AS9102 Form 1 vs Form 2 vs Form 3 Explained
If you are building your first AS9102 First Article Inspection Report, the three-form structure can be confusing.
This guide covers AS9102 Form 1 vs Form 2 vs Form 3 explained in practical terms: what data goes where, who is responsible for each form, and where the real time gets spent.
AS9102 is the aerospace industry standard for First Article Inspection. It requires three forms that together document every aspect of part verification: the part identity, the materials and processes used, and the dimensional/geometric characteristics measured.
AS9102 Form 1 vs Form 2 vs Form 3 explained: The Quick Overview
Form 1: Part Number Accountability.
This is the cover sheet. It identifies the part, the drawing revision, the production order, and the supplier information. It also captures the FAI result (pass/fail) and any partial FAI justification.
Form 2: Product Accountability (Raw Material, Special Processes, and Functional Testing).
This documents material certifications, special process certifications (heat treatment, surface treatment, NDT), and any functional test results. It proves that the right material was used and the right processes were applied.
Form 3: Characteristic Accountability, Verification, and Compatibility Evaluation.
This is the big one. Every dimensional and geometric characteristic on the drawing gets a row with nominal value, tolerance, limits, actual measured value, and inspection method. On a complex part, Form 3 can have 50 to 100+ rows.
Form 1: Part Number Accountability
Form 1 is the administrative wrapper. Most of the fields are straightforward:
- Part number, part name, part revision
- Drawing number, drawing revision
- Organization name and approval
- Manufacturing process reference
- FAI report number
- Partial FAI reason (if applicable)
Where shops lose time on Form 1: The partial FAI justification. AS9102 allows a partial FAI (instead of full) when a design change affects only some characteristics. But you must document which characteristics changed and why the unchanged characteristics do not need re-inspection. Getting this justification wrong means the customer rejects the FAI and you re-inspect everything anyway.
Data source: Title block of the drawing, purchase order, and your internal production records.
Form 2: Product Accountability
Form 2 documents the "invisible" requirements: material and process compliance.
For each raw material:
- Material specification (AMS 4045, AMS 2024, etc.)
- Material supplier and heat/lot number
- Mill certificate reference
- Actual chemistry/properties vs. specification requirements
For each special process:
- Process type (heat treatment, anodize, plating, NDT, etc.)
- Process specification
- Processor name and NADCAP certification number (if applicable)
- Certification/test report reference
For functional tests:
- Test description, specification, and results
Where shops lose time on Form 2: Chasing certifications from suppliers. Your anodize vendor's NADCAP cert expired. Your material supplier sent a mill cert that references an old AMS revision. Your heat treatment vendor's certification number is missing from their report. Each one requires a phone call and a follow-up, and each one delays FAI submission.
Data source: Mill certificates, process certificates, NADCAP certificates, test reports. All external documents from your supply chain.
FORM 3 IS THE ONE THAT EATS YOUR DAY
Forms 1 and 2 are paperwork. Form 3 is every characteristic on the drawing, and Mavlon builds it for you, ballooned and numbered
Bring your hardest drawing. Watch it become a Form 3 live.
Form 3: Characteristic Accountability
Form 3 is where 80% of the labor goes. Each row represents one inspectable characteristic:
- Characteristic number (sequential)
- Reference location (sheet, view, detail)
- Characteristic designator (Critical, Major, Minor)
- Requirement (the tolerance expression from the drawing)
- Nominal value
- Upper and lower limits
- Actual measured value
- Inspection method (caliper, CMM, bore gauge, etc.)
On a 7-sheet aerospace bracket we analyzed, Form 3 required 95 characteristics. That means 95 rows, each requiring the correct nominal, tolerance (sourced from explicit callouts, blanket tolerances, or fit class expansion), limits, designator, and inspection method.
Where shops lose time on Form 3: Tolerance sourcing. Not every dimension has an explicit tolerance on the drawing. Untoleranced dimensions need their tolerance looked up from ISO 2768mk or the ASME general tolerance block.
Fit classes (G6, H7) need expansion to actual limits. GD&T callouts need correct symbol identification and datum references. This lookup and interpretation work is where the 4 to 6 hours of manual preparation goes.
Data source: The engineering drawing (every sheet, every view, every note).
For how the current tools fill these forms automatically, see this comparison of FAI software.
How the Three Forms Work Together
Think of it as three layers of verification:
Form 1 answers: "Is this the right part, at the right revision, from the right supplier?"
Form 2 answers: "Was it made from the right material, with the right processes?"
Form 3 answers: "Does it meet every dimensional and geometric requirement on the drawing?"
All three must pass for the FAI to be accepted. A perfect Form 3 with a missing material cert on Form 2 means the FAI is rejected. A complete Form 2 with an incorrect part revision on Form 1 means the FAI is rejected.
Common Mistakes Across All Three Forms
Form 1 mistake: Using the wrong drawing revision. If the drawing has been revised since the purchase order was issued, you need to confirm with the customer which revision to build and inspect to.
Form 2 mistake: Not including NADCAP certification for special processes. Many aerospace customers require NADCAP-accredited processors for heat treatment and surface treatment. If your vendor is not NADCAP certified, you may need to switch vendors.
Form 3 mistake: Leaving tolerance fields blank for untoleranced dimensions. The inspector cannot verify a dimension without acceptance criteria. Every row needs a tolerance, even if it comes from a blanket standard.
Mavlon Automates the Hardest Part: Form 3
While Form 1 and Form 2 are administrative (important but relatively quick to assemble), Form 3 is the labor-intensive technical work.
Mavlon reads the 2D drawing, extracts every characteristic, applies the correct tolerance from the correct source, assigns designators and inspection methods, and outputs a pre-populated Form 3 ready for the inspector to fill in measured values.
On the 95-characteristic bracket, Mavlon reduced Form 3 preparation from 4 to 6 hours to minutes.
Test it on your real drawing. Not a sample.