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Request Engineering ReviewAn injection molding FAI report should identify the controlled sample, drawing revision and cavity, then connect every ballooned characteristic to its requirement, measurement method, actual result and final disposition. The purpose is a traceable record of first-sample conformity—not simply photographs or a summary marked PASS for precision injection molding .
An FAI is point-in-time conformance evidence for a controlled molded sample. It shows whether that identified sample matches the released requirements; it does not demonstrate that the production process will remain capable over time.
FAI answers one question: did this identified molded sample conform to the released requirements? Process stability, production approval and final mold acceptance require their own supporting evidence.
Repeating an FAI should be based on the scope of change and potential product impact. A new mold normally requires a new full baseline, while a controlled change may justify a partial or targeted FAI limited to the affected cavities and characteristics.
| Trigger | Typical Scope | Minimum Review Focus |
|---|---|---|
| New Mold / Initial Approval | Full FAI | Establish the initial revision-controlled baseline for the required dimensions, cavities, material, visual or functional evidence, and final disposition. |
| Drawing Revision / Approved ECN | Partial or Full | Recheck the revised characteristics plus related datums, fit, interfaces or functional features that could be affected by the approved change. |
| Cavity Repair / Local Steel Change | Targeted / Partial | Verify the affected cavity, repaired geometry, interfaces, surface condition and any cavity-to-cavity characteristics influenced by the repair. |
| Material / Colorant Change | Impact Review | Determine whether shrinkage, appearance, fit or functional behavior could change, then define only the FAI evidence needed for those affected characteristics. |
| Tool Transfer / Controlled Restart | Customer / Project Defined | Confirm tool and cavity identity, sample traceability and any characteristics specifically required by the approved transfer or restart plan. |
Define the affected product condition first. For a multi-cavity tool, identify whether the change affects one cavity, several cavities or the complete tool before deciding the FAI scope. This page defines the resulting inspection evidence; the formal change-record workflow belongs in the injection molding ECN form .
A reviewable FAI must show exactly which molded sample was inspected and which approval baseline it represents. The report should connect the part number, released drawing revision, sample identity, mold and cavity, material, and inspection date before any dimensional result is accepted.
| Traceability Field | What the Reviewer Must Be Able to Confirm |
|---|---|
| Part No. + Drawing Rev. | The inspected sample was evaluated against the currently released drawing and not an obsolete revision. |
| Sample ID + Inspection Date | The recorded results belong to one identifiable sample or defined sample set from the stated inspection event. |
| Mold No. + Cavity ID | Results can be assigned to the correct tool and cavity rather than mixed across an unidentified multi-cavity sample set. |
| Material Grade + Lot | The molded sample can be tied to the approved resin condition and material lot where customer traceability requires it. |
| Report / Evidence Reference | Ballooned drawing, measurement results, images and deviation records can all be linked back to the same inspected sample. |
If one cavity is repaired or changed, do not combine its result with unaffected cavities under a single unidentified FAI sample. Record cavity-specific evidence or clearly define the inspected cavity set.
Boundary: this section establishes sample identity and traceability only. The detailed balloon IDs, nominal values, tolerances and measured results belong in the dimensional evidence section, while PASS / FAIL limits remain governed by the molded-part acceptance criteria .
Every reported dimensional characteristic should be traceable from a balloon ID on the released drawing to one recorded inspection result. The reviewer should be able to see the requirement, tolerance, actual value and status without interpreting a separate spreadsheet or guessing which feature was measured.
| Balloon | Requirement | Actual Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| #01 |
Overall width 50.00 ± 0.10 mm |
50.04 mm | PASS |
| #02 |
Hole diameter Ø6.00 +0.05 / 0 mm |
6.03 mm | PASS |
| #03 |
Flatness 0.15 mm max |
0.11 mm | PASS |
| #04 |
Snap-fit gap 1.20 ± 0.10 mm |
1.31 mm | HOLD |
If the drawing image is illustrative rather than an anonymized production record, label it clearly as an example. Do not present synthetic dimensions or PASS data as actual customer evidence.
Boundary: this section defines how drawing requirements and recorded results should be mapped. The choice of CMM, optical system, gauge or fixture belongs in the measurement-method section, while HOLD, deviation and approval disposition are controlled separately.
A reported FAI result is only reviewable when the inspection method is suitable for the characteristic and its tolerance. The report should identify how each critical feature was verified and preserve enough raw evidence to trace the summarized result back to the inspection record.
Suitable for controlled dimensional and GD&T features that require coordinate-based measurement and traceable actual values.
Useful for small profiles, edges or geometry that is difficult to contact reliably with a conventional probe.
Appropriate when the specified feature can be verified with a controlled calibrated gauge or dimensional instrument.
Used when fit, seating, interface or another functional condition is the approved requirement rather than a standalone dimension.
| Characteristic | Typical Method | Required Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| GD&T / Datum Relation | CMM | Actual result linked to the characteristic plus identifiable raw CMM output. |
| Small Profile / Edge Feature | Optical | Recorded value or image-based result traceable to the inspected sample. |
| Simple Diameter / Gap | Gauge / Instrument | Actual result plus gauge or instrument identification where required. |
| Assembly / Interface CTQ | Functional Fixture | Defined test condition, sample identity and recorded functional outcome. |
A CTQ marked PASS should not rely only on a typed summary value. Keep the underlying measurement record identifiable by sample, characteristic and inspection event.
Boundary: this section explains whether the inspection method and raw evidence support the reported characteristic. It does not define MSA, Gage R&R, process capability or production SPC, and it does not decide how a nonconforming result is finally approved or rejected.
An FAI should show more than a final PASS box. When a characteristic does not cleanly meet the released requirement, the report should identify the affected feature, current disposition, deviation reference, approval owner and required follow-up so an open issue cannot be mistaken for unconditional approval.
The inspected characteristic meets the released requirement with no open exception affecting approval.
The sample may proceed only under a documented deviation, concession or other defined approval condition.
Approval remains open while evidence, correction, engineering review or a replacement sample is still required.
The reported condition is not accepted and requires correction before the affected FAI scope can be released.
| Record Field | What Should Be Documented |
|---|---|
| Affected Characteristic | Balloon ID, feature or requirement associated with the open or nonconforming result. |
| Measured / Observed Condition | Actual result, observed defect or failed functional condition that triggered the disposition review. |
| Current Disposition | PASS, conditional approval, HOLD or REJECT shown explicitly rather than hidden in general report notes. |
| Deviation Reference | Deviation, waiver, concession or engineering disposition identifier when acceptance differs from the released basis. |
| Approval Owner | Responsible quality, engineering or customer reviewer plus the recorded approval date where required. |
| Follow-up Requirement | Rework, corrected sample, partial re-FAI or other required evidence needed to close the open condition. |
A general report marked PASS should not override an individual characteristic that is still on HOLD or covered by an open deviation. The characteristic-level status and final report disposition must agree.
Boundary: this section records the disposition of FAI evidence; it does not define the complete PPAP submission process. When the customer requires PFMEA, Control Plan, MSA, capability studies, PSW or other production approval records, use the PPAP Level 3 document requirements as the separate submission reference.
An FAI package can contain measurements and still be unreviewable. Customer or SQE rejection usually occurs when the evidence cannot be tied to the correct revision, sample, cavity, characteristic or disposition, or when an open exception is presented as if it were fully approved.
| Review Failure | Why It Creates Risk | Required Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong / Unclear Drawing Revision | Results may belong to an obsolete approval baseline. | Identify the released revision and link all results to it. |
| Sample or Cavity Not Identified | The reviewer cannot determine which molded condition produced the reported result. | Record sample ID, mold number and cavity ID before approval. |
| Balloon / Result Mismatch | A measured value cannot be traced reliably to its drawing characteristic. | Reconcile balloon IDs, requirements and result rows one-to-one. |
| PASS Without Supporting Evidence | A summary status cannot be verified against raw dimensional, visual or functional evidence. | Attach or reference the relevant inspection record. |
| Open Deviation Without Approval | A nonconforming characteristic may be mistaken for unconditional acceptance. | Record the deviation reference, owner, status and follow-up. |
| Mixed Evidence From Different Samples | Drawing, CMM, visual or functional records may not represent the same controlled sample set. | Rebuild the package around one traceable sample / cavity basis. |
The report header and attached drawing do not show the same released revision.
A characteristic is marked PASS but no identifiable measurement or inspection record supports it.
HOLD or deviation conditions remain open while the package summary appears fully approved.
A reviewable FAI should not require the customer to reconstruct the evidence chain. Revision, sample, cavity, balloon, measurement and disposition should agree across the report and its attachments before the package is submitted.
Use this 4-page engineering template to organize sample identity, cavity traceability, dimensional results, measurement evidence, deviations and final approval in one reviewable FAI package. It is designed as a practical reporting aid rather than a generic quality-summary guide.
The form follows the same evidence chain used throughout this guide, so the reviewer can move from the controlled sample to the measured result and final disposition without rebuilding the record manually.
Use with project requirements: the template does not replace the released drawing, customer specification, approved inspection plan or customer-specific PPAP requirements. Adapt the report scope to the actual FAI approval basis.
These final questions address common molded-part FAI review issues without repeating the detailed evidence requirements covered above.
Include the supporting evidence required to verify the reported results, such as the ballooned drawing, raw dimensional output, material identification, visual or functional records, and any applicable deviation reference.
Use cavity-specific evidence when the customer requires separate traceability, a cavity has been repaired or changed, or the inspection scope needs to distinguish cavity-to-cavity results.
Yes. Assembly, snap-fit, sealing, seating or another approved functional requirement may need separate evidence even when the drawing-linked dimensional results are within tolerance.
A partial or targeted FAI may be appropriate when the approved change has a clearly defined impact and the affected characteristics and cavities can be isolated without rebuilding the complete baseline.
SPI can review the required sample traceability, ballooned results, CMM or other inspection evidence, deviation status and document structure before the package is submitted for customer approval.
