A first-article inspection report should help a buyer decide whether a component and its proposed manufacturing route are ready for the next stage. A long spreadsheet of measurements is not automatically a complete approval package. The report needs to connect the drawing revision, material evidence, manufacturing condition and inspection results to identifiable samples.

This guide uses first article in the general manufacturing sense. A contractual industry-specific format may impose additional requirements. Agree that format and its applicable revision before the supplier prepares the report rather than assuming that any dimensional inspection will satisfy it.

Establish the approval scope before measuring

Define whether the sample represents an as-cast blank, a machined component or a finished assembly. State which operations have been completed and which remain. A rough casting report cannot demonstrate the final condition of sealing surfaces that have not yet been machined.

Also identify the production route represented by the samples. Parts from temporary patterns or alternative fixtures may be useful for development, but that distinction belongs in the report. Approval should not imply that a different series route has already been qualified.

Make every result traceable to the drawing

Use a controlled drawing with identifiable characteristics and a consistent numbering system. Each reported result should indicate the requirement, measurement and sample identity. Include drawing notes and other acceptance requirements that are easy to overlook when the report is generated only from dimensions in a model.

If a characteristic is not measured, explain why and identify the agreed evidence. A blank cell or an unexplained pass mark is not enough when the characteristic controls assembly or service. The report should allow another reviewer to understand the decision without relying on the inspector’s memory.

Include the condition at measurement

Casting dimensions can be evaluated at different stages, including after heat treatment, rough machining or final finishing. State the stage because the result is meaningful only in that context. Record any agreed restraint or fixture condition used during measurement.

For an illustrative thin bracket, a measurement taken while clamped flat may differ from its free-state condition. That does not automatically make either result wrong; the drawing and intended assembly must define which condition governs. The report should make the distinction explicit.

Separate material conformity from part conformity

A material certificate and a dimensional report answer different questions. Neither replaces the other. Additional examinations may be required for soundness, surface condition, cleanliness or another function, depending on the order.

The SFSA guidance on ordering steel castings treats design, material and testing as connected purchasing requirements. Apply that principle by establishing the required evidence before samples are produced. Specify the governing standards and editions through the contract rather than copying historic examples from a general guide.

Give deviations a controlled disposition

When a result is outside the requirement, identify the actual condition and the affected sample or batch. The buyer’s authorized team should decide whether to reject, rework, accept under concession or change the design. The supplier should not silently change the report to match an informal conversation.

If the drawing changes, preserve both the original finding and the revised acceptance basis. A sample accepted under concession does not automatically redefine the requirement for future production. The release record should state what remains to be corrected before the next order.

Request an approval package, not just a measurement sheet

For investment cast parts, agree sample quantity, identification, required records and review responsibilities. Highlight critical characteristics and any tests that require advance booking or special equipment. Confirm whether the approval authorizes only the sample or also the production route.

When you submit a project to Hengke, include the intended first-article format with the drawing. A clear package reduces repeated clarification and makes the final decision auditable: what was checked, on which parts, against which requirements, and with what disposition.