Manufacturing For Modern Needs

The Benefits Of A First Article Inspection Service For Your Business

28 February 2023 by Frances Gardner

Is your company manufacturing something with precise requirements? Is this a brand-new prototype that you've never produced before? One option you may want to look into prior to starting mass production is the idea of a first article inspection. Here's what this type of inspection is and why it might be important for your business.

Quality Control Before Mass Production

A first article inspection is when a hired professional takes the first product off of your assembly or manufacturing line and inspects every last detail. Are the dimensions exactly what the blueprint says they should be? Are there any noticeable defects? Is there reason to believe that mass production will not provide this same result or level of consistency every single time? A first article inspection is your first chance at quality control for whatever it is you are producing.

Avoid Expensive Errors

If you don't do a first article inspection and start mass production right away but then notice the problem later, you are likely going to have a lot of products that are not up to standard and these will need to be tossed out. If you have to start the entire process over again, that is going to be potentially a huge waste of materials that will cost your company money.

Avoid Costly Delays

In the scenario just described, having to scrap everything and start over will cost you money but it will also obviously cost you some time. You'll have to delay the next production run until you can get the defect or mistake ironed out and ensure that you are manufacturing the product 100 percent correctly. A long delay could upset your customers and cause you to lose them if the mishaps continue.

Ensure Maximum Safety

There are some industries where absolute precision in manufacturing is required. If you are building something for an airplane, just as an example, you need to get it exactly right in order to protect people while they are up in the air. A first-article inspection can also make sure that whatever you are producing meets safety requirements or government regulations for the industry in question.

A first article inspection lets your company know if mass production is ready to roll or if you need to go back to the drawing board in order to ensure absolute perfection before you start manufacturing your next product. Contact a provider of first-article inspections to learn more.

Share  

Search