“What is first article inspection and why it is needed? Read this article to get an overview on this topic”.
The first article inspection is a process through which the manufacturer, suppliers and buyer check the quality of the first article or sample. In this way, they check if the product will meet the specific standard and properties.
As the name suggests, the process is related to the inspection of the first item of a specific product line. Generally, it requires random sampling of 3 items from the first run. If the selected product passes the criteria of customer satisfaction, then it is assumed that the other parts will be correct as per the requirement. You can hire an authorized inspection agency in India for the first article inspection of your manufactured product.
In the first article inspection, the third-party inspector or the manufacturer can examine some important factors such as measurement and dimension of the same product, design, materials, etc. Get overview on the benefits of first article inspection which is undeniable when it matches the following circumstances; such as –
- It’s a first-time production for any company.
- The product design structure and elements are changed as per necessity.
- The manufacturer has changed location.
- Production from the same product was resumed for more than 2 years.
- Special request from the customer.
If the sample or the article fails, then it will be returned to pre-production to address the issues there.
What Should The First Article Inspection Include
Before the third party inspection agency in India comes, the company performs the necessary steps of the first article inspection; they make plans for the first time. At first, the production staff adds balloons containing some unique number to make the inspector check that part of the component.
In that case, the inspection plan should include a requirement table for the inspection process. The table will include the following most important factors such as balloon number, associated specification and tolerance for the particular product.
The inspector of third party inspection service in India performs their inspection based on this requirement and it results in the document called the first article. The overview report tells if the product has passed or failed the test.
First Article Inspection Selection Process
The third-party inspector selects a product as a sample following the below way. The product can be selected as the sample of the first article inspection process including the following terms such as:
- The product is manufactured with the same materials and processes that will be used for mass production units.
- The same tools and equipment are used to manufacture the product
- The same factory staff has manufactured the product.
Conclusion
However, the first article inspection may not be an acute necessity for every importer. In that case, the type of goods plays a major role in deciding the first article inspection process. If you are not satisfied with the suppliers’ internal quality control staff, you can leave the responsibility on a third party inspections service in India to perform the inspection of quality.
