Key takeaways
- AS9102 is a first article standard for aerospace work, while PPAP is a production approval process from the automotive tradition.
- AS9102 proves the first production part against the drawing through three forms.
- PPAP adds process planning, measurement studies and capability evidence to the part verification.
- The change triggers differ, so a supplier serving both sectors needs two approval records.
Two questions, two standards
The two documents often arrive in the same inbox, which is why they get treated as versions of one thing. They are not. AS9102 is a standard for first article inspection. PPAP is a production part approval process. One verifies a part against its drawing. The other verifies the part and the system that will repeat it.
Both are customer driven. A buyer or a prime can ask for either, or for both, on the same part number. What changes is the evidence, the sample and the question the approver has to answer before signing.
The confusion has a cost. A supplier may send a full PPAP pack to an aerospace buyer who only wanted three signed forms, or send forms to an automotive buyer who then asks for capability data that was never collected. Either way, the programme loses a week and the approval starts again.
What AS9102 asks for
AS9102 is published by SAE and sits under the AS9100 quality system. It requires a first article inspection on the first production run, and a partial or delta FAI when a change affects the part. The output is three forms that together account for the part, its material and every characteristic on the drawing.
The forms also cover special processes. Heat treatment, plating, welding and non-destructive testing are listed with the specification and the certificate reference. If the prime requires an accredited source for a special process, the FAI has to show that source, not just a passing test result.
- Form 1 lists the part number, the drawing revision and the serial or lot.
- Form 2 lists the raw material, the specifications and the special processes, with the certificate references.
- Form 3 lists every characteristic with its nominal, tolerance, result and method.
The drawing is the authority
If a characteristic cannot be measured as drawn, record the deviation and the method used. Quietly changing the method defeats the purpose of the form.
What PPAP adds
PPAP comes from the AIAG automotive tradition. The manual lists eighteen elements, and the package is submitted with a Part Submission Warrant. The warrant is the supplier's statement that the parts meet the drawing and that the agreed submission level has been met.
The extra weight sits in the process. PPAP asks for a process flow, a process FMEA, a control plan, measurement system studies and initial process capability. A part can pass every dimension and still fail PPAP because the process cannot repeat it.
Each element has an owner and a purpose. The design record and the change documents prove the part is the right revision. The flow, FMEA and control plan prove the process was planned. The dimensional results, material tests and capability study prove the process can meet the drawing. The warrant ties the set together.
Where the two part company
The quickest way to see the difference is to put the two side by side. The table compares the questions a quality engineer actually has to answer.
| Question | AS9102 FAI | PPAP |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | SAE aerospace standard | AIAG automotive manual |
| Core output | Three FAI forms | Eighteen elements and a warrant |
| Coverage | Every drawing characteristic | Part, process and capability |
| Process evidence | Route and special processes | Flow, FMEA, control plan, MSA |
| Capability study | Not part of AS9102 | Initial process study required |
| Sample | First production part | Significant production run |
| Change rule | Partial or delta FAI | Notification and re-submission |
| Approval | Signed FAI forms | Signed PSW at an agreed level |
The split is a general guide. Customer specific requirements override both documents.
The sample and the process
An AS9102 FAI has to come from the first production run using production tooling. One part is normal, though the customer can ask for more. The forms follow the drawing, so the inspection is complete when every balloon has a result.
PPAP uses a significant production run, commonly one to eight hours of production or a stated number of consecutive parts. The run uses the production tool, process and operators. Samples from a trial cell do not count, because the capability numbers would describe the trial rather than the process.
The sample is evidence, not a gift. Keep it with the report and label it with the lot, the revision and the date, so a later query can be checked against the same part. If the sample is lost, the report is harder to defend.
Change triggers and delta approvals
Both approvals are tied to a configuration. An AS9102 approval names the drawing revision and the process route. A change to the tool, the material source or a special process calls for a partial FAI covering the affected characteristics. The rest of the forms can stand.
PPAP ties approval to the part, the process and the submission level. A change in tool, plant, material or sub-supplier usually triggers notification and a fresh submission. The customer decides whether that means a full pack or a limited update.
A useful change note names the characteristic affected, the previous result, the new result and the reason. It should not rely on a sentence that says there is no change to the part, because a new tool or a new plating line can change the part without changing the drawing.
- Record the drawing revision and the process route on the approval.
- List the tool, the machine and any special process in the pack.
- Agree in writing which changes need a new submission.
Running both on one programme
Some suppliers serve aerospace and automotive customers from the same plant. That works, but the two packs should not be merged. AS9102 forms do not contain a control plan, and a PPAP pack does not replace the ballooned drawing and Form 3.
The practical answer is one measurement record and two approval documents. Measure the part once, then map the results into the format each customer expects. Keep the process evidence in the PPAP pack and the characteristic evidence in the FAI.
Map the fields before the first submission. Part number, revision, characteristic number, nominal, tolerance, actual and method exist in both worlds. Capability, FMEA and control plan do not. A simple cross reference table saves the quality engineer from rekeying the same data twice.
What to put in the approval pack
Send the drawing at the revision named on the purchase order, the ballooned copy, the material and special process certificates, and the measurement record. Add the process flow and the control plan for PPAP, and the three forms for AS9102. State the submission level and the sample serial number.
Write a short index at the front. A reviewer who cannot find the certificate for a heat treat lot will ask for the pack again, and the approval clock restarts. The index is not paperwork for its own sake. It is how the pack gets read.
Frequently asked questions
Is AS9102 part of PPAP?
No. AS9102 is a standalone first article standard for aerospace. PPAP is a production approval process with eighteen elements. A programme can require both, but one does not contain the other.
Does AS9102 require a capability study?
AS9102 itself does not. It requires dimensional, material and process verification against the drawing. Capability studies come from the customer, from AS9100 process control or from a PPAP requirement.
How many parts are needed for PPAP?
A significant production run, commonly one to eight hours or at least 300 consecutive parts unless the customer agrees otherwise. The run must use production tooling, process and operators.
Can a supplier submit a PPAP without a control plan?
Not at level three, which is the usual default. The control plan is one of the eighteen elements. At level one the customer receives only the warrant, but the supplier still has to hold the supporting evidence.
Sources and further reading
- SAE AS9102, Aerospace First Article Inspection Requirement
- AIAG PPAP, Production Part Approval Process, fourth edition
- SAE AS9100, Quality management systems for aviation, space and defence organisations
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