How First Article Inspection Can Save Money And Time
Many inventors and aftermarket part producers rely on third-party manufacturers to build their products according to detailed drawings and specifications. These third-party manufacturers may be located in distant countries or work almost completely independently from designers and inventors. In order to ensure every part produced is an exact replica of its prototype, the first article produced by a manufacturer is often sent to a first article inspection lab. There, technicians carefully inspect both the first article and the specifications it was supposed to meet. This article covers three of the benefits of using the inspection services these labs offer.
Meet Exact Specifications
A designer's goal is to create the perfect item, whether it's a complex machine part or a child's toy. During the design process, these professionals create detailed descriptions of their products with precise dimensions, materials, and manufacturing techniques. These details are given to manufacturers in the form of drawings, schematics, and prototypes. Then, manufacturers are tasked with meeting the exact specifications of the designer.
A manufacturer's goal isn't the same as a designer's goal. Manufacturers typically want to produce as many units of a design as possible as quickly as possible. Sometimes, manufacturers might try to cut corners. Other times, they might accidentally miss an important detail in a schematic. If these issues are not caught before the product goes into full-scale production, time, materials, and labor hours will be lost. First article inspections prevent this from happening by comparing the measurements and materials used in the first article to the designer's specifications. If the first article meets the specifications perfectly, they endorse the manufacturer. If not, they recommend revisions as needed.
Catch Design Flaws
Sometimes, first article inspectors find problems that aren't the fault of the manufacturer. Design specifications are detailed documents, and as with any complicated documents, errors can slip through the cracks. If measurements don't add up or they find conflicts between manufacturing processes and materials, inspectors inform the designer of the errors. The designer can then correct their errors and have a new first article created by their chosen manufacturer.
Catch Manufacturer Inability
Occasionally, complex machine parts can only be produced with precise machining equipment and techniques. Some manufacturers may try to replicate the look of certain machining techniques with non-suitable equipment that they already have. First article inspectors look for evidence of manufacturing techniques to ensure the right technique is used during each part of the part-creation process. If the wrong technique is used, the result could be a weak part, so these inspections could prevent early part failure.
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