Partial FAI Requires Traceable Link to Approved Baseline FAI
Published .
Applicable Standards
AS9102Applicable Sections
- ✓Form 1 — Part Number Accountability
- ✓Form 3 — Characteristic Accountability
Topics
- fai
- as9102
- partial-fai
- delta-fai
- baseline
- traceability
- documentation
A supplier submitted a partial, or 'delta,' First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) to account for a change in the manufacturing process. The partial FAIR was submitted using the customer's required digital quality system. However, the original full FAIR that established the part's baseline configuration was not available within that same system.
The submitted partial FAIR lacked direct traceability to the previously approved full FAIR, making it impossible to verify which characteristics were affected by the change versus those approved in the baseline configuration. This failed to meet the intent of AS9102, which requires a partial FAI to be evaluated against an established baseline.
Key Takeaways
- The partial FAI package was rejected pending the inclusion of objective evidence of the approved baseline report.
- This caused a delay in the approval process until the supplier could provide a linked copy of the original, approved full FAIR.
- The submitted partial FAIR lacked direct traceability to the previously approved full FAIR, making it impossible to verify which characteristics were affected by the change versus those approved in the baseline configuration.
Common Mistakes
- Missing balloon numbers on the drawing.
- Title block requirements not accounted for on Form 3.
- Incorrect or incomplete Form 1 part number traceability.
- Treating a design change as a full FAI re-accomplishment instead of a partial/delta.
Best Practice
When submitting a partial FAI, always ensure it is directly linked and traceable to the previously approved full FAI. This linkage is critical for validating the scope of the partial inspection and can be accomplished by including a copy of the baseline report within the new submission package if it is not already present in the required system.
Reflects the recommended position based on community discussion and expert review.
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