A First Article Inspection (FAI) evaluates the quality of several items from the first mass manufacturing run selected for testing. The products are picked randomly and serve as a prototype for the remainder of the run.

AS9145 is a standard procedure required for new product development and current product revisions in the aerospace and defense industries. It's a well-organized procedure that includes the production part approval process (PPAP) or Ppap supplier among its prerequisites.

Let us have a look at the significance and different features of FAI Support and PPAP in-depth: -

PPAP components

1. Documentation of design

To cooperate with inspection results, every aspect of the part drawing needs to be inflated or bubbled. It demonstrates to the customer that both parties have a copy of the part drawing they are talking about the same thing.

2. Engineering documentation

An "Engineering Modification Notice" is a document that contains a complete description of the change. It is only required in case any change occurs.

3. Approval between customer and engineer

This approval is procured through a customer-performed engineering trial. It's common to need a "temporary deviation" to transfer parts to the customer before finishing PPAP. 

4. Diagram of process flow

The given diagram depicts all of the steps involved in producing the part. It should cover all the essential processes in the part's processing, such as receiving components, measuring, and inspecting them. 

Situations in which FAI is relevant 

During the new product introduction process, FAI is essential to confirm that the production process can consistently provide goods that meet specific requirements. A FAI will typically evaluate one item with the critical unwritten assumption that all other parts will follow the same manufacturing procedure. Any modification to the part's design or manufacturing process that deviates from this premise will need a new FAI Support.

The following list contains all the conditions that will result in a new FAI:

• Introduction of a New Product
• Changes in Design 
• Changes in the Manufacturing Process 
• A Vendor Change
• Resuming production after a long hiatus

The difference between FAI and PPAP

• PPAP often requires the manufacturing of multiple parts for run-at-rate and process capacity studies, and FAI needs the inspection of a single part.
• Every step in the new product introduction process is documented in a PPAP. However, FAI concentrates on the dimensional record with a subset of the paperwork, such as special processing, functional testing, and raw materials.  

Conclusion

The answer is quite simple, to be precise. FAI only ensures that at least one decent part is made.

While the PPAP assesses the capacity to produce conforming items and the process used. It helps determine the prevalent dangers. Furthermore, only good parts are acceptable in PPAP Solution, and the measurement system rejects defective parts. So, to sum up, AS9145 PPAP is also needed with FAI to increase manufacturing efficiency. 

Read More :  Ppap support services