AS9102 First Article Inspection for Cables

What AS9102 is

AS9102, Aerospace First Article Inspection Requirement, is published by SAE on behalf of the International Aerospace Quality Group. It defines how an aerospace supplier verifies and documents that a production process produces a part that meets every design requirement, and the report format used to record it. The current revision is C. Aerospace and defense customers usually call it up in their purchase order quality clauses, often with their own additions.

An FAI is performed on a part made by the production process, with production tooling and people. It is not the same as a prototype check or a design validation test.

The three forms

Form	Name	What it records for a harness
Form 1	Part Number Accountability	The assembly's part number, revision, serial number, drawing, the reason for a full or partial FAI, and any sub-assemblies with their own FAI reports
Form 2	Product Accountability	Raw materials and components (wire, terminals, contacts, connectors, sleeving, labels), special processes, and functional tests required by the design, with the approved sources used
Form 3	Characteristic Accountability	Every design characteristic: each length, breakout position, note, marking and test requirement, with the actual result

Characteristics on Form 3 are tied to a ballooned drawing: a copy of the drawing with a unique number next to each requirement. The balloon numbers and the Form 3 line numbers must match. That link is what lets a reviewer confirm nothing was missed.

What a harness FAI usually includes

Dimensional results for overall and branch lengths, breakout locations, label positions and connector clocking, measured on the finished part.
Every drawing note as a characteristic, including the workmanship standard and class (for example IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3), lacing or tie spacing, and sleeving requirements.
Material evidence: part numbers and lot or date codes for wire, contacts and connectors, with certificates of conformance where your purchase order asks for them.
Process evidence for crimping, soldering and any special processes, including the tooling used and, where required, crimp pull or cross-section results.
Electrical test results: continuity for every circuit, and insulation resistance or dielectric withstanding voltage where the drawing requires them, with the test parameters.
Marking and identification: label content and legibility, checked against the drawing.

When an FAI is required again

AS9102 requires a new FAI, full or partial, when something affecting the part changes. Typical triggers include:

A design change that affects fit, form or function, such as a drawing revision.
A change in manufacturing source, process, location, tooling or materials that could affect the part.
A lapse in production of two years, measured from the last production operation to the restart.
A natural or man-made event that may affect the process.
A requirement from the customer, for example after a quality escape.

A partial FAI covers only the characteristics affected by the change. Revision C requires the reason for a full or partial FAI to be recorded on Form 1. Your own purchase order terms can add triggers, so state them in the RFQ.

Where harness FAIs usually fail review

Notes not ballooned. A drawing note such as "build to IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3" or "hipot all circuits" is a requirement, and needs a line on Form 3.
Wire list treated as one line. A from-to table with 80 rows is 80 requirements. How they are accounted for, individually or as a referenced test record, should be agreed in advance.
Substituted parts. An alternate connector or contact used on the first article, but not approved on the drawing or in writing, will fail review.
Missing sub-tier FAIs. A molded sub-assembly or a purchased cable with its own part number may need its own FAI reference on Form 1.
Results as "OK". Where a value is measurable, record the value, not a tick.

How to review a harness FAI report

Check Form 1 against your purchase order: part number, revision, and reason for FAI.
Count the balloons on the drawing and the lines on Form 3. They should match.
Check Form 2 components against your bill of materials and approved sources.
Look for recorded values, not ticks, wherever a value can be measured.
Confirm test parameters in the results match those on the drawing.
Inspect the first article part yourself against a few characteristics chosen at random.

What to ask a supplier

Can you produce an AS9102 report on your own, and can I see a redacted example?
Do you use FAI software or a spreadsheet format, and can you submit through my portal if I use one?
How will you account for wire lists, pinouts and test requirements?
Which of my purchased-in components or sub-assemblies will need their own FAI references?
How do you decide when a new FAI is required, and who approves a partial FAI?

Automotive and industrial equivalents

Automotive programs usually require a Production Part Approval Process submission instead. See PPAP for wire harnesses. Industrial buyers often specify a simpler first article report of their own. Whatever the format, the principle is the same: every requirement on the drawing, accounted for once, with evidence.

Common questions

Is an FAI the same as a first article sample?

No. A first article sample is a part. An FAI is the documented verification that the part, and the process that made it, meet every requirement. You can receive a sample without an FAI report.

Who pays for an FAI?

It is usually quoted as a separate line or included in NRE. Ask for it to be listed separately so quotes are comparable.

Does a build-to-print harness need Form 2 special processes?

If the drawing or your purchase order specifies processes such as soldering to a named standard, potting or overmolding, they are accounted for on Form 2. Check your customer's requirements for which processes count as special.