FAI Approval Preview Traceable Evidence
Ballooned drawing and CMM results in an injection molding FAI report
Drawing: Revision controlled
Cavity: Traceable
CTQ: Actual results
Status: Disposition recorded
Ballooned drawing, measured results and approval traceability shown as one reviewable FAI evidence set.
First Article Inspection (FAI)

First Article Inspection Report for Injection Molding: FAI Fields and Approval Evidence

A first article inspection report for injection molding should show which molded sample was inspected, the drawing revision and cavity it represents, what each ballooned characteristic requires, how it was measured, the actual result, and the final approval disposition. The objective is a traceable first-sample conformance record—not only photos or a summary marked PASS.

Scope boundary: This page owns the FAI report and supporting evidence for molded-part sample approval. It does not define long-run process capability, production QC sampling or SPC, complete PPAP requirements, final part acceptance criteria, or mold-tool sign-off. Broader validation belongs in the Injection Mold Validation Guide .
Drawing Revision & Sample Traceability
Ballooned CTQ & Actual Results
Measurement Method & Cavity ID
Disposition & Deviation Status
Request FAI Package Review
FAI Scope

What an Injection Molding FAI Report Proves—and What It Does Not

An injection molding FAI report is point-in-time conformance evidence for a controlled molded sample. It connects the released drawing revision, part and cavity identity, material, ballooned characteristics, inspection method, actual results, and approval disposition in one traceable record.

What the FAI Can Verify

  • Drawing conformance: actual results can be compared with nominal values, tolerances, GD&T requirements, and balloon IDs.
  • Sample traceability: drawing revision, part number, tool or cavity ID, sample identity, material grade, and inspection date can be tied together.
  • Inspection evidence: CMM, gauge, fixture, visual, or functional results can show how each required characteristic was checked.
  • Disposition visibility: PASS, conditional approval, HOLD, rejection, or deviation status can be documented for customer review.

What the FAI Does Not Prove by Itself

  • Long-run process capability: one controlled sample does not establish sustained Cp, Cpk, Pp, or Ppk performance.
  • Complete PPAP approval: FAI does not replace PFMEA, Control Plan, MSA, capability studies, PSW, or other customer-required submission elements.
  • Ongoing production control: routine sampling, SPC monitoring, containment, and production release remain part of the approved production quality plan.
  • Final tool or product acceptance: the report records evidence against an approved basis; it does not create every acceptance criterion or complete mold sign-off.
Core rule: FAI answers, “Did this controlled sample conform to the approved requirements?” Broader questions about process stability, PPAP, production control, or final mold acceptance require separate evidence.
FAI Update Triggers

When to Create, Repeat, or Partially Update an Injection Molding FAI

An FAI baseline should be reviewed when a change could affect the approved sample condition. The response does not always need to be a complete repeat FAI: the affected characteristics, cavities, material, and customer requirements should determine whether a full or partial FAI is appropriate.

Trigger Typical FAI Response What Should Be Rechecked
New Mold / Initial Approval Full FAI Establish the initial revision-controlled baseline for required dimensions, material, cavity identity, visual or functional evidence, and disposition.
Drawing Revision / ECN Partial or Full FAI Recheck revised characteristics and any related fit, datum, cosmetic, or functional features affected by the approved engineering change.
Cavity Repair / Steel Change Targeted FAI Verify the repaired cavity and affected dimensions, surface conditions, interfaces, or cavity-to-cavity relationships.
Material or Colorant Change Risk-Based Update Review characteristics that may be influenced by shrinkage, appearance, fit, or functional behavior under the approved material change.
Tool Transfer / Restart Project-Specific Recheck Confirm tool and cavity identity, sample traceability, and the characteristics required by the customer or approved restart plan.
Control rule: The FAI page should identify when conformance evidence needs to be refreshed; the complete engineering-change approval workflow belongs in the Injection Molding ECN Form . For multi-cavity tools, always identify whether the change affects one cavity or the full tool before defining the FAI scope.
FAI Report Fields

Required Fields in an Injection Molding First Article Inspection Report

A customer-reviewable FAI report should allow each inspected result to be traced from the released drawing requirement to the actual molded sample, measurement method, result, and final disposition. The report structure should make wrong-revision data, mixed-cavity samples, open deviations, and unverified characteristics immediately visible.

Field Group Required Report Fields Why It Matters for Approval
Part & Revision Identity Part number, drawing revision, sample ID, inspection date, material or resin grade, mold ID, cavity ID, and material lot where required. Confirms that the inspected sample belongs to the correct approval baseline and prevents mixed-revision or mixed-cavity results.
Balloon & Characteristic ID Balloon number, drawing feature or note, CTQ designation where applicable, datum reference, and characteristic description. Lets the reviewer trace every reported result back to a specific drawing requirement without ambiguity.
Requirement & Actual Result Nominal value, tolerance or specification, actual measured result, deviation from nominal where useful, and PASS / HOLD / RECHECK status. Shows characteristic-level conformance and makes nonconforming or unresolved results visible before sample approval.
Inspection Method CMM, optical measurement, pin or thread gauge, functional fixture, calibrated hand gauge, visual method, or other approved inspection method. Shows how the result was generated and whether the chosen method is appropriate for the characteristic being verified.
Visual & Functional Result Visual condition, photo or limit-sample reference, assembly or fit result, test condition, measured value where applicable, and sample identification. Captures approval evidence for characteristics that dimensional measurements alone cannot fully demonstrate.
Disposition & Deviation Approved, conditional approval, HOLD, rejected, deviation reference, affected characteristic, engineering disposition, and required follow-up sample where applicable. Defines the current approval status and prevents open issues from being hidden behind a general PASS statement.
Boundary: The FAI report records results against an already approved acceptance basis; it should not invent cosmetic, dimensional, or functional limits. Those PASS / FAIL criteria belong in the Injection Molding Part Acceptance Criteria .
FAI Supporting Evidence

What Evidence Should Be Attached to an Injection Molding FAI Package?

FAI Evidence Preview Reviewable
Ballooned drawing linked to measured characteristics in an injection molding FAI package
Raw CMM dimensional output supporting an injection molding FAI report
Functional fit-check evidence supporting molded part FAI approval
Drawing: Balloon mapped
Measurement: Raw data
Sample: Traceable
Function: Verified
Drawing, measurement and functional evidence combined into one reviewable first-article approval package.

The FAI report should not stand alone when a reviewer needs to verify how a recorded result was generated. Supporting attachments should allow the drawing requirement, physical sample, raw inspection data, material identity, and approval status to be cross-checked without relying only on a summarized PASS / FAIL statement.

  • Ballooned drawing: maps each reported result to the released feature, drawing note, datum, or CTQ reference.
  • Raw dimensional output: provides CMM, optical, gauge, or fixture evidence for characteristics requiring actual measured results.
  • Material evidence: identifies the approved resin or material grade, lot reference, and COA or certificate where required.
  • Visual evidence: uses photos, limit-sample references, or surface-condition records when appearance forms part of approval.
  • Functional evidence: records fit, seating, snap-fit, leak, torque, interference, or other customer-defined checks when dimensional data alone is insufficient.
  • Deviation references: identify conditional approval, HOLD items, waivers, engineering disposition, or required follow-up evidence.
Boundary: These attachments support first-sample approval. Routine production sampling, SPC trends, containment records, and ongoing release evidence belong in the Injection Molding Quality Control Plan .
SQE Review Workflow

SQE Review Sequence for an Injection Molding FAI Package

A reviewable FAI package should let an SQE or customer engineer confirm the approval baseline, sample identity, characteristic mapping, measurement evidence, open exceptions, and final disposition in a predictable sequence. Good structure reduces back-and-forth without duplicating the underlying inspection records.

Step 01

Confirm the Approval Baseline

Verify the part number, released drawing revision, material specification, and any approved change reference before reviewing measured results.

Step 02

Match Sample and Cavity Identity

Confirm that each inspected sample is traceable to the correct tool, cavity, sample ID, material condition, and inspection date.

Step 03

Trace Balloons to Results

Check that each required balloon or controlled characteristic maps directly to its specification, actual result, and reported status.

Step 04

Review the Measurement Method

Confirm that the recorded CMM, optical, gauge, fixture, visual, or functional method is appropriate for the characteristic being verified.

Step 05

Check Supporting Evidence

Review raw measurement output, material records, visual evidence, functional checks, and deviation references where the report requires supporting proof.

Step 06

Close Open Items and Disposition

Confirm that HOLD items, deviations, conditional approvals, rejected characteristics, and required follow-up samples have a clear status before approval.

Review rule: An SQE should be able to move from revision → sample → balloon → measurement → evidence → disposition without searching across unrelated files or inferring which result belongs to which cavity or sample.
FAI Approval Boundary

FAI Boundary: When a Broader PPAP Submission Is Required

FAI is primarily first-sample conformance evidence. It may support approval when the customer needs traceable confirmation that controlled molded samples meet the released drawing, material, visual, functional, and disposition requirements.

FAI May Be Sufficient

Use the FAI package when the required approval scope is limited to initial or changed-sample conformance and the customer does not require a broader production submission package.

Escalate to PPAP When Required

A broader submission may be required when the customer also requests PFMEA, Control Plan, MSA, capability evidence, PSW, production-run validation, or other program-specific approval records.

Submission rule: Do not treat FAI and PPAP as interchangeable approval systems. The required package should follow the customer, drawing, purchase specification, industry program, and approved quality plan. For the detailed PPAP document structure, review Injection Molding PPAP Documents .
FAI Sample Reference

Sample Injection Molding FAI Report Layout and PDF Reference

FAI Report Preview Sample Format
CMM inspection evidence shown as part of an injection molding FAI report
Revision: Identified
Cavity: Traceable
Results: Recorded
Status: Disposition
Example CMM and approval evidence used to illustrate a reviewable molded-part FAI report structure.

This sample PDF shows how a molded-part FAI report can organize the information needed for customer or SQE review. It is intended as a formatting reference—not as a universal inspection form or a substitute for project-specific approval requirements.

  • Header structure: part identity, drawing revision, material, mold, cavity, and sample traceability.
  • Result structure: balloon ID, requirement, actual result, inspection method, and characteristic status.
  • Approval structure: visual or functional evidence, deviation references, and final disposition where required.
  • Project adaptation: the final FAI must follow the released drawing, customer requirements, and approved inspection scope.

Injection Part FAI Summary PDF

Use the sample to review report organization and approval logic. Actual project evidence must still come from the inspected samples and controlled production records.

Open Sample FAI PDF
FAI FAQ

Injection Molding First Article Inspection FAQ

These questions focus specifically on molded-part FAI reports: supporting evidence, cavity traceability, functional verification, update triggers, and the limits of first-sample approval.

What should be included besides the FAI report sheet?

Supporting evidence may include the ballooned drawing, raw CMM or gauge results, material identification, visual records, functional or fit-check evidence, and deviation references. The required attachments should match the drawing, customer requirements, and agreed inspection scope.

When should cavity-specific FAI data be reported?

Cavity-specific reporting is important when a multi-cavity tool requires separate traceability, when a cavity has been repaired or modified, or when measured results suggest cavity-to-cavity variation. The report should identify the relevant cavity and sample instead of mixing results.

Can a molded part pass dimensional FAI but still require functional evidence?

Yes. Drawing-linked dimensions may conform while assembly, sealing, snap-fit, seating, interference, or another functional requirement still needs verification. When function forms part of approval, the FAI package should include the applicable fixture, fit-check, or test evidence.

When should an injection molding FAI be repeated or partially updated?

Review the FAI baseline after changes that may affect approved characteristics or traceability, such as a drawing revision, ECN, cavity repair, material change, tool transfer, or defined restart condition. The affected scope determines whether a full or partial FAI is appropriate.

Does a passing FAI prove long-term process capability or replace PPAP?

No. FAI is primarily point-in-time conformance evidence for controlled samples. It does not by itself establish sustained process capability or replace a broader PPAP submission when the customer requires Control Plan, PFMEA, MSA, capability studies, PSW, or other production approval records.

FAI Engineering Review

Need an FAI Package Review for Your Injection Molded Part?

Send your released drawing, CTQ requirements, resin specification, cavity plan, and customer-specific approval requirements. SPI can review the FAI structure, traceability logic, inspection evidence, and disposition fields before the package is submitted for customer or SQE approval.

Released Drawing CTQ Requirements Resin Specification Cavity Plan Approval Requirements
Submit Drawing for FAI Review

For controlled or customer-restricted drawings, include any applicable NDA, file-handling, or document-control requirements with the inquiry.