Free FAI report template: AS9102 Forms 1, 2 and 3
You have just won a new part, and the customer's purchase order says one line that stops you cold: "First Article Inspection per AS9102 required before first shipment." You search for a template, and you find a dozen broken Excel files, each laid out differently. Which one is correct? What goes in each box? And how long is this going to take?
A first article inspection (FAI) report template is simply a structured form that records that the very first part off a new process meets every requirement on the drawing. Under AS9102 Rev C it is three linked forms. This guide explains exactly what each form needs, gives you a clean template structure you can rebuild in Excel in minutes, and shows a faster way to produce the whole package online.
What an AS9102 FAI template actually contains
AS9102 organises the report into three forms. A complete template has one block for each. Skip any of the three and most aerospace customers will reject the submission on sight.
| Form | Name | What it records |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1 | Part Number Accountability | Part number, revision, drawing number, FAIR number, and every sub-assembly part rolled into the top assembly |
| Form 2 | Product Accountability | Materials, special processes (heat treat, plating, NDT) and the certifications that prove each one |
| Form 3 | Characteristic Accountability | Every ballooned characteristic with its requirement, actual measured result, and pass or fail status |
Form 3 is where the real work lives. A typical machined bracket has 80 to 250 characteristics, and each one becomes a row. For the difference between this and the automotive route, see our guide on AS9102 vs PPAP.
The FAI report template structure
Here is the minimum column set your Form 3 template needs. Build these as headers in a spreadsheet and you have a working, audit-ready FAI template.
| Column | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Char. No. | Balloon number from the drawing | 17 |
| Reference Location | Sheet and zone on the drawing | Sht 1, Zone C4 |
| Characteristic | Type of feature | Diameter |
| Requirement | Nominal and tolerance from the drawing | ⌀5.00 +0.05 / -0.05 |
| Result | Actual measured value | 5.012 |
| Designation | P (pass), F (fail) or NA | P |
| Inspection Method | Instrument or technique used | Pin gauge |
| Non-conformance Ref | NCR number if the row fails | — |
How to fill the template, step by step
Step 1: Balloon the drawing first
Before a single row is typed, every dimension, note and default tolerance on the drawing needs a unique balloon number. Balloon number 17 on the drawing must equal row 17 in the template. If you are new to this, our explainer on the first article inspection checklist walks through the full sequence.
Step 2: Transfer requirements
Copy the nominal and tolerance for each balloon into the Requirement column exactly as drawn, including the general-note defaults such as "untoleranced dimensions per ISO 2768-mK." Missed general tolerances are the single most common reason a Form 3 comes up short on characteristic count.
Step 3: Measure and record
Enter the actual reading in the Result column, then mark P, F or NA. Anything sitting inside the last 20 percent of the tolerance band deserves a note, because auditors flag borderline passes that carry no comment.
Step 4: Attach the evidence
Form 2 needs the material test report and every special-process certificate. Form 1 needs the ballooned drawing itself. A template without these attachments is only a third of a submission.
Common mistakes that get a template rejected
- Characteristic count mismatch. The drawing has 187 features, the template has 184. Auditors count, so the numbers must agree.
- Drawing revision drift. The FAI references Rev A while parts shipped to Rev B. Lock the revision in the header.
- Method-tolerance mismatch. A caliper logged against a tight bore tolerance.
- Missing sub-tier FAIs. No reference to the forging or casting supplier's own FAI.
- Expired process certificates. A heat-treat certificate valid at PO date but lapsed by FAI date.
A faster way than a blank template
A blank Excel template still leaves you ballooning by hand and re-typing every requirement, which is where the 4 to 6 hours go on a 200-characteristic part. CadNexa's auto-ballooning tool reads the PDF drawing with Smart Detect plus Box+Balloon OCR, places the balloons, and pre-fills the requirement, tolerance and type for each row. You verify the readings, enter measured results, and export Form 1, 2 and 3 as PDF, editable HTML or CSV.
It runs entirely in the browser, the drawing never leaves your computer, and the free tier is enough to complete a first part. For a full walk-through, read how to create an FAI report in 10 minutes, or browse the wider CadNexa learning centre.
Skip the blank template
Open a PDF drawing and generate a ballooned AS9102 package in minutes — free, no card required.
Generate an FAI Report — Free →Frequently asked questions
Is there a free AS9102 FAI report template?
Yes. You can build a compliant template in any spreadsheet using the three AS9102 forms and the Form 3 column set shown above. The forms are defined by SAE AS9102 Rev C, so the structure is standardised. The slow part is not the template, it is ballooning and populating it, which is what an online generator removes.
What is the difference between Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3?
Form 1 accounts for the part numbers and assemblies, Form 2 accounts for materials and special processes with their certificates, and Form 3 records every drawing characteristic with its measured result. All three are required for a complete FAIR.
Can I use the same template for PPAP?
Not directly. PPAP is the automotive equivalent and bundles the dimensional results with a control plan, PFMEA, MSA and a process flow diagram. The characteristic results overlap, but the wider package differs. CadNexa can output results in both AS9102 and PPAP formats from the same ballooned drawing.
Do I need a ballooned drawing to go with the template?
In practice, yes. AS9102 Rev C asks for every characteristic to be uniquely identified, and almost every aerospace customer expects a ballooned drawing alongside Form 3 so each result traces back to a feature.
How long should an FAI take with a template?
Manual ballooning plus filling a blank template runs 4 to 6 hours for a 200-characteristic part. Auto-ballooning and generating the forms online brings the same job under 30 minutes, with fewer transcription errors.
By Rajadurai R — Founder, 14 years plant-head experience.