First Article Inspection (FAI)

First Article Inspection (FAI) is a comprehensive quality verification process performed on the first unit(s) produced from a new or modified manufacturing process. The inspection compares every dimension, material, and feature of the produced part against the original design specifications and drawings.

FAI serves as the final quality gate before authorizing full-scale production. It verifies that the manufacturer correctly interprets all requirements and that their processes can consistently produce conforming parts. Requesting an FAI from manufacturers found on Speya (formerly Find My Factory) is a best practice for mitigating production risk.