A compliant AS9102 workflow is built around the standard, your internal QMS, and any customer- or prime-specific requirements. The core steps below describe a typical, auditable workflow. Details and system touchpoints will vary by plant, maturity, and integration depth.
1. Confirm that an FAI is required and define the scope
The first step is determining whether a First Article Inspection is required and what the “article” is.
- Check AS9102 applicability and your QMS rules (e.g. new part, configuration change, new supplier, change in method of manufacture, significant process change, lapse in production).
- Clarify full FAI vs partial FAI, based on the nature of the change and your procedure.
- Define part number, dash numbers, and configuration being qualified.
- Confirm lot/batch size and which piece(s) will be the FAI part(s).
- Identify associated subcomponents, assemblies, and key characteristics that may also need FAIs.
In brownfield environments, this step often lives in a mix of ERP, PLM, and QMS workflows, plus customer contract review. Misalignment here is a common source of disputes with customers and auditors.
2. Gather and freeze design and requirement data
AS9102 requires you to use the current, approved configuration of all applicable requirements at the time of manufacture.
- Collect the latest approved drawing(s), models, and specifications from PLM or document control.
- Include notes, flag notes, material and finish requirements, process specs, special processes, and test requirements.
- Confirm revision levels for drawings, models, specs, and any related documents that will be referenced on Form 1.
- Ensure configuration control and change control records support why this is the correct revision set.
In digital workflows, this usually involves linking an FAI record to controlled documents rather than copying files. You need a clear audit trail that shows what requirements were used at the time of FAI.
3. Balloon the drawing and define characteristics
Next, you translate the design into inspectable characteristics and maintain traceability.
- Balloon the drawing/model so every dimensional, visual, process, and test requirement is uniquely identified.
- Assign characteristic numbers that will map directly to Form 3.
- Include notes, callouts, and specification references, not just dimensions.
- Flag key, critical, and major characteristics according to your QMS and customer definitions.
- Ensure ballooning is controlled via document control and reflects the same revision as the design data.
Tools and methods (paper, PDF, or digital ballooning) can differ, but the expectation is one-to-one traceability between the requirement on the drawing and its entry on Form 3.
4. Plan the manufacturing and inspection approach
Before running the FAI part, you should plan the manufacturing and inspection processes in a way that is consistent with ongoing production.
- Confirm the production routing, work instructions, and setup to be used for the FAI part(s).
- Identify inspection methods for each characteristic (e.g. CMM, hand gages, templates, functional tests).
- Verify gage and equipment calibration status, including CMM programs and any special fixtures.
- Confirm required special processes (e.g. heat treat, plating, welding) and that they are approved/certified per customer and AS9100/9100-series requirements.
- Plan sampling vs 100% inspection where applicable, in alignment with AS9102 and customer requirements.
In many plants, routing and inspection planning live in an MES or ERP, while inspection methods and gaging live in separate systems or spreadsheets. Misalignment between these systems is a common failure mode.
5. Manufacture the FAI part using normal production conditions
AS9102 expects the FAI part to be produced under representative production conditions.
- Run the part through the defined routing and work instructions using normal production tooling, programs, and setups.
- Capture as-built traceability for materials, lots, operators, machines, and special processes as required by your QMS and customer contracts.
- Log any deviations, concessions, and nonconformances that occur during manufacture.
Using “special” setups or temporary workarounds that differ materially from normal production can undermine the value of the FAI and drive future nonconformances.
6. Execute and record inspection and tests for all applicable characteristics
The core of the AS9102 workflow is demonstrating objective evidence that all characteristics conform.
- Inspect all defined characteristics from the ballooned drawing, including dimensions, notes, process specs, and tests.
- Record actual measurement values where required, not just pass/fail, especially for key/critical characteristics.
- Document inspection method, gage ID or equipment used, and sample size where relevant.
- Capture results in a way that directly maps to characteristic numbers for Form 3.
- Tag and disposition nonconforming characteristics through your NCR/MRB process rather than “fixing silently.”
Where CMM or automated inspection is used, ensure that digital reports are linked and that the mapping between characteristic IDs and CMM features is clear and controlled.
7. Handle nonconformances and determine FAI acceptability
It is possible to have an FAI that is conditionally acceptable with approved deviations, but this must be handled through controlled processes.
- Log nonconforming characteristics in your NCR system with full traceability to the FAI.
- Route issues through MRB, including potential use-as-is or repair dispositions, and customer approval where required.
- Determine whether the FAI is acceptable, acceptable with approved deviations, or rejected and requires a new FAI.
- Document decisions and links to deviation/concession records in the FAI package.
In a brownfield stack, this often means linking FAI records in one system to NCR/MRB records in another. Weak linking here is a common audit finding.
8. Complete AS9102 Forms 1, 2, and 3 with objective evidence
Once inspection is complete and nonconformances are resolved, the AS9102 forms are compiled.
- Form 1 (Part Number Accountability): Part and drawing numbers, revisions, FAI type (full/partial), related subassemblies, and key configuration information.
- Form 2 (Product Accountability): Raw materials, special processes, functional tests, and associated certifications or reports.
- Form 3 (Characteristic Accountability): Each ballooned characteristic with requirement, results, and status, including references to any NCRs or deviations.
- Attach or reference supporting evidence: certificates, special process approvals, CMM reports, test data, and routing records.
Whether you use spreadsheets, PDFs, Net-Inspect, or an internal digital FAI tool, the same expectation holds: the information must be complete, consistent with your controlled documents, and traceable.
9. Review, approval, and configuration control
An internal review step is critical for both compliance and risk control.
- Conduct an independent review of the FAI package against AS9102 and your QMS procedure.
- Verify consistency of part numbers, revisions, and document references across Forms 1–3 and attachments.
- Confirm that all nonconformances are properly closed and any required customer approvals are attached or referenced.
- Obtain required internal approvals (quality, engineering, and, where applicable, customer quality sign-off).
In many plants this step is still manual and email-driven, which can introduce delays and version confusion. Digital workflows can help, but must themselves be validated and controlled.
10. Submit to customer (where required) and manage feedback
Depending on contracts and customer requirements, the FAI package may need to be submitted and accepted before full-rate production.
- Submit via the required channel (e.g. Net-Inspect, customer portal, secure file transfer) following any format or content rules.
- Track customer comments, rejections, or conditional approvals.
- Update internal FAI status and link to any required corrective actions or follow-up FAIs.
Customers frequently impose additional requirements beyond AS9102, so your workflow must be flexible enough to account for program-, prime-, or part-specific rules.
11. Retain records and link to ongoing production
After approval, the FAI becomes a reference for future production and changes.
- Store FAI records in a controlled repository (QMS, PLM, or dedicated FAI system) with clear retention rules.
- Ensure FAI status is visible to planning, purchasing, and production so they know if a current FAI exists.
- Link FAI records to subsequent changes so you can determine when a partial or new FAI is triggered.
In long-lifecycle aerospace programs, FAI records may need to be accessible for many years and across multiple system migrations. Poor migration planning is a recurring risk when replacing legacy systems.
Coexistence with existing systems and why “full replacement” is hard
In most regulated aerospace environments, the AS9102 workflow is spread across ERP, MES, PLM, QMS, supplier portals, and sometimes point tools like Net-Inspect. Attempting to replace all of these with a single new system in one step often fails due to:
- Qualification and validation burden for regulated processes and data.
- Downtime risk and the need to keep production running during cutovers.
- Complex integration dependencies for drawings, routings, inspection plans, and NCRs.
- Long asset and program lifecycles that demand continuity of historical FAI records.
Practical modernization usually focuses on tightening links between existing systems (e.g. PLM to ballooning, MES to inspection data capture, QMS/NCR to FAI status) and then incrementally digitizing weak spots, with careful change control and validation.
