First Article Inspection Software for Aerospace & Defence
- Drawing
- Balloon
- Characteristics
- Measurements
- AS9102
- Review
Problem
Why FAI takes so long
First Article Inspection on a complex aerospace part can mean hundreds of characteristics ballooned by hand, transcribed into spreadsheets and matched to inspection reports before a First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) can be reviewed. A drawing revision restarts much of that work.
Who experiences it
- Aerospace & defence manufacturers
- Suppliers delivering FAIRs to primes
- Quality and inspection teams
Drawing → Balloon → Characteristics
Balloon drawing that stays connected to the evidence
Select a characteristic
Evidence trace
Illustrative
Characteristic
#17 · Bore diameter · datum B
Engineering Requirement
Ø12.00 ±0.02 mm
Manufacturing Process
Op 20 · bore and ream
Inspection Method
Bore gauge, verified on CMM
Measurement
Ø12.008 mm · within tolerance
Evidence
CMM report · AS9102 Form 3, line 17
Reviewer
Quality engineer · verified
Approval
Approved
Fictitious part and values for illustration only. In DAQIP, AI may suggest characteristics; engineers verify them and quality approves.
AS9102
AS9102 Forms 1, 2 and 3
Form 1
Part Number Accountability
Identifies the part, its drawing and revision, the organisation and the FAI type, and lists any sub-assemblies and detail parts.
Form 2
Product Accountability
Raw material, specifications, special processes and functional testing, with the certificates and approvals that support them.
Form 3
Characteristic Accountability, Verification and Compatibility Evaluation
Every design characteristic, its requirement, the measured result and whether it conforms, with any nonconformance referenced.
Full FAI
All characteristics of a new part, a new production source or after a significant lapse in production.
Partial FAI
Only the characteristics affected by a change in design, process, source or tooling.
Delta FAI
A partial FAI driven by drawing revision comparison: DAQIP identifies what changed between revisions so only affected characteristics are re-verified.
Scope
What DAQIP covers in FAI
- AS9102 Forms 1, 2 and 3
- Full FAI and partial FAI
- Drawing revision comparison and delta FAI
- GD&T characteristics and datums
- Material and special-process evidence
- Measurement results by characteristic
- FAIR review with comments and resolution
- Approval history with reviewer and date
Questions
FAI software questions
What is First Article Inspection software?
First Article Inspection (FAI) software helps a manufacturer verify that the first part from a production process meets every requirement on the drawing, and records the evidence in a First Article Inspection Report (FAIR). DAQIP structures this work: ballooning the drawing, building the characteristic list, recording measurements and reviewing the FAIR.
What is a FAIR in AS9102?
A FAIR is the First Article Inspection Report defined by AS9102. It is organised as Form 1 (Part Number Accountability), Form 2 (Product Accountability: raw material, specifications, special processes and functional testing) and Form 3 (Characteristic Accountability, Verification and Compatibility Evaluation).
What is balloon drawing software?
Balloon drawing software numbers every characteristic on an engineering drawing so each one can be measured and reported. In DAQIP, balloon numbers stay linked to the drawing revision, the requirement, the inspection method, the measurement and the approval.
Is DAQIP available as AS9102 FAI software today?
DAQIP is in development. The interactive prototype on this site shows the intended FAI workflow with illustrative data. DAQIP supports AS9102-aligned workflows but does not by itself make an organisation compliant with AS9102.