A first article is the only point in a build where a mistake is still cheap. Once the first board is approved, the same stencil, the same placement program, the same components and the same operators take over, and any error on that board is repeated across the batch. Buyers who treat first article inspection as a form to sign give away the best chance they will get to catch a problem.
This guide covers what a first article package should contain, what to verify before volume release, why first articles fail, and how the process runs on RF, medical and defense boards.
What first article inspection actually covers
First article inspection checks one assembled board against three references at the same time: the released drawing revision, the released bill of materials, and the published workmanship standard. It is not a sample of production output, and it is not a functional demo. It is the evidence that the process as set up will produce boards to the specification, and it is the baseline every later unit is compared against.
Two details decide whether the exercise has value. The first is the revision: if the assembly drawing is Rev C and the board was built to Rev B, every measurement is irrelevant. The second is the process path: the first article has to come off the same line, stencil and reflow profile that will run the batch.
The package to request
Ask for the following items, and treat a missing one as an open question rather than a formality.
| Item | What it proves | Where it is usually weak |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensional report | Critical features match the released drawing | Drawing revision not stated |
| Visual record per class | Solder joints meet IPC-A-610 Class 2 or Class 3 | Top side photographed only |
| X-ray images | Hidden joints and via fill are acceptable | Images sent without void figures |
| Electrical test data | Opens, shorts and function confirmed | Pass result with no data attached |
| Material and finish records | The specified parts and finishes were used | Certificates requested, not supplied |
| Process record | Reflow profile, paste lot and stencil match the approved setup | Second side profile missing |
| Traceability list | The batch can be traced months later | Date codes not separated by lot |
| Deviation list | Nothing is discovered after volume release | Deviations raised by phone only |
On medical and defense programmes, the same items are usually wrapped in a report that follows the customer format, with each characteristic signed off individually. If your customer requires a formal report, say so at the quotation stage; retro-fitting a format after the build is slower than building to it from the start.
What to verify, not just receive
Most first article packages are rejected for the same three reasons, and none of them is a defect on the board.
The revision is wrong. The board was built to an older assembly drawing, or the BOM in the package is the pre-engineering-change version. This is the most common finding. Compare the revision in the package against your own release system before you look at anything else.
The critical characteristics are missing. A dimensional report can list two hundred features and still miss the three that matter: connector position, board outline against the housing, controlled-impedance traces and press-fit hole diameters. Tell the supplier which characteristics are critical. On RF boards the impedance coupon result belongs in the package; on high layer count boards it is the layer registration and back-drill data.
The process that will run the batch is not the process that ran the first article. Ask whether the same line, stencil, paste type and reflow profile will run the volume build, and whether any change requires a new first article. A change control clause belongs in the agreement.
Why first articles fail
When a first article is rejected or returned for rework, the cause is usually one of a short list: a component in the wrong rotation or wrong revision; insufficient paste on fine pitch pads or tombstoning on small passives; BGA voiding above the agreed limit; short fill on plated through holes; a finish mismatch against the drawing; missing certificates for a specified part; or cleanliness residues on a no-clean assembly.
Each of these is a process setting, which is why the first article exists. Catching one on board one costs a rework; catching it on board five thousand costs a batch and a delivery date.
How SUPERB Assembly runs a first article
On a SUPERB PCBA build, the first article runs on the same surface mount line as the order, in an area controlled to ANSI/ESD S20.20, and it is compared against the CAD data on a dedicated first article station as well as inspected to the class your drawing calls for. Solder joints are reviewed to IPC-A-610 Class 2 or Class 3, hidden joints are checked on 2D and CT X-ray to IPC-7095 practice with void control inside the agreed limit, and reflow runs a twelve-zone profile on SAC305 with nitrogen below 500 ppm.
The package that leaves with the first article includes the visual record, X-ray images, electrical test results from in-circuit or flying probe test and functional test where a fixture applies, plus incoming records on the components used. Components are checked on receipt, with X-ray counting and decapsulation where the risk of the part justifies it, and any substitution that is not pin-to-pin requires written approval before it is placed. Where a long-lead line threatens the build, it is flagged at quotation so the first article is not delayed by a part that arrives after the boards.
- IPC Class 2 and Class 3 explained: which workmanship class your application should specify, and what changes on the floor.
- AOI and X-ray inspection: what each method catches on assembled boards, and why both are used on the same build.
- PCB testing guide: where SUPERB PCB coverage sits in the flow, from in-circuit to functional test.
- Verifying original components: incoming checks that keep a first article meaningful.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a first article add to a build?
On a normal board, days, not weeks. The first article is part of the first production run rather than a separate build. The delay usually comes from the customer review, so agree who signs it off and within how many days.
Do we need a new first article after an engineering change?
Yes, if the change touches the assembly drawing, the BOM, the panel, the stencil or the reflow profile. A change that only affects a non-critical marking can usually be handled by a documented deviation instead.
Is a first article the same as a qualification build?
No. A first article confirms that a specific order was built to the released documents. A qualification build is wider: it can add thermal cycling, vibration and environmental testing on samples from the build.
Next step
Send the Gerber data, the BOM and the assembly drawing revision with the workmanship class you require, and the quotation will state what the first article includes and how long it takes. For boards already in production elsewhere, include the current first article report and any open deviations.
