Prototype & first article · Two different jobs
Prototyping & First Article Inspection
A prototype has one job: to answer a question. If it arrives without a dimensional report, without the test data you asked for, or built by a process that no one can repeat, it has not answered anything — it has only delayed the decision.
HKWIRE is a custom cable assembly manufacturer and OEM/ODM supplier in Longgang, Shenzhen. Prototypes and first articles are built on production tooling in the same building as the test benches, so the sample you approve is the part you receive.
Two distinct stages, often confused
They are not the same thing, and treating them as one is a common source of expensive surprises.
| Prototype | First article (FAI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Validate fit, function and finish | Prove the production process will repeat it |
| Tooling | May use soft or interim tooling | Production tooling, production process |
| Quantity | 1 to 50 pcs typical | Agreed per project, typically 3–5 pcs from the first run |
| Lead time | 3 working days | 14 working days from release to production |
| Deliverable | Samples + dimensional report + photographs | Full FAI report to your agreed format |
If your approval process needs first article parts before the full production run, say so at quotation. We will schedule them as a separate short run rather than discovering the requirement after the batch has shipped.
What ships with your samples
- Physical samples, identified to your part reference
- Dimensional report against the approved drawing
- Electrical test results for the agreed scope
- Photographs of critical features — crimp, mold geometry, strain relief, labeling
- A written list of anything that did not meet target, with the proposed correction
That last item is the one most suppliers leave out. We would rather tell you what missed on the first attempt than have you find it in your own incoming inspection.
Documentation scope, stated honestly
We provide first article inspection reports to your format where you supply it, or to ours where you do not. We do not claim PPAP submission. If your approval process requires PPAP, we will tell you at quotation rather than at final inspection — the same rule we apply to certifications we do not hold.
Workmanship acceptance is defined per project against IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 criteria. We build to it as an acceptance basis; we do not claim to hold a separate IPC/WHMA-A-620 certification.
How this connects to tooling
When the assembly needs an overmold, the prototype stage runs on the same tool that production will use — we do not hand-build samples. New tooling adds 10 working days before the first samples; see the mold making process for how that time is spent.
Prototypes built on production tooling, not by hand
When an assembly needs an overmold, the prototype runs on the same tool production will use — we do not hand-build samples that the line cannot repeat. That is why the first article means something: it came off the process, not off a bench. New tooling is cut in our own tool room, and adds roughly 10 working days before the first samples.
Samples ship in 3 working days and production runs 14 working days after release. We build and inspect to IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 workmanship criteria under an ISO 9001 certified quality management system, and every unit passes 100% continuity and pinout testing. Factory audits, in person or by live video, can be arranged in advance.
What to send with your RFQ
- Drawing and the critical features you will measure on incoming inspection
- Report format and sample size — yours or ours
- Acceptance limits, or ask us to propose them
- Prototype quantity and expected production volume
Define what your approval process needs, and we will build the sample around it.
Send the report format, the sample size and the acceptance limits you work to. If you do not have them yet, we will propose a scope.
Assemblies that start as prototypes
- Custom Industrial Robot Wire Harness
- Overmolded Industrial Cable Assembly, Custom Strain Relief, IP67
- 38999 High Speed Harness with Overmolded Strain Relief for 10GbE Links
- Surgical Robot Cable Harness with Overmolded Strain Relief and Sealed Joints
- Hydrogen Electrolyzer Cable Harness with HVIL for High-Temperature Stacks
- 7-Way RV Trailer Wiring Harness, Overmolded Blade Plug
- 16 Pin J1962F OBD2 Female Connector to ECU board Tyco 8pin Wire harness 1ft
- 2+6 eBike Battery Connector Cable, IP67 Overmolded
Prototyping & first article FAQ
How fast can we get samples?
3 working days for standard builds. If a new overmold tool is needed, add about 10 working days before the first samples come off it.
What is the minimum prototype quantity?
Prototype builds run from 1 to 50 pcs. First article parts from an initial production run are agreed per project, usually 3–5 pcs from that run.
What is in the first article report?
Dimensional report against the approved drawing, electrical test results for the agreed scope, photographs of critical features, and a written list of anything that missed target with the proposed correction.
Do you support PPAP submission?
We do not claim full PPAP submission. We supply first article inspection and crimp verification to your format where you provide one; where a complete PPAP package is required, we confirm at quotation what we can support.
Will production match the approved sample?
That is the point of using production tooling for the prototype. The sample is built on the tool and process the order will run on, not assembled by hand as a one-off.
Do you support OEM and ODM programs at sample stage?
Yes. We support OEM and ODM programs as your cable assembly manufacturer and supplier: prototypes and first articles ship from our factory under your part reference.
Do samples use the same tooling as production?
Yes wherever an overmold is involved. The prototype runs on the production tool, so the first article reflects the process the manufacturer will run instead of a hand-built one-off.