What is a First Article Inspection?

A First Article Inspection (FAI) checklist is used for the inspection of a first article. In this inspection, a new or changed product is manufactured completely under series production conditions. Quality inspectors can also use this checklist if there is a 2-year production backlog.

This article deals with the following:

1. Conditions of a First Article Form

2. Importance of a First Article Report

3. Advantages of a Digital FAI Checklist

Conditions of a First Article Form

In order to carry out an effective inspection of an initial sample, the conditions must be exactly the same as for series production. Make sure that the following is included in your checklist:

• Tools and other means of production


• Temperature and pressure


• Speed of production


• Materials


• Personnel


• Other things that are important for your individual product

Importance of a First Article Report

With the help of a checklist you can document the evaluations more clearly and know exactly what you have to investigate or what you have to pay attention to, for example:

• Are there any defects/faults?


• Can the agreements with the buyer be kept? e.g. time manner, costs,…


• How is the quality of the product?

With the help of a checklist you will never forget inspecting any of it! You can also:

• split bigger tasks into smaller subtasks


• in case of illness, simply tell your colleagues what to do


• and you are less stressed, because now you don't have to think about all the things you have to do since it is already on your checklist!

Advantages of a Digital FAI Checklist

Why digital:

With Lumiform's mobile app, you can easily conduct any kind of quality and safety inspection via tablet or smartphone - online or offline. With the desktop software, you can create checklists and evaluate the data collected in the field. This significantly reduces the risk of quality loss, accidents at work, documentation errors and damage to reputation.

Lumiform makes it easier for you to comply with the ever-increasing legal requirements for process documentation by using the mobile app to document via smartphone or tablet and being guided by the system through all documentation processes. Clean, transparent documentation helps you avoid high fines. The easiest way to do this is with a digital solution like Lumiform.

Digitize checklists and internal procedures with Lumiform:

• The flexible checklist builder from Lumiform helps you to convert any individual paper list into a digital checklist without much effort. 


• In addition, we offer more than 9,000 ready-made templates to help companies get started digitally in no time.


• Using the super intuitive mobile App, you and your teammates conduct check in the field with ease and in no time.


• All results, images and comments are automatically bundled in a digital report.


• Comprehensive analyses help you identifying inefficient areas in your company more quickly and thus to continuously improve your auditing and inspection processes.