Making Manufacturing Easier

Why You Should Require A First Article Inspection When Preparing To Work With A Manufacturing Business

7 March 2022 by Izak Wassing

If you're going to be working with a manufacturing business of some kind to have items made for yourself or your business, there are a variety of steps that need to be taken. For one thing, you will probably want to have them make a prototype or sample of the item that you're planning on hiring them to mass produce. When they make this product, you should ask them to work with a first article inspection service to have the sample inspected by a third party. If you aren't convinced that you should ask the manufacturer to do this, consider these reasons why requiring a first article inspection is a good idea for you as a customer.

Make Sure Your Specifications Were Properly Understood

When you first started working with the manufacturing business, they might have asked you for a design. After all, without knowing what you want, it would be impossible for them to make your product like you want it. You might have drawn out your plan by hand or with a computer software program, and you might have provided measurements and other specifications. As long as you were thorough and accurate with your design, and as long as the person who was working on the project was paying attention, then you shouldn't have to worry about any misunderstandings. However, sometimes, mistakes happen. A first article inspection will allow you to make sure that the manufacturing team understands your specifications and design and has followed them when making your product.

Ensure You're Happy With the Quality of Work and Materials

Even if you aren't worried about your item not being made to your specifications, you should still consider having a first article inspection done. This allows you to take a better look at the quality of work that was done, as well as the quality of the materials that were used. Then, you can determine whether or not you want to continue working with the same manufacturer, and you can let them know if there are any changes that you would like for them to make.

Make Sure You're Working With a Reputable Business

Lastly, a reputable business should not mind going through the first article inspection process. Therefore, if you choose a company that is willing to go through this process, this is one indication that you have chosen a business that you can count on. Just make sure that you do other research about the company, too, such as by verifying that they are insured and checking their reputation and reviews online.

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