First article inspection and dimensional reports

First article inspection documents that a new part made to drawing conforms to the drawing in all dimensions, materials and properties before series production is released. At RS Randack, it takes two forms: first article inspection on every lot at every machine under the four-eyes principle, and the first article inspection report that customers request for new items, aerospace and railway parts or project deliveries.

First article inspection under the four-eyes principle

After set-up, the first part is fully measured against the drawing; a second employee re-checks it and signs off on the works order. Series production then continues with sampling, at least every tenth part, and after a tool change the first two parts are checked again. The same applies in the forge to the first blank, on the thread rolling machine to the first five parts with ring gauge and thread micrometer, and in stamping to the first marking. Dimensions are changed only by production planning.

First article inspection report and dimensional report

For the first article inspection report, all drawing dimensions are numbered and measured on the 3D coordinate measuring machine, the optical measuring machine, the profile projector or with gauges; this is supplemented by material verification, hardness, thread inspection and surface specifications. Dimensional reports are provided per lot on a sampling basis or, for large projects and in nuclear technology, for 100% of parts with 40 or more dimensions per part. All test equipment is calibrated, with more than 400 items in-house.

What you should specify

Whether a first article inspection report is required and in what form, which dimensions need to be documented in particular, and whether the dimensional report is to be supplied per lot or for 100% of parts.