First article inspection

Related terms

PPAP

PPAP is the Production Part Approval Process, the AIAG method automotive suppliers use to prove a production process makes parts that meet every requirement at the quoted rate. A submission can include up to 18 elements, such as dimensional results, material certs, PFMEA, and control plan. Level 3 is the default.

T1 sample

A T1 sample is a part from the first trial run of a new mold or die, used to check fill, dimensions, and fit before the tool is finalized. T1 parts often need tool adjustments; later trials are T2, T3, and so on until parts are approved for PPAP or first article.

AS9100

AS9100 is the quality management system standard for aviation, space, and defense suppliers. It adds requirements to ISO 9001 for configuration management, product safety, counterfeit part prevention, and first article inspection per AS9102. Many aerospace primes require it from suppliers of flight hardware.

2D drawing

A 2D drawing is a dimensioned engineering drawing, usually a PDF, that defines a part's tolerances, datums, material, finish, and inspection requirements. The 3D model shows shape; the drawing controls what gets measured and accepted. Most quality agreements make the drawing the governing document when the two disagree.