Net-Inspect Integrated Auto-Ballooning Tool

1

Upload Engineering Drawings

Upload one or multiple 2D PDF drawings directly to your FAIR. Switch between PDFs using the document selector without leaving the tool.

2

Auto-Balloon Characteristics

Purpose-built OCR detects dimensions, GD&T frames, notes, and callouts. Auto-adjusting placement avoids collisions. Balloon selected pages or full documents.

3

Refine and Validate

Add sub-balloons, leader lines, and copy-paste balloons for complex assemblies. Built-in validation flags Form 3 errors before saving, including visual warnings per characteristic.

4

Populate, Submit, Distribute

One click populates AS9102 Forms 1, 2, and 3. Submit the completed FAIR to your customer, or distribute ballooned drawings to suppliers for their own FAI submissions.

Integrated FAI Workflow

AS9102 Form1 Form2 Form3

From Drawing to FAIR, Without Leaving Net-Inspect

Every standalone ballooning tool creates the same downstream problem: you still need to move the data into your FAI system. Net-Inspect eliminates that step entirely. Ballooning and FAI documentation live in one platform, and data flows between them automatically.

One-click population of AS9102 Forms 1, 2, and 3 directly from completed balloon annotations
Real-time synchronization between ballooned drawings and FAIR data throughout the quality workflow
Submit completed FAIRs to customers for buy-off — all within the same platform your team already uses

Zero Exports, re-entries, or tool switches between ballooning and FAIR submission

Supply Chain Integration

Multi-Tier Supply Chain Digital Thread

Standardize Balloon Methodology Across Your Entire Supply Chain

Copy ballooned documents directly to suppliers. They submit their FAI Reports using the same balloon numbering, on the same platform — no re-ballooning required. When you adjust balloon numbers, cross-document renumbering keeps all related documents synchronized automatically.

Copy ballooned drawings directly to sub-tier suppliers for consistent, standardized FAI submissions
Cross-document renumbering: balloon adjustments update all linked documents automatically upon save
Multi-tier visibility as ballooned requirements cascade down the supply chain in a secure environment

200+ Supplier tiers connectable on a single secure platform — no per-seat licensing

Built-In Validation

Quality Validation Error Prevenetion

Catch Errors Before Your Customer Does

Visual validation warnings appear in real-time as your team works. Missing tolerances, incomplete specifications, and Form 3 errors are flagged before you save — not after the customer rejects the FAIR. The system catches what humans miss.

Yellow triangle indicators flag missing specification data on individual characteristics in the Bill of Characteristics grid
Validation summary lists every affected balloon number and the specific field that requires attention
Affected fields are highlighted in the right panel for immediate, precise identification and correction

Fewer FAIR rejections from incomplete or missing Form 3 data — caught before submission

Advanced Drawing Annotation

GD&T Sub-Balloons OCR Multi-Document

Purpose-Built OCR for Aerospace Engineering Drawings

Not every drawing is straightforward. Net-Inspect handles bi-lateral and unilateral tolerances, GD&T symbols, quantity-based callouts (e.g., 4X Ø.250), and complex sub-assembly hierarchies that general-purpose tools miss. Precision units including µin and µm are fully supported.

Sub-balloon and sub-sub-balloon support for complex assemblies, with leader lines associating balloons to drawing features
Customizable balloon properties: shape, fill color, font color, and size — for compliance-specific color-coding workflows
Multi-document upload: balloon primary drawings and supplemental specification documents in a single FAIR

1-Click Population of AS9102 Forms 1, 2, and 3 from completed balloons — however complex the drawing

Feature Comparison	Net-Inspect Balloon Tool Integrated platform	Balloonist.io or GroundControl SaaS point solution	DISCUS / IPI Legacy desktop	HighQA or 1Factory QMS with ballooning
Auto-balloon from 2D PDF drawings
Sub-balloon and hierarchy support e.g., 1.1, 1.1.1 for complex assemblies		Partial		Partial
AS9102 Form 3 auto-population
AS9102 Forms 1 and 2 auto-population			Partial	Partial
Integrated FAI Report creation and submission No export to separate system required
Supply chain distribution of ballooned documents Copy to suppliers, standardize methodology across tiers				Partial
Multi-tier supplier collaboration on one platform				Partial
Browser-based access, zero installation
FedRAMP Moderate Equivalency security Validated annually by independent 3PAO
Built-in ITAR/EAR export controls			Partial
No per-seat licensing limits
Built-in Form 3 validation before saving			Partial	Partial

Do our sub-tier suppliers need separate licenses to receive ballooned documents?

No. There are no per-seat licensing limits on the Net-Inspect platform. If your suppliers already use Net-Inspect for FAI submissions, they can receive and work with ballooned documents immediately. If they are new to the platform, onboarding is straightforward — many suppliers are already active.

Does the Balloon Tool replace our current FAI process or work alongside it?

It works inside your existing Net-Inspect FAI workflow, not alongside it. The Balloon Tool is integrated directly into the FAI module — your team balloons the drawing and Form 3 populates from within the same session. If you are new to Net-Inspect, a demo will show the complete workflow from drawing upload through FAIR submission.

We already use a desktop ballooning tool. What changes if we switch?

The primary change is elimination of the export and re-entry step. With desktop tools, data moves from the ballooning software to your FAI system by hand. With Net-Inspect, ballooning and documentation are the same step. You also gain supply chain distribution, built-in validation, and FedRAMP Moderate Equivalency security that standalone tools cannot provide.

How does the Balloon Tool handle drawings with hundreds of characteristics?

The purpose-built engineering OCR is designed for high-characteristic-count aerospace drawings. It handles bi-lateral and unilateral tolerances, GD&T symbols, quantity-based callouts, and grid zone locations. You can balloon selected pages or page ranges for targeted processing, and sub-balloon hierarchies support complex assembly structures.

What security certifications does Net-Inspect hold for defense programs?

Net-Inspect is hosted on Microsoft Azure Government and is assessed annually by an independent third-party assessor (3PAO) for FedRAMP Moderate Equivalency. Built-in ITAR/EAR export controls include export banners, user location tracking, access logging, and role-based data visibility — all configurable at the part level.

Can existing Net-Inspect customers access the Balloon Tool?

Yes. The Balloon Tool is part of the Net-Inspect FAI module. If you are a current customer and do not see it in your workflow, contact your account manager. For new customers, the Balloon Tool is available as part of the full Net-Inspect platform — request a demo to see it in context with your specific FAI requirements.