Purchase Order as the Authoritative Source for Requirements Verification
Published .
Applicable Standards
AS9102Applicable Sections
- ✓Form 1 — Part Number Accountability
- ✓Form 3 — Characteristic Accountability
Related
- AS9100
Topics
- fai
- first-article-inspection
- purchase-order
- contract-review
- requirements-flowdown
- traceability
A supplier was performing a First Article Inspection (FAI) and discovered a discrepancy between the part number listed on the engineering drawing and the part number on the customer's purchase order (PO). The quality engineer was uncertain which document should be considered the primary source for completing the AS9102 FAI report.
The use of an incorrect part number or requirement source on an FAI report breaks traceability to the contractual agreement. This can lead to the inspection verifying the wrong configuration and a failure to comply with specific quality clauses flowed down via the purchasing documents.
Key Takeaways
- The FAI package was corrected to reflect the part number and requirements stipulated on the purchase order.
- This action aligned the verification evidence with the contractual document, ensuring the FAI was valid and directly traceable to the customer's order.
- The use of an incorrect part number or requirement source on an FAI report breaks traceability to the contractual agreement.
Common Mistakes
- The use of an incorrect part number or requirement source on an FAI report breaks traceability to the contractual agreement.
- This can lead to the inspection verifying the wrong configuration and a failure to comply with specific quality clauses flowed down via the purchasing documents.
- Incorrect or incomplete Form 1 part number traceability.
- Drawing notes not captured as characteristics.
Best Practice
Organizations must recognize the purchase order as the authoritative contractual document that takes precedence over other technical data in case of conflict. All quality planning and verification activities, including FAIs, must be based on the requirements flowed down through the PO to ensure compliance.
Reflects the recommended position based on community discussion and expert review.
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