Free First Article Inspection (FAI) Excel Template
AS9102-aligned FAI template for aerospace and precision manufacturing. Forms 1 (article info), 2 (raw material), and 3 (characteristic accountability) in one workbook.
What you get
Working FAI template structured for AS9102 compliance: part identification, raw material certification, and characteristic-by-characteristic verification. Used by manufacturers who supply aerospace, defense, and high-precision customers.
Free 30-day trial · No credit card required · Used by manufacturers since 1991
Why manufacturers still use Excel for this
First Article Inspection (FAI) is the formal verification that the first production article meets every drawing requirement. AS9102 is the aerospace standard for what an FAI report must contain. Suppliers who cannot produce a clean FAI lose customers; suppliers who can build it as a competitive advantage.
Most FAI reports fail not from missing inspections but from missing documentation. A characteristic was inspected but not recorded. A drawing revision was used but not noted. A raw material certificate was reviewed but not attached. AS9102 auditors look for the documentation trail; this template builds it.
The three-form structure mirrors AS9102 Forms 1, 2, and 3 exactly. Use it for AS9100 customers, defense customers, medical-device suppliers, and any high-precision shop where the customer expects a formal FAI on first production article.
What's inside the template
Form 1 — Part number accountability
Part number, revision, serial number, drawing rev, manufacturer name and cage code, customer name, FAI date, signed by.
Form 2 — Product accountability
Raw material verification: lot, certificate, supplier, specification. Special process verification: heat treat, plating, NDT.
Form 3 — Characteristic accountability
Every drawing characteristic listed with: characteristic number, requirement (nominal + tolerance), actual measurement, accept/reject, balloon reference.
Balloon-numbered drawing reference
Worksheet for capturing which characteristic on the drawing corresponds to each row of Form 3.
Variance and disposition
For any nonconforming characteristic: disposition (accept/reject/rework/use-as-is) and approval signature.
Customer-specific addendums
Tab for customer-specific FAI requirements that exceed AS9102 baseline.
How to use this template
A practical walkthrough — five steps from blank spreadsheet to a working schedule.
- 1
Balloon the drawing first
Before FAI starts, every drawing characteristic gets a balloon number. The FAI inspector works from the ballooned drawing — every balloon = one row in Form 3.
- 2
Verify raw material before machining
Form 2 raw material verification happens before the first chip is cut. Material certificates get attached to the FAI package before production starts.
- 3
Inspect every characteristic, not just critical
AS9102 requires every characteristic, not just critical ones. The discipline matters — partial FAI reports get rejected and the part is reworked.
- 4
Include the FAI in the work order packet
For customers requiring FAI on every lot, the FAI travels with the work order. For customers requiring FAI only on first production, the FAI gets stored against the part number for future reference.
When you outgrow this template
Excel is the right answer for early-stage scheduling — until it isn't. Here are the warning signs that you need a real production scheduling tool.
If three or more of these apply, you have outgrown Excel scheduling. The good news: you do not have to leave Excel behind. Resource Manager for Excel (RMX) is a real finite-capacity scheduling engine that runs as an Excel add-in — so your team keeps the interface they know while gaining the scheduling power of a dedicated APS tool.
Learn about RMXFrequently asked questions
What is AS9102 and when do I need to comply?+
AS9102 is the aerospace industry standard for First Article Inspection. You need to comply if you supply parts to an aerospace customer — most aerospace primes (Boeing, Lockheed, Northrop, Airbus) require AS9102-compliant FAI on first production article and after any significant change.
When does FAI need to be re-done?+
AS9102 requires re-FAI after: a 2-year gap in production, a process change, an equipment change, a drawing revision, a material change, or a discrepancy in production. The template documents which trigger applies for each FAI.
Do I need to do FAI on every part I make?+
No — only on first production article. After the FAI passes, normal in-process and final inspection takes over. The exception is some customers require FAI on every lot — check your contract.
What if a characteristic is out of tolerance during FAI?+
Document the variance, disposition it (typically reject — the first article should meet every requirement), and rework or scrap the part. Out-of-tolerance characteristics on FAI are a process signal, not just a part issue — investigate the root cause before continuing production.
Get the free template — plus the tool that grew up around it
The template is the starting point. Resource Manager for Excel (RMX) is what manufacturers move to when their Excel scheduler starts breaking. 35+ years in production, free 30-day trial.