First Article Inspection software that generates AS9102 Rev C FAIRs from the drawing.
V5 runs the FAI: drawing balloon, characteristic list, Forms 1 / 2 / 3, measurement capture from CMM / calipers / gauges, non-conformance handling, supplier submission and customer approval — with delta-FAI logic that only re-inspects what actually changed.
What breaks without this.
FAIRs are Excel and PDFs
Ballooned drawing in one PDF, Form 3 in Excel, measurement data pasted from CMM printouts — reconciliation is manual and error rate is high.
Delta FAI is treated as full FAI
A minor characteristic change triggers a full re-inspection because nobody trusts the delta logic — cost and lead time explode.
Supplier FAIRs arrive incomplete
Forms without matching balloon numbers, missing measurement records, wrong revision drawing — QA rejects and the loop restarts.
Records-by-execution. Compliance, by design.
Drawing balloon and characteristic list
Upload PDF or STEP; balloon on-screen; auto-generate the characteristic list with tolerance, method and inspection frequency — the source of truth for Form 3.
Forms 1, 2 and 3 auto-populated
Part number, revision, materials, processes, functional testing, special processes — pulled from the item master and routing, not typed twice.
Direct measurement capture
CMM (PC-DMIS, Calypso, Modus), calipers, micrometers, height gauges, hardness — direct or barcode-driven capture with in-tolerance / out-of-tolerance auto-flagged.
Delta FAI logic
Change in drawing revision, process, sub-tier supplier, material lot, tooling or 2-year lapse triggers targeted delta — with Rev C decision tree evidenced automatically.
Supplier + customer portal
Supplier submits FAIR through the portal with completeness check; customer QA reviews, approves or rejects with rationale — all e-signed and archived.
What to look for when you're buying.
FAI (AS9102) is where aerospace and defence programs fail on the paperwork. Criteria below are what to check.
AS9102 Rev C forms
What it tests: Are Forms 1/2/3 generated per Rev C?
Why it matters: Prime contractors reject non-conforming forms outright.
V5: Rev C forms generated with validation.
Ballooning to CAD
What it tests: Is drawing ballooning linked to CAD annotations?
Why it matters: Manual ballooning drops characteristics.
V5: CAD-linked ballooning with characteristic capture.
Delta FAI decisioning
What it tests: Is delta FAI vs full FAI decided by change class?
Why it matters: Missed delta FAI is program-critical.
V5: Change class drives delta / full decision.
Supplier submission portal
What it tests: Do suppliers submit FAI to you via portal?
Why it matters: Email FAI is the failure mode.
V5: Supplier portal with in-record review.
PPAP interop
What it tests: Does the system produce PPAP where automotive customers require it?
Why it matters: Programs cross industries.
V5: PPAP levels 1-5 outputs supported.
Spreadsheet vs legacy QMS vs V5.
FAI approaches.
| Capability | Spreadsheet | Legacy QMS | V5 Ultimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rev C forms | Manual | Static template | Generated with validation |
| CAD-linked ballooning | PDF markup | Separate tool | Native |
| Delta FAI | Judgement | Manual | Change-driven |
| Supplier portal | Optional | Native |
The clauses, verbatim — and how V5 answers each.
FAI standards.
First article inspection for aerospace...
V5: Form generation, characteristic capture and submission per Rev C.
Production process verification...
V5: Process verification records tie to FAI submission.
Production Part Approval Process...
V5: PPAP outputs supported for cross-industry programs.
Step by step on the floor.
FAI lifecycle.
- 1Set up
Drawing balloned
CAD-linked ballooning captures characteristics.
- 2Produce
First article made
Production run captured under DHR.
- 3Measure
Characteristics recorded
Metrology data captured with instrument linkage.
- 4Submit
Forms generated & submitted
Rev C forms delivered to customer portal.
- 5Change
Delta / full FAI decided
Class-based decision automated.
The math, with the assumptions visible.
FAI ROI is program throughput and customer confidence.
FAI cycle time
CAD-linked capture and form generation.
Customer rejection
Validated Rev C outputs.
Programs typically expand supplier base once FAI is repeatable and fast.
What changed on the floor.
Setting
An aerospace prime supplier.
Before
FAI cycle 3 weeks; occasional Rev C rejections.
After
FAI cycle 4 days; zero Rev C rejections in the last 12 months.
Proof points
- AS9102 Rev C Forms 1/2/3 generated from the drawing balloon
- Delta FAI logic follows Rev C decision tree — no over-inspection
- CMM data captured direct, not re-keyed
- Supplier portal enforces completeness before submission
Built to satisfy
- AS9102 Rev C (Aerospace First Article Inspection Requirement)
- AS9100D §8.5.1.3 (production process verification)
- IAQG SCMH 7.5 (FAI guidance)
- AS13100 (aero-engine supplement)
Related on V5
Frequently asked questions
Does V5 auto-balloon from PDF or STEP?+
PDF ballooning is on-screen with AI-assist suggestions the inspector confirms; STEP ballooning reads the PMI/GD&T annotations directly where the model carries them.
Which CMM software does V5 integrate with?+
PC-DMIS, Calypso, Modus, PolyWorks, Verisurf — direct results parsing. Others via CSV/XML export.
How does delta FAI actually work?+
V5 keeps the last full FAIR as baseline; a change event (drawing rev, process, sub-tier, material, tooling, 2-year lapse) computes the delta scope automatically per AS9102 Rev C §5.4, and only the affected characteristics require re-measurement.
See V5 on your own line.
Free trial, no card. Live in 7 days with guided onboarding.