NOTHING GOES TO PRODUCTION WITHOUT VALIDATION.
First Article Inspection (FAI) is a formal quality verification performed on the first production unit of a new part before the full production run is released. At Brenom Systems, FAI is required on every new part — it is not optional and not a checkbox.
The inspection verifies dimensions against the engineering drawing, confirms revision level, checks material certifications, and confirms surface finish. Production is not released until the first article is approved. Most supply chain failures happen at two points: revision mismatch and uncontrolled first production. We treat both as system requirements, not best practices.
IN A NUTSHELL
First Article Inspection (FAI) is the process of verifying that the first production unit of a new part meets all dimensions, tolerances, material specifications, and finish requirements defined in the engineering drawing — before any production run is released. At Brenom Systems, FAI is required on every new part without exception. Production is not released until the first article is approved.
WHAT FIRST
ARTICLE MEANS HERE
Drawing Review Before Quoting
Before we quote, we review the drawing for completeness — revision level, tolerances, material callout, finish requirements. If anything is missing or ambiguous, we flag it before sourcing begins. Unclear specs don't get quoted.
Supplier Selection Against Spec
The supplier is selected based on their documented capability for the specific requirements of that part. Tolerance range, material, finishing process, and in-house inspection capability are all matched to the drawing requirements.
First Article Inspection Report
The supplier performs dimensional inspection on the first article and provides a report. Key dimensions are verified against the drawing. Revision level is confirmed. Surface finish and material are checked against callouts.
Approval Before Production Release
Production is not released until the First Article is reviewed and approved. If dimensions are out of spec, the part is rejected and re-run. The customer is notified of approval before production begins.
Revision Control Going Forward
Once a part is approved, the revision level is locked in our records. Any drawing change triggers a new First Article cycle. We do not allow silent revision changes into production.
DOCUMENTATION IS PART OF THE PART.
The most common repeat supply failure is not bad manufacturing. It is a revision that changed, a tolerance that was never verified, or a supplier who assumed. We treat documentation as part of the part — not an administrative task.
WHAT WE REQUIRE FROM EVERY SUPPLIER
- Dimensional inspection report against drawing
- Revision level confirmation
- Material certification (when specified)
- Finish confirmation (anodize, powder coat, etc.)
- Photos of first article part
FIRST ARTICLE INSPECTION — QUESTIONS ANSWERED
What is First Article Inspection (FAI)?
First Article Inspection is a formal verification process performed on the first production unit of a new part before the full production run is released. It verifies that the part meets all dimensions, tolerances, material specifications, and finish requirements defined in the engineering drawing. FAI is standard practice in aerospace, defense, and industrial manufacturing as a quality gate between supplier qualification and production approval.
What does a First Article Inspection report contain?
An FAI report contains: dimensional measurements of key features verified against the engineering drawing, revision level confirmation, material certification reference, surface finish confirmation, and photos of the inspected part. The report documents that a specific supplier, at a specific revision level, produced a part that meets the drawing requirements.
What is the difference between FAI and PPAP?
PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) is a more formal, multi-element documentation package used primarily in automotive supply chains. FAI is the broader term used across industrial, aerospace, and commercial manufacturing. Both serve the same purpose: verifying that a supplier can produce a part to specification before production is released. Brenom Systems uses FAI as standard and can accommodate PPAP-style documentation for customers who require it.
Does First Article Inspection apply to repeat orders?
No. For established repeat orders, the First Article is already approved and the production process is locked. Re-inspection is not required unless the drawing changes, the supplier changes, or production is interrupted for an extended period. This is one reason repeat orders have faster lead times — the qualification work is already complete.
What happens if a part fails First Article Inspection?
If a part fails First Article Inspection, the production run is not released. Brenom Systems works with the supplier to determine root cause and the first article is re-run after the root cause is corrected. The customer is notified and production does not proceed without explicit approval of the corrected first article. This is also why FAI happens before production, not after — catching the problem before the batch is the entire point.