In high-stakes industries like aerospace, medtech, and automotive, delivering quality isn’t optional; it’s expected. Yet even with advanced tools and processes, manufacturers continue to face production delays, rework, and nonconformance issues that impact both customer trust and bottom lines.

Two critical tools in the quality toolkit, first article inspection (FAI) and the CAR process (Corrective Action Request), can help teams move from reacting to problems to preventing them. Used together, they can create a feedback loop that strengthens product quality at every stage of development and manufacturing.

What is First Article Inspection?

First article inspection is a process that verifies whether the first part produced under a new or revised manufacturing process meets all specified requirements. It’s commonly used when:

• Launching a new product
• Changing materials or suppliers
• Updating tooling or design
• Introducing new manufacturing locations

FAI is more than a checklist. It requires thorough dimensional analysis, material verification, and a full review of all design features. When performed correctly, FAI acts as a gatekeeper, helping teams catch problems early before they move further into production.

But even with detailed inspections, things can still go wrong. That’s where the CAR process comes in.

What is the CAR Process?

The CAR process is a structured method for identifying, investigating, and resolving quality issues when they occur. It goes beyond simply correcting a defect. The goal is to uncover the root cause and implement long-term corrective actions to prevent the problem from recurring.

A CAR is typically triggered by:

• Failed inspections (including FAIs)
• Customer complaints
• Internal audits
• Supplier quality issues

The steps in a typical CAR process include documenting the issue, analyzing the root cause, planning corrective action, implementing the fix, and verifying results. This process creates accountability, ensures consistency, and gives teams a clear path from problem to resolution.

How FAI and CAR Work Together

Sometimes teams treat first article inspection and CARs as separate processes. One checks parts at the beginning, the other addresses issues down the line. But when combined into a connected quality strategy, they provide continuous improvement across the product lifecycle.

For example:

• If a part fails FAI due to a supplier deviation, a CAR can be triggered to investigate the cause and prevent it from happening again.
• If recurring defects show up in production, reviewing past FAI results can help identify missed details or weak points in the initial inspection process.
• When CAR data is centralized and visible, it can inform smarter inspection criteria for future FAIs.

This loop: inspect, correct, improve, creates a proactive quality system that evolves with every production cycle.

Benefits of a Connected Quality Approach

When FAI and CAR processes are managed on a single platform, quality teams gain visibility across departments, suppliers, and products. Here’s how that adds value:

• Faster resolution times: Teams can trace quality issues back to specific components, lots, or suppliers, reducing time spent searching for answers.
• Better supplier collaboration: Shared access to FAI results and CAR records helps suppliers take ownership and improve faster.
• Audit readiness: Digital records ensure that every inspection, action, and decision is documented, reducing stress during compliance audits.
• Smarter decision-making: Trends in CAR submissions or FAI failures can highlight systemic issues, helping leadership prioritize investments in training, tools, or process changes.

Moving From Reactive to Preventive Quality

Most manufacturers already conduct FAIs and manage CARs in some form. The problem isn’t the process; it’s the disconnect between both processes. When FAI results are stuck in spreadsheets and CAR workflows live in siloed systems, teams miss opportunities to learn from past issues.

Cloud-based platforms solve this by connecting teams and data in one place, allowing users to launch a CAR process directly from a failed first article inspection or link FAI records to broader quality trends across the enterprise. That kind of visibility empowers teams to close the loop and prevent small problems from becoming large ones.

Final Thoughts

In manufacturing today, speed, quality, and compliance must work together, not compete. By linking first article inspection with the CAR process, teams can build a foundation for continuous improvement that supports better products, happier customers, and stronger margins.

It’s not about doing more work. It’s about using the work you’re already doing: inspections, corrections, and audits, in smarter, more connected ways. For manufacturers who want to stop chasing problems and start preventing them, closing the quality loop is the next logical step.