Characteristic accountability in the aerospace industry refers to the verification and compatibility of specific characteristics or components within an aircraft or related system. It involves ensuring that each part of an aircraft meets stringent and required standards, performs its designated function effectively and is traceable back to its source or responsible party. This form helps engineers validate each component and characteristic of the part and demonstrates how it fits into the overall design of the aircraft itself.

Characteristic Accountability Basics: What Is a FAIR?

To uphold stringent safety demands across the industry, experts in aerospace follow a rigid series of assessment protocols to ensure that all downstream manufacturing follows the same processes. 

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) introduced its standard for First Article Inspection (FAI) requirements in 2000. This document, known as AS9102, was developed to consolidate the various forms, schematics and processes into a “single source of truth” for all design and downstream manufacturing teams to follow.

As part of a First Article Inspection Report (FAIR), the characteristic accountability form within the AS9102 documents shows how to properly examine the quality of mass-produced components. By following the FAIR, samples from an initial production run are selected at random and compared to the exact customer requirements. 

AS9102 is comprised of three forms in total:

  • Part Number Accountability
    • Filling out this form helps to track the serial numbers and specific names of parts for both the design and manufacturing process.
  • Product Accountability
    • Once a part number has been verified, the product accountability form details the raw material specifications and testing processes to follow.
  • Characteristic Accountability
    • Characteristic accountability for FAI showcases inspection reports and details how the process will be implemented alongside the other methods utilized in the production process.

A Closer Look at Characteristic Accountability

In an industry with zero tolerance for manufacturing defects, the final form of the FAIR acts as the ultimate quality assurance checkpoint.

For example, if there’s a defect in a particular component of an aircraft, characteristic accountability would involve identifying which company manufactured that component, when it was installed and which maintenance procedures were followed. This information is crucial for investigating incidents, implementing corrective actions and preventing future failures.

Characteristics that are often held accountable include materials used in construction, dimensions and tolerances of parts, performance specifications and adherence to regulatory standards. Maintaining characteristic accountability requires thorough documentation, rigorous quality control processes and effective communication among stakeholders throughout the aerospace supply chain.

FAQs About Characteristic Accountability

Have there been changes to the FAI process?

AS9102 Revision C introduced several changes compared to its predecessor, Revision B. One notable change on Form 3 in AS9102 Rev C was the addition of an optional field for noting any “Special Process NDE” (Non-Destructive Examination). This change aimed to enhance clarity and completeness in reporting characteristics and their associated inspection processes.

What is required in the Characteristic Accountability Form?

In AS9102 Revision C, the Characteristic Accountability form includes the following fields:

  1. Product Accountability:

    • Part number
    • Part name
    • Serial/Lot Number
    • N/A Indicator

  2. Characteristic Accountability:

    • Characteristics (Reference to the characteristic being inspected)
    • Drawing Number
    • Operation Number
    • Tool Number

  3. Notes:

    • Optional field for any additional notes related to the characteristic or inspection process

  4. Reference Documents/Attachments:

    • Reference to any documents or attachments relevant to the characteristic being inspected

  5. Nonconformance Information:

    • Nonconformance Number (if applicable)

  6. Special Process NDE (Non-Destructive Examination):

    • Optional field added in Revision C to specify any non-destructive examination processes applied to the characteristic

The addition of the “Special Process NDE” field in Form 3 of AS9102 Rev C reflects the importance of non-destructive examination processes in aerospace manufacturing and the need to document such processes during first article inspections. 

What are the biggest challenges when filling out a Characteristic Accountability form?

Several challenges may arise when filling out the Characteristic Accountability form (Form 3) in the AS9102 standard or similar documentation in the aerospace industry. These challenges include:

  1. Incomplete or Inaccurate Data: Insufficient or inaccurate information provided on the form can lead to misunderstandings, errors or delays in the inspection process.
  2. Poor Communication: Inadequate communication between stakeholders, such as design engineers, manufacturing personnel and quality inspectors, can result in discrepancies between expectations and reality.
  3. Non-Conformance Issues: Identifying and addressing non-conformities discovered during inspection can be challenging, particularly if there’s disagreement over whether a characteristic meets requirements.
  4. Documentation Errors: Mistakes in documenting inspection results, traceability information or non-conformance details can compromise the integrity of the inspection report and hinder traceability efforts.
  5. Lack of Standardization: Inconsistent practices across different organizations or suppliers may hinder interoperability and make it challenging to compare FAI reports or track characteristics across the supply chain.
  6. Complexity of Parts: Characteristics of complex aerospace components may be challenging to define, measure or inspect accurately, requiring specialized equipment or expertise.
  7. Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, such as AS9100 or customer-specific standards, adds complexity to the inspection process and documentation requirements.
  8. Time Constraints: Tight deadlines for completing FAIs or pressure to expedite the inspection process can increase the likelihood of errors or oversights.

Addressing these challenges requires attention to detail and strict adherence to established procedures. The more complex the production component, the more complex the documentation process. Thankfully, DISCUS offers FAI software solutions designed specifically for these challenges in mind.

Improving FAIR Processes: Characteristic Accountability and Beyond

 When designing a characteristic accountability form for FAI Reporting, here are some unique considerations to account for:

  1. Specification Adherence: Ensure that the form captures how well the manufactured part adheres to the specifications outlined in the engineering drawings or other documentation. This could involve assessing characteristics such as dimensions, tolerances, material properties, surface finish, etc.
  2. Traceability: Incorporate fields to track the traceability of materials and processes used in manufacturing the part. This includes documenting the source of raw materials and any subcontractors or third-party suppliers involved in the production process.
  3. Ballooning/Balloon Drawing: Customer-requested 2D ballooning, PDFs and other supported documents should be included in the Characteristic Accountability form.
  4. Documentation Control: Include fields to document the revision status of the engineering drawings, inspection procedures and other relevant documentation. This helps ensure that the inspection is performed using the latest specifications and requirements.
  5. Sign-off and Approval: Factor in sections for the inspector, quality assurance personnel and other relevant stakeholders to sign off on the FAI Report, indicating their approval of the part for production, or further processing.
  6. Record Retention: Specify the requirements for retaining FAI Reports and related documentation. This includes determining the retention period and ensuring that records are stored in a secure and accessible manner for future reference or audits.
  7. Continuous Improvement: Encourage feedback from inspectors and quality personnel to identify opportunities for process improvement. This could involve reviewing FAI Reports regularly to identify trends, common issues, or areas for optimization in the manufacturing process.

By addressing these unique considerations, you can develop a characteristic accountability form that facilitates thorough and accurate First Article Inspection Reporting, ensuring compliance with standards, regulations and customer requirements while promoting quality and reliability in manufacturing processes.

How DISCUS Helps With Characteristic Accountability Forms and More

Now that we’ve covered what goes into product accountability for FAIR, it’s time to leverage the power of a fully automated solution. DISCUS FAIR software allows you to upload every element of your design and manufacturing process into a tool that automates and streamlines your efforts. 

DISCUS helps to quickly analyze and interrogate the new product or production part — whether it’s in the form of a 2D drawing or 3D CAD model. DISCUS enables the user to identify (balloon) all of the detailed part characteristics and organize the requirements into a systematic Bill of Characteristics.

The result is greatly improved productivity in manufacturing and quality engineering resulting in a successful first production run. For example, DISCUS has consistently increased FAI and SPC productivity by more than 50%.

We encourage you to begin by downloading our free AS9102 forms. You’ll be able to comprehensively organize the FAI and avoid the common mistakes that can come with using an improper template for reporting.

Our DISCUS FAI software provides assurance that products are manufactured to the specifications and quality standards purchasing manufacturers demand.

DISCUS helps electronically organize and integrate all elements of the FAIR, including the product images, engineering drawings and specification requirements that are mission critical to a proper Characteristic Accountability form.

The DISCUS advantage will allow you to:

  • Verify drawings to represent necessary adjustments for parts design.
  • View the production process in a comprehensive manner that considers every parameter, not only aspects that are deemed “most critical.”
  • Quantify that the tooling is in the right condition and can be relied upon to produce parts within your defined specifications.
  • Ensure that fixed process documentation attachments are available.
  • Detail customer approvals.
  • Attribute process certification to the correct revision levels.

Simplify Characteristic Accountability and FAIRs

In an industry where precision, safety and reliability are paramount, accountability forms play a pivotal role in maintaining operational excellence and enhancing overall performance.

DISCUS helps streamline the thorough FAIR process. By downloading our free AS9102 forms, everyone involved in your organization — from the customers to the engineers — can access accurate and up-to-date information on the design requirements that power the aerospace industry.