AS9102 First Article Inspection for Custom Aerospace Parts: What to Include in an RFQ

#TL;DR

• Specify the contract’s AS9102 revision and customer requirements when requesting first article inspection (FAI). A dimensional report records measurements. FAI provides documented verification that production processes can produce a part meeting applicable engineering requirements. The results are documented in a first article inspection report (FAIR) under the applicable standard. Neither the FAIR nor FAI replaces ongoing production inspection or customer acceptance.
• Include drawing and model revisions, inspection characteristics, quantity, materials, special processes, inspection methods, traceability, required forms and records, and submission and approval requirements. Provide any prior FAIR and relevant changes for the full or partial FAI scope decision.
• Vendra’s platform and mechanical engineers analyze your part requirements, match the work with a suitable U.S. manufacturer, and coordinate agreed inspection, traceability, and FAIR deliverables.

#How are a dimensional report, FAI, production inspection, and customer acceptance different?

A dimensional report records measurements for specified features. First article inspection (FAI) provides documented verification that production processes can produce a part meeting applicable engineering requirements. Its results are documented in a first article inspection report (FAIR). SAE AS9102 establishes requirements for performing and documenting FAI. A dimensional report may support a FAIR, but measurements alone do not establish that the required FAI process was completed.

Production inspection checks parts against applicable inspection and acceptance requirements throughout production, including the first production run. Customer acceptance is a separate decision by the authority named in the contract. Neither a completed FAIR nor ongoing inspection grants approval to ship when the contract requires customer review first.

Your RFQ should state which deliverable you need. The purchase order, customer and program requirements, and applicable quality-system requirements determine whether AS9102 applies and which revision governs. A purchase order that omits an explicit AS9102 callout does not, by itself, establish that a dimensional report will suffice. Review the governing requirements against the specified SAE standard and applicable IAQG FAI guidance before asking a manufacturer to quote. Otherwise, the manufacturer may price a measurement report when the order requires a FAIR, forcing a scope and price revision.

#When is full or partial FAI required?

A full or partial first article inspection (FAI) depends on the requirements that govern your order and the evidence from any earlier inspection. Check the purchase order and customer or program requirements for the specified AS9102 revision. Use your licensed copy of the applicable SAE AS9102 standard to determine the scope. Do not assume the latest revision governs your contract.

Ask for the prior first article inspection report (FAIR) and identify what has changed since its approval. A design revision may alter a characteristic that needs verification. A new fixture may change how the manufacturer holds the part during machining. Changes to the manufacturing process, source, or location may also affect whether the earlier FAIR remains applicable. Check each change against the specified revision and governing customer requirements rather than treating these examples as an automatic trigger list.

If the manufacturer proposes a partial FAI, ask it to identify the earlier FAIR, the changes, and the proposed inspection scope. Confirm whether those records support a partial FAI under the governing requirements and whether the customer must approve the determination. Partial FAI is a scope decision, not a discount option.

#What to put in the RFQ: deliverables, forms, and submission requirements

A manufacturer can quote first article inspection (FAI) more accurately when the RFQ identifies the inspection work and the records you expect. SAE describes AS9102 as requirements for performing and documenting FAI. Cite the revision your contract requires, then list any additional customer or program requirements separately. A routine dimensional report does not establish the scope of an AS9102 first article inspection report (FAIR).

Include these items in the RFQ to reduce clarification rounds.

• Design baseline. Provide the drawing, model, specifications, and revision levels that govern the order. Identify approved changes and provide the prior FAIR reference, if one exists, along with changes since that inspection. Ask the manufacturer to confirm the full or partial FAI scope against the cited revision and customer requirements.
• Parts and characteristics. State the production quantity and the quantity subject to FAI. Provide all applicable dimensions, geometric tolerances, datums, notes, and general tolerance requirements. Identify any characteristics with customer-specified inspection or reporting rules.
• Material and processing. Specify the material, required final condition, and special processes such as heat treatment or coating. Identify any required processor approvals and the stage at which the contract requires inspection.
• Inspection capability. State required measurement methods or equipment where the drawing or contract specifies them. Ask the manufacturer to confirm that it can inspect the relevant geometry and provide the required results. Specify any separate production inspection or sampling requirements.
• Traceability and records. Identify required links between inspected parts, material lots, process lots, and serial numbers. List the material certificates, special-process records, and other supporting documents the order requires.
• FAIR submission. Identify the forms required by the contractually cited AS9102 revision and any customer-specific forms. Specify the file format or portal, the reviewer, and the time allowed for review. State explicitly whether the contract requires written customer approval before shipment.

#How Vendra evaluates the assigned U.S. manufacturer's inspection capability

We check whether the assigned U.S. manufacturer can inspect the part and provide the records your order requires. Our mechanical engineers assess the drawing characteristics, tolerances, and required inspection methods against the manufacturer’s inspection capability and available capacity. For an AS9102 first article inspection, we also confirm who will prepare the first article inspection report (FAIR), which supporting records are available, and when the manufacturer can submit them for review.

Vendra holds AS9100D certification and assesses the selected manufacturer’s inspection capabilities and credentials against your order requirements. Where a certified manufacturing site is required, we verify its current certification and scope. We also confirm availability of the specified measurement results, material traceability, and relevant prior FAIR records.

If the part requires a subcontracted special process, we coordinate the required process records and traceability across that handoff. We confirm who will collect each record and include the agreed deliverables in the order scope. When your contract reserves FAIR review, supplier approval, or shipment authorization for a customer or program authority, we coordinate the required records for the review.

#How the RFQ moves from submission to delivered FAIR

When you submit CAD files, drawings, and first article inspection requirements, our software helps extract part information for review. Our mechanical engineers check the revisions, inspection characteristics, and specified AS9102 revision before requesting quotes. If the scope depends on a prior first article inspection report (FAIR) or a change to the part, we ask for the relevant records and resolve open questions with you against the order requirements.

We match the job with a U.S. manufacturer whose production and inspection capacity fits the agreed scope. Before you select a quote, we confirm that the manufacturer can provide the required inspection methods, forms, traceability, and supporting records. We also check who will supply records for any subcontracted special processes. For more context on evaluating manufacturers, see our aerospace CNC supplier guide.

After you place the order, we coordinate approved revision updates, production handoffs, and agreed inspection milestones. We collect the FAIR package and supporting records, coordinate submission in the required format, and track any review or approval required before shipment. The designated customer or program authority retains any contractually required approval and acceptance decisions.

#Submit an RFQ

Submit an RFQ with your CAD files, drawings, and FAI requirements, including the applicable AS9102 revision. Vendra’s platform and mechanical engineers review the scope, match your part with a suitable U.S. manufacturer, and coordinate the agreed inspection and documentation through delivery.