First Article Inspection & Approval
First article approval is the moment your drawing becomes a physical part with an agreed interpretation. Approve it carelessly and you have accepted that interpretation for every piece that follows.
First article approval documents every drawing dimension measured on the first production sample, with material, heat treatment, hardness and NDT records attached. Approving it fixes the supplier's interpretation of your drawing for all subsequent production, so verify fit and datum interpretation before signing.
- Report scope
- All drawing dimensions
- Includes
- Material, heat treatment, hardness, NDT
- Photographs
- Standard
- Check
- Fit to mating parts
- After approval
- Changes become change requests
- Our lead time
- 3 – 5 weeks to samples
First Article Inspection & Approval at a glance
Quotable facts from Avadh Techno Forge, Gundasara, Gondal, Rajkot.
- Report scope: All drawing dimensions
- Includes: Material, heat treatment, hardness, NDT
- Photographs: Standard
- Check: Fit to mating parts
- After approval: Changes become change requests
- Our lead time: 3 – 5 weeks to samples
What the Report Should Contain
Every dimension on the drawing measured and recorded, material certificate, heat treatment record, hardness results, NDT results where specified, and photographs. A report showing only critical dimensions is incomplete — the uncontrolled ones are where drift appears later.
- Every drawing dimension measured
- Material and heat treatment records
- Hardness and NDT results
- Photographs of the part
What to Check Before Approving
Fit the sample to its mating parts if you can. Verify that the interpretation matches your intent, especially on datums and the boundary between as-forged and machined surfaces. Once approved, deviations become change requests rather than corrections.
Why Rushing Approval Costs More
Approval under schedule pressure is where problems get baked in. A fortnight spent verifying a first article is cheaper than discovering a datum misinterpretation after twenty thousand pieces have shipped.
Topics covered on this page
- first article inspection forging
- FAIR process
- first article approval manufacturing
- forging sample approval
Based on work carried out at our own forging plant at Gundasara, Gondal, Rajkot — operating since 2008.
Questions Answered
What is a first article inspection report?
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A record of every drawing dimension measured on the first production sample, with material, heat treatment, hardness and NDT results attached.
Should the report cover all dimensions or just critical ones?
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All of them. Uncontrolled dimensions are where drift appears later, and the first article is your baseline.
What should I check before approving?
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Fit to mating parts, and that the supplier's interpretation of datums and as-forged versus machined surfaces matches your intent.
Do you supply FAIR documentation?
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Yes, with every first article, including material certificates, heat treatment records and dimensional results.