Impact of Manufacturing Equipment Relocation on FAI Validity
Published .
Related
- AS9100
- AS13100
Topics
- fai
- process-change
- manufacturing-process
- tooling
- documentation
- configuration-management
A supplier performed and documented a First Article Inspection (FAI) in accordance with AS9102 requirements. Sometime after the FAI was approved, a key piece of manufacturing equipment, such as a CNC machine, was moved to a new location within the same facility.
The supplier failed to formally evaluate the impact of the equipment relocation, which constitutes a change in the manufacturing process location per AS9102. The existing FAI, including the documented designed tooling (e. g.
Key Takeaways
- A subsequent review identified the unevaluated process change, invalidating the existing FAI.
- A new partial or full FAI was required to verify that the process change did not adversely affect product characteristics and to re-establish the production baseline.
- The supplier failed to formally evaluate the impact of the equipment relocation, which constitutes a change in the manufacturing process location per AS9102.
Common Mistakes
- Missing balloon numbers on the drawing.
- Title block requirements not accounted for on Form 3.
- Treating a design change as a full FAI re-accomplishment instead of a partial/delta.
Best Practice
Organizations must ensure that any change in the manufacturing process, including the relocation of equipment, triggers a formal evaluation to determine the effect on the FAI. The FAI package, including tooling and process documentation, must be updated to maintain an accurate record of the current, approved configuration.
Reflects the recommended position based on community discussion and expert review.
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