Is a first-article inspection report and proof of repeatable processing enough to qualify the mold?
In order to conform to the AIAG guidelines, a first-article inspection and proof of repeatability in and of themselves are not sufficient to qualify the mold. This also depends on what you deem proof of repeatable processing and how you conduct your first-article inspection. Prints are typically developed by internal product or component engineers with input from the end customer. If your first-article inspection meets print (is ?clean?), then you may proceed with the qualification process. If not, the component engineer must determine if the nonconforming dimension(s) will affect the overall fit and performance of your part. The component engineer may modify the Upper and Lower Specification Levels (USL and LSL) to bring the dimension within tolerance or insist on the current USL and LSL. Tooling engineers should have enough foresight to build a majority of the dimensions steel safe. If so, your tooling vendor can remove core and/or cavity steel, adding plastic to your part and bringi
