First Article Inspection (FAI) and AS9102: Technical Guide for Aerospace Suppliers in Mexico

If your part is going into an aerospace program, FAI is not optional and is not paperwork. It is the document Boeing, Airbus, Safran, or Bombardier use to decide whether your process is safe to enter their supply chain. AS9102 is the standard that defines how that report is produced, and complying is not decorative — a rejected FAI delays the program, opens an audit, and blocks any future purchase order until it is corrected.

In Summary

• FAI verifies that the first part meets EVERY drawing requirement — no sampling, no approximations. Every dimension documented.
• AS9102 requires three forms: Form 1 (identification), Form 2 (materials and special processes), Form 3 (100% dimensional)
• Special processes require Nadcap: heat treatments, NDT, welding, chemical coatings — without Nadcap certification from the process supplier, FAI is rejected
• AS9100 is mandatory to be in the aerospace supply chain — certified by accredited bodies IAQG via OASIS
• Radii complies with AS9100 and delivers complete FAI with an audited network — see aerospace capabilities

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The difference between automotive and aerospace is not in the complexity of the parts — it is in the consequences of failure. A CNC part out of tolerance in an automotive transmission ruins a program. The same failure in a structural aircraft component can cause loss of life. That is why AS9100 and AS9102 are stricter than IATF 16949 and PPAP at the points where traceability matters: every gram of material, every process step, every drawing characteristic.

For a manufacturing engineer or buyer at a Mexican aerospace Tier 1 or Tier 2 company, understanding FAI is not theory — it is what determines whether your supplier survives the customer's first audit.

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1. What FAI Is Exactly

FAI (First Article Inspection) is the documented verification that the first product produced under a defined process meets absolutely all characteristics of the drawing and customer specifications.

It is a one-time event, not continuous. It is executed:

• Before serial production of a new component
• After a significant change to process, tooling, or location
• Following a production pause of 24 months or more
• When the customer requests it due to identified risk
• After a change of supplier or special-process sub-supplier

FAI is not "sampled" — the first part is verified 100% against all drawing characteristics. Every dimension, every geometric tolerance, every process note, every surface finish.

2. AS9102 — The Standard That Defines the Format

AS9102 is the standard developed by IAQG (International Aerospace Quality Group) that defines exactly what documentation you submit in the FAI. The current version is AS9102 Rev C (2023).

The standard requires three standardized forms that must accompany the FAI report:

Form 1 — Product and FAI Identification

Administrative but auditable data:

• Part number, drawing revision, serial number
• Supplier identification (cage code, address)
• Type of FAI (full / partial / re-FAI)
• Customer and program identification
• Reason for FAI (new project, process change, etc.)

Form 2 — Materials, Special Processes, and Functional Data

This is where the component's entire "hidden chain" is documented:

• Material: specification, heat number, supplier material certificate
• Special processes: heat treatment, anodizing, NDT (penetrant, ultrasound, radiography), painting, coatings
• For each special process: sub-supplier name, applicable Nadcap certificate number, process order number
• Functional tests: if the drawing requires them (pressure, fatigue, conductivity)

Critical point: special processes without Nadcap certification from the sub-supplier are an automatic FAI rejection. Nadcap (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) is the mandatory accreditation for special processes in aerospace.

Form 3 — Dimensional and Design Characteristics

This is the form with the most weight. Every drawing characteristic (every dimensional dimension, every GD&T tolerance, every technical note) is listed and reported:

Absolute rule: no characteristic is omitted. If the drawing marks it, Form 3 reports it.

3. Types of FAI

AS9102 distinguishes three types based on scope:

Full FAI Applies to the complete component. It is the standard FAI for a new project or a major change. Verifies all three forms in their entirety.

Partial FAI Applies only to the characteristics affected by a change. If you modify a single operation (for example, you added a counterbore), the partial FAI covers the affected dimensions plus all those the change may have indirectly impacted.

Re-FAI Executed when production is reactivated after a pause of 24 months or more, or when the special-process supplier changes. It is equivalent to a full FAI in scope, but with a different justification.

4. Special Processes and Nadcap — The Silent Filter

What separates a supplier that delivers an approved FAI on the first pass from one that delivers a rejected FAI is generally NOT the geometry — it is the traceability of special processes.

Typical special processes in aerospace:

• Heat treatments (aging, annealing, solution treating)
• NDT (liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, ultrasound, eddy current, radiography)
• Specialized welding (TIG, electron beam, friction stir)
• Coatings (type II/III anodizing, cadmium, electroless nickel, aerospace paint)
• Surface treatments (peening, controlled shot blasting)
• Functional tests (pressure, leak, balance, fatigue)

Each of these processes must be performed by a Nadcap-certified supplier. When preparing Form 2, you list the current Nadcap certificate number of the sub-supplier for each process, along with the expiration date.

If the certificate has expired: rejection. If the supplier does not appear in the eAuditNet database: rejection. If the process performed is not within the sub-supplier's certified scope: rejection.

5. Materials and Traceability

Aerospace requires material traceability by heat number.

Every material lot (plate, bar, sheet, tube) has a manufacturer's certificate that includes:

• Verified chemical composition
• Mechanical properties (tensile strength, yield, elongation, hardness)
• Applied treatments
• Unique heat number

This certificate travels with the material throughout its entire journey. When the material is cut to produce your component, traceability must allow reconstruction of: this component came from this material, which came from this heat, which came from this manufacturer, on this date.

Common errors that destroy traceability:

• Mixing bars from different heats in the warehouse without physical separation and labeling
• Cut-offs that are not identified after the first cut
• Customer-approved material substituted with an equivalent without re-approval

If traceability is broken, the entire lot goes into quarantine until it is resolved. In aerospace, "resolving it" often means scrapping the entire lot.

6. Measurement Methods — CMM, Not Calipers

For FAI, the customer expects to see verification with traceable metrology equipment, not general-purpose hand tools.

Standard equipment for aerospace FAI:

• CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) with PC-DMIS, Calypso, or Polyworks software
• Profilometers for surface finish
• Optical comparators and video measuring systems for 2D geometries
• Articulated arms for large parts or those that cannot be transported to a CMM
• 3D scanning with structured light when applicable
• MicroVu or equivalent for detailed optical inspection

All equipment must have current calibration with certificates traceable to NIST or equivalent. The FAI report includes for each characteristic the equipment used and its identification number.

7. Most Common Causes of FAI Rejection

After processing hundreds of FAIs in the aerospace supply chain, rejections fall into five categories:

1. Characteristics omitted from Form 3 The #1 cause of rejection. A drawing technical note that was not reported. A reference dimension assumed to be "non-critical." The customer finds it in review and rejects the entire package.

2. Special processes without Nadcap or with expired Nadcap The sub-supplier is listed but their certification expired two months ago. Immediate rejection.

3. Broken material traceability Form 2 without a heat number or with an incomplete manufacturer's certificate. Rejection.

4. Discrepancies between CAD model and 2D drawing If the customer delivered both a 3D model and a 2D drawing, and there are differences between them, FAI is not approved until the customer confirms which one prevails. Causes lengthy delays.

5. Inspection with an inadequate instrument Reporting a 0.005 mm tolerance verified with a caliper. The instrument does not have sufficient resolution. Rejection.

8. Key Differences Between FAI/AS9102 and PPAP

A supplier with mature PPAP Level 3 is close to meeting AS9102, but they are not equivalent. Heat number traceability, Nadcap special processes, and 100% dimensional verification are qualitative leaps, not incremental ones.

9. How Radii Complies with AS9100 and Delivers Complete FAI

AS9100-Certified Network

The shops in Radii's network that produce for aerospace customers have current AS9100 certification registered in OASIS. Without that certification they do not enter aerospace projects — certification is the admission filter, not a nice-to-have.

Audited Nadcap Sub-Suppliers

Special-process providers (heat treatment, NDT, anodizing, coatings) are in Radii's network with current Nadcap certification. Certificate traceability is part of the project file from day one.

Centralized FAI Documentation

The buyer does not coordinate FAI with each shop. Radii consolidates:

• Complete Forms 1, 2, and 3
• Material traceability by heat number
• Nadcap certificates from sub-suppliers
• CMM report with every drawing characteristic verified
• Measuring equipment certificates

Reasonable Lead Time

FAI well prepared with a digital platform: 2–4 weeks from pilot run. Without a platform and with manual coordination: 4–8 weeks or more.

Tolerances and Traceability

• 100% CMM verification on aerospace components (no sampling)
• Tolerances down to ±0.005 mm verifiable
• Digital reports with per-characteristic history
• Annual MSA with documented GRR

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is FAI and when is it required?

FAI (First Article Inspection) is the documented verification that the first part produced under a defined process meets absolutely all design requirements. It is required before serial production in aerospace projects, when there is a significant process or tooling change, after a supplier change, following a production pause of two years or more, and when the customer requests it due to identified risk. It is the aerospace equivalent of automotive PPAP, but with stricter traceability requirements.

What is the difference between AS9102 and PPAP?

AS9102 (aerospace FAI) and PPAP (Production Part Approval Process for automotive) share the same goal: formally approving that a process can produce the component in series. The difference lies in depth: AS9102 requires three standardized forms (Form 1: identification, Form 2: materials/special processes, Form 3: 100% verified dimensional characteristics), traceability for every material and special process (heat treatments, coatings, NDT), and one-to-one verification of every drawing characteristic. PPAP Level 3 covers 18 elements but accepts statistical sampling for some verifications. AS9102 does not — every drawing dimension is measured and reported.

Who certifies AS9100 in Mexico?

AS9100 is certified by bodies accredited by IAQG (International Aerospace Quality Group) through the OASIS scheme. In Mexico the most common bodies are DEKRA, DNV, SGS, Bureau Veritas, and NSF-ISR. Certification includes an initial audit, annual surveillance audits, and recertification every three years. Without a current AS9100 certification registered in OASIS, a supplier cannot be part of the aerospace supply chain for Boeing, Airbus, Safran, Bombardier, Lockheed, or equivalent OEMs.

How long does it take to prepare a complete FAI?

A well-prepared AS9102 FAI takes between 2 and 6 weeks from pilot run to delivery of the complete report to the customer. The bottleneck is usually CMM measurement of all dimensional characteristics on the drawing (not sampling) and documentation of special processes with their Nadcap certifications. Suppliers using platforms with FeasibilityAI from the quoting stage reduce lead times because they enter the pilot run without unexpected geometry or material deviations.

Can a manufacturing platform comply with AS9100 and deliver FAI?

Yes, when the platform operates with a network of AS9100-certified shops and centralizes FAI documentation. Radii complies with AS9100 through its certified supplier network and delivers complete AS9102 reports as a standard part of aerospace projects. The buyer receives the three signed forms, material traceability, applicable Nadcap certifications, and the full CMM report in a single package, without coordinating with each shop individually.

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Conclusion: FAI Is Not Paperwork — It Is the First Quality Commitment

A well-done FAI goes unnoticed. A poorly done FAI delays programs, opens audits, and kills future orders. It is the most expensive document to get wrong in aerospace because its rejection does not just cost time — it costs credibility.

What defines a serious aerospace supplier:

• Current AS9100 registered in OASIS
• Audited and current Nadcap sub-supplier network
• CMM verification with approved MSA
• Heat-number material traceability from warehouse to delivery
• Complete FAI delivered in a reasonable time frame, not as a surprise

Radii is built exactly to answer those five points with a document, not a promise. If your aerospace project needs FAI without rework, upload your CAD and we start the process.