First Article Inspection

Define what the first article must prove

Specify whether the review concerns a new PCB layout, a new assembly population, changed material, altered tooling or a recurring process after a significant change. The reason for the review determines the useful evidence. A connector change calls for different checks from a new firmware loading procedure.

Identify the physical quantity and configuration to be reviewed and the stage where the hold occurs. ‘Send a first article’ can mean photographs, a report, a physical sample or a combination. State which is required and what work may continue while review is pending. This avoids a mismatch between the customer’s expectation and the production sequence.

Build the evidence package from requirements

Start with the released BOM, drawings, panel and applicable acceptance instructions. For each critical requirement, identify the observation or measurement that demonstrates it. Include product identity and revision on the record so reviewers do not have to infer which configuration appears in an image.

The table is a review structure rather than a mandatory universal report format. Choose the checks that matter to your project and confirm their feasibility. If a critical dimension cannot be assessed from a photograph, request an appropriate measurement or physical review. A visually polished report is only useful when it actually answers the release questions.

Resolve population and orientation before scale-up

Check fitted and unpopulated references, exact critical part identity, polarity, connector mating direction and unusual mechanical details. Compare the physical assembly to the approved variant, not merely to the base board design. A shared PCB can support several valid populations, so the assembly identifier is essential.

Review any ambiguity uncovered during setup. If the assembler needed to interpret an unclear pin-one mark or choose between conflicting files, resolve that issue in the controlled documents. Approving the physical unit without correcting the instruction can allow the same question to reappear in a later batch or with a different reviewer.

Separate assembly acceptance from electrical learning

A first article may be used for bring-up or functional checks if that activity is agreed, but the procedure and limits must be defined. Record power conditions, firmware, equipment and observed results. If the design is still experimental, distinguish a design observation from an assembly nonconformance.

Do not let a successful boot stand in for all requested verification. Conversely, an unexpected circuit behavior does not by itself prove incorrect assembly. Preserve the evidence needed to investigate both possibilities. The release decision should state exactly what was accepted and which validation activities remain open for the design team.

Make dispositions explicit and effective

For every finding, record the requirement, observation, proposed action, responsible owner and final decision. Possible outcomes include correction and reinspection, acceptance under a documented deviation, or a design change requiring a new baseline. Avoid vague approval language that leaves the rest of the build to interpret what is permitted.

State the effect on remaining units and material. A first-article correction may require updated coordinates, a revised BOM, replacement components or new tooling. Determine whether already started units need the same action. The approval record should identify the exact package and condition released to continue, including any limitations.

Carry the approved result into production

Archive the first-article evidence with the controlled release and make its changes visible in later instructions. Preserve a reference unit if useful, but keep its identity and status clear; a modified engineering sample should not silently become the production master. Define when a subsequent change requires another first-article review.

Use capability planning, production handoff and traceability to connect the gate to the broader process. Request first-article planning with the trigger, required evidence and approval owner. Availability, timing and exact inspection scope need project confirmation.

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