PCB First Article Inspection (FAI) is conducted to verify that a printed circuit board (PCB) fully complies with design specifications, manufacturing standards, and customer requirements prior to mass production. This critical process prevents large-scale defects and reduces overall production costs. Below is a detailed, step-by-step guide to the PCB FAI process, covering preparation, inspection items, methods, and result handling.

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For more professional information about PCB  First Article Inspection, please refer to the following content.

Why Do We Need PCB First Article Inspection?

Essentially, qualification reports certify the manufacturing processes adopted by a manufacturer, while FAI verifies that these processes can consistently produce PCBs that meet expectations during normal production runs. It should be noted that FAI does not apply to purchased vendor parts. Typically, FAI is required when a manufacturer produces PCBs based on a customer’s technical data package, and the supplier has no prior experience manufacturing that specific PCB.

FAI is a standard process designed to ensure that the design characteristics of a PCB, as provided to the manufacturer, are accurately realized in the actual produced product. Customers may require a full or partial re-performance of FAI in the event of the following changes:

• A change in the source or location of PCB production

• A design change that significantly impacts the form, fit, or function of the PCB

• A significant change in manufacturing, assembly, inspection, or testing processes

• A significant modification to any manufacturing equipment

• Natural or man-made incidents that adversely affect manufacturing processes

• A prolonged interruption in the production process

• A significant decline in test yields

• Any change in manufacturing and/or testing personnel on the production line

• Any change in vendor-supplied items that involve age factors or revision updates

Therefore, it is crucial for customers to clarify the purpose of FAI, enabling Rush PCB to mitigate the risks outlined above. Unlike many other suppliers that treat FAI as a perfunctory checkbox item, Rush PCB recognizes its fundamental importance in ensuring product quality.

How to Prepare for PCB First Article Inspection?

Conducting FAI in the early stages ensures that engineers and technicians fully understand and consider customer requirements, and have integrated these requirements into the manufacturing processes.

The pressure to bring products to market quickly often compresses design schedules, leading to rushed PCB assembly design, testing, and production preparation—all of which increase the risk of errors. For this reason, customers often partner with contract manufacturers like Rush PCB, who recognize and value the importance of approval processes such as FAI. By identifying potential issues early, FAI allows customers to implement corrective actions promptly, avoiding costly rework later.

Who Conducts First Article Inspection?

FAI is critical to ensuring high yields in high-volume PCB assembly manufacturing. But who is responsible for conducting it? At Rush PCB, there are three options, prioritized as follows:

1. Customer-conducted at our Shenzhen SMT assembly facility (Most preferred): If no defects are found during FAI, we can initiate mass production immediately, minimizing production downtime and maximizing work efficiency.

2. Joint online inspection by the customer and Rush PCB (Second preferred): We provide high-definition photos and transmit inspection/test results in accordance with established inspection procedures and quality control (QC) standards. While this option takes slightly longer and requires a longer production pause, the joint inspection ensures more thorough and meticulous verification.

3. Rush PCB-conducted per mutually agreed inspection procedures (Third preferred): The disadvantage of this option is that potential inspection items may be overlooked if not explicitly specified by the customer.

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How to Perform PCB First Article Inspection?

FAI for PCB manufacturing is an extremely thorough process. Your contract manufacturer (CM) must validate that 100% of your documented requirements are met in the first production build. To achieve this, the CM should focus closely on the following key areas:

• Measurable attributes: All quantifiable board characteristics—such as dimensions, voltage, and resistance—must be measured and recorded. These values are then cross-verified against the original design specifications to ensure compliance.

• Manufacturing errors: Any issues arising during the assembly process (e.g., component insertion problems, soldering defects) must be analyzed, and necessary changes or corrections implemented.

• Supplier validation: All parts and materials installed on the PCB (including subassemblies, sheet metal, cables, and wiring harnesses) must be verified to match their specified requirements.

• Documentation clarity: Ambiguities in documented requirements are a common source of confusion in PCB manufacturing. FAI helps identify any discrepancies between documented requirements and the customer’s actual expectations, ensuring alignment before mass production.