[Company Name]

[Company Group, Division, Location]

Document Title: First Article Inspection

Document Number: [Document Number]
Document Filename: [Document Filename]

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COMPANY PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL

[Company Name] First Article Inspection
[Company Group, Division, Location] [Document Number]
Rev x.xx DD/MM/YY

Table of Contents

1.0 Purpose..........................................................................................................................................................2

2.0 Scope.............................................................................................................................................................2

3.0 Definition Of Terms......................................................................................................................................2

3.1 First Article Inspection.......................................................................................................................2

4.0 Responsibilities.............................................................................................................................................3
4.1 Quality Assurance..............................................................................................................................3
4.2 Engineering........................................................................................................................................3
4.3 Manufacturing Engineering...............................................................................................................3
4.4 Purchasing..........................................................................................................................................3

5.0 References.....................................................................................................................................................3

6.0 First Article Inspection Procedure................................................................................................................3

6.1 Criteria For Performing First Article Inspection...............................................................................3
6.2 Who May Perform First Article Inspection.......................................................................................3
6.3 Performing First Article Inspection...................................................................................................4
6.3.1 First Article inspection Performed by [Company Name]....................................................4
6.3.2 First Article inspection Performed by Vendor or Third Party.............................................4
6.4 Review of First Article Inspection Results, Pass/Fail Criteria..........................................................4
6.5 Disposition, Fail First Article............................................................................................................4
6.5.1 Change the Item to Conform to the Design........................................................................4
6.5.2 Change the Design to Conform to the Item........................................................................5
6.6 Disposition, Pass First Article............................................................................................................5
6.7 Trial Assembly....................................................................................................................................5

7.0 Flow Chart....................................................................................................................................................6

7.1 First Article Inspection.......................................................................................................................6

[Document Filename] COMPANY PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL Page 1 of 5

[Company Name] First Article Inspection
[Company Group, Division, Location] [Document Number]
Rev x.xx DD/MM/YY

1.0 Purpose
To establish a system and documentation requirements for first article inspection.

2.0 Scope
This procedure applies to first article inspections performed to support activities at the facilities of
[Company Name].

3.0 Definition Of Terms

3.1 First Article Inspection

An inspection performed on the first article or lot from a vendor or process to assure compliance
with all design requirements.

4.0 Responsibilities

4.1 Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance is responsible for performing, overseeing, and/or reviewing first article
inspections. Quality Assurance is responsible for coordinating when, where, and by whom first
article inspection is performed. Quality Assurance is responsible for participating in the
resolution of any nonconformity found during first article inspection.

4.2 Engineering
Engineering is responsible for evaluating the impact on design of nonconformities found during
first article inspection, for recommending ways to resolve nonconformities, and for reviewing and
approving any changes to design documentation resulting from resolution of nonconformities.

4.3 Manufacturing Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering is responsible for evaluating the impact on manufacturing of
nonconformities found during first article inspection, and for recommending ways to resolve
nonconformities. For items made in-house, Manufacturing Engineering is responsible for the
modification of tooling and/or process so that items conform to design documentation.

4.4 Purchasing
Purchasing is responsible for communicating the requirement for first article inspection and the
results of first article inspection to the vendor, and for coordinating with the vendor resolution of
any nonconformities found during first article inspection.

5.0 References
First Article Inspection Data Sheet

6.0 First Article Inspection Procedure

6.1 Criteria For Performing First Article Inspection

First article inspection is recommended when any of the following occur:
 An item is supplied by a vendor for the first time;
 A new revision of an item is supplied;
 A change occurs in the processing of an item;
 A change occurs in the tooling for an item.

When the criteria for performing first article inspection is met, Quality Assurance, Engineering,
Manufacturing Engineering, and Purchasing are notified. These four functions jointly decide to

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[Company Name] First Article Inspection
[Company Group, Division, Location] [Document Number]
Rev x.xx DD/MM/YY

perform or waive first article inspection and/or trial assembly. If first article inspection and trial
assembly are waived by all four functions, this procedure terminates. Otherwise, first article
inspection and/or trial assembly is performed according to this procedure.

6.2 Who May Perform First Article Inspection

Coordinated by [Company Name] Quality Assurance, first article inspection may be performed by
any of the following:

 [Company Name] Quality Assurance Representative, performed at the vendor or [Company

Name];
 Vendor personnel, either witnessed by a [Company Name] Quality Assurance Representative,
or vendor certified measurements sent to [Company Name];
 Third party inspector, at a location agreeable to all parties, with results sent to [Company
Name].

6.3 Performing First Article Inspection

The goal of first article inspection is to verify all design features or attributes of an item.
Typically, first article inspection is performed on one article or article. If more than one article is
submitted or available for first article inspection, [Company Name] Quality Assurance will
choose the number of articles to be measured. If certain design features are very difficult or
expensive to measure, their measurement may be waived jointly by Quality Assurance,
Engineering, and Manufacturing Engineering. The waiver must be communicated to the party
performing first article inspection. Material composition of the first article should be verified
unless a Material Certificate is supplied, as required.

6.3.1 First Article inspection Performed by [Company Name]

Measure all or selected attributes and record the measurements on a First Article
Inspection Data Sheet form and/or on engineering documentation (i.e. drawings or
component specifications). "First Article Inspection" must be indicated on the inspection
documentation.

6.3.2 First Article inspection Performed by Vendor or Third Party

Typically, the vendor or third party will perform first article inspection and send the first
article inspection item(s) and the inspection results to [Company Name] Inspection.
Results should be recorded in a format agreed to by [Company Name] Quality
Assurance. [Company Name] Quality Assurance will decide whether or not to
independently verify some or all of the vendor or third party measurements. Quality
Assurance will normally retain the first article items.

6.4 Review of First Article Inspection Results, Pass/Fail Criteria

[Company Name] Quality Assurance reviews the results of first article inspection.

First article inspection is passed if all inspected attributes are within design tolerance limits for
those attributes.

First article inspection is failed if any inspected attribute is outside of design tolerance limits for
that attribute.

6.5 Disposition, Fail First Article

Convene a MRB meeting of Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and Purchasing,
to determine appropriate action to resolve failure. For each nonconforming attribute, there are
essentially two choices: change the item to conform to the design (use-as-is N/A), or change the

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[Company Name] First Article Inspection
[Company Group, Division, Location] [Document Number]
Rev x.xx DD/MM/YY

design to conform to the item (use-as-is). For an item with multiple nonconforming attributes,
one or both of these methods may be used to bring the entire item into conformance with the
design.

An NCMR form must be completed upon failure of a first article inspection.

6.5.1 Change the Item to Conform to the Design

Modify the tooling or process so the item now conforms to the design.

Fabricate new items and perform another first article inspection per "Performing First
Article Inspection," above.

6.5.2 Change the Design to Conform to the Item

Modify the design documentation to conform to the item. Design documentation may be
permanently changed by an Engineering Change Order (ECO).

Compare revised design documentation to the first article inspection results to assure
that the item now passes first article inspection per "Review of First Article Inspection
Results, Pass/Fail Criteria," above.

6.6 Disposition, Pass First Article

Complete and file the documentation for first article inspection, and notify Engineering,
Manufacturing Engineering, and Purchasing of the results.

6.7 Trial Assembly

In addition to measurement of a first article item for conformance to engineering requirements,
Quality Assurance, Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and Purchasing may choose to
perform trial assembly of the first article item. If trial assembly is not chosen, this procedure is
complete.

If trial assembly is selected, Quality Assurance coordinates trial assembly and records results. If
problems are not encountered during trial assembly, Quality Assurance notifies Engineering,
Manufacturing Engineering, and Purchasing of the results, and this procedure is complete.

If problems are encountered during trial assembly, Engineering will lead the effort to resolve
those problems. Design changes will be made as necessary, new parts will be fabricated, and first
article inspection and trial assembly will be performed using the new parts to assure problems
have been resolved.

[Document Filename] COMPANY PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL Page 4 of 5

[Company Name]
[Company Group, Division, Location]
7.0 Flow Chart
7.1 First Article Inspection
A Purchased or Manufactured
Item meets the Criteria for First
Article Inspection
Quality Assurance,
Engineering, Manufacturing
Engineering, and Purchasing
are Notified
Waive First Article
Inspection?
Yes
No
Quality Assurance Coordinates
First Article Inspection,
Reviews Results
Pass?
Yes
Quality Notifies Appropriate
Functions, Files Inspection
Report
Waive Trial Assembly?
Yes
-End-
[Document Filename] COMPANY PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL
First Article Inspection
[Document Number]
Rev x.xx DD/MM/YY
Change Tooling or Process,
Make New Parts
Change Parts
Quality Assurance,
Change Part
Engineering, Manufacturing
to Match Design, or
No Engineering, and Purchasing
Change Design to
Meet in MRB to Decide
Match Part?
Appropriate Action
Change Design
Change Design, Make New
Parts, Perform First Article
Inspection Change Design Documentation
to Match Part, Quality
No Compares New Design to
Inspection Results
Trial Assembly
No
Performed. Pass?
Yes
Quality Assurance Documents
and Distributes Results
Page 5 of 5