000000005
0.019999999999999574
0.07000000000000028
-0.019999999999999574
-0.09999999999999987
0.5
Characteristics recorded
6
Smallest margin to a limit
-0.02

Margin below zero means the actual value is outside tolerance. Row 5 is a deliberate example: the slot is 0.02 over the upper limit, so it needs a nonconformance reference before the FAI can be accepted. Record non-dimensional requirements (notes, specifications) with Visual or a method of your choice and use Accept or Reject manually. Form 3 should list every ballooned characteristic, including those from drawing notes and specifications.

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How to use the worksheet

Balloon the drawing first and number every characteristic, including notes, tolerance blocks and referenced specifications. Add one row per balloon, enter nominal and the plus and minus tolerance from the drawing, then type in the measured value. The sheet calculates deviation and margin to the nearest limit. Set the result column yourself, because a number inside tolerance is not the only acceptance criterion for a note or a visual requirement. Export to Excel for the customer package.

  • Use drawing zone references so the reviewer can find each balloon
  • Enter tolerance values as positive numbers in the plus and minus columns
  • Record the gage or method for every row, since AS9102 also expects traceable measuring equipment
  • Use the designator column for key or critical characteristics flagged by the design authority

What the standard expects on Form 3

AS9102 asks for one line per characteristic with its reference location, the requirement, the results, the designed or qualified tooling used, and a nonconformance number where a result fails. Characteristic designators identify key, critical or other classifications so that reviewers focus on them. The requirement is that every characteristic is accounted for, including those verified by other documents, with a pointer to the evidence.

Reading margin

Margin is the distance from the measured value to the nearest tolerance limit. A bore at 12.009 with a limit of 12.018 has a margin of 0.009. Small margins on key characteristics are an early warning: the part passed, but the process is close to the edge, which is a reason to start capability studies before volume production.

Common mistakes

Frequent findings are missing balloons for general notes, results rounded so a marginal part looks conforming, unit mismatches between drawing and gage, and a reject with no nonconformance number. In SAP QM, SyteLine or Epicor, link the inspection characteristic list to the same balloon numbers so first article and recurring inspection use one set of definitions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many characteristics should Form 3 list?

All of them. Every dimension, tolerance, note and referenced specification requirement on the drawing needs an entry, including those verified through other forms such as material certs or process certificates. The count is driven by the drawing, not by a target number.

What is a characteristic designator?

It marks a characteristic's classification, such as key or critical, as assigned by the design authority or customer. The designator tells reviewers which results carry the most risk. Use only designators your drawing or customer specification defines.

What if one characteristic fails?

Record the actual result, mark it Reject and reference a nonconformance number. The FAI cannot be accepted until the nonconformance is dispositioned or the part is corrected and reinspected, and the customer may need to approve a use-as-is decision.

Does the Excel export keep the formulas?

The export contains the calculated values for deviation and margin as shown on screen. If you need live formulas in your own workbook, copy the column logic: deviation is actual minus nominal, and margin is the smaller of upper limit minus actual and actual minus lower limit.

If characteristics live in a spreadsheet and again in your ERP inspection plan, we can help connect them so FAI and recurring inspection share one source.

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