Which Xometry inspection type do I need?

Xometry’s current public inspection directory lists the available options by manufacturing process. CNC machining and sheet fabrication can include Standard, Formal dimensional, CMM, FAIR, Source, Build and Hold, and Custom inspection; other processes offer a different subset.

The selected option changes what the packet must prove. A preflight should identify the inspection level before it decides that a dimensional report, ballooned drawing, CMM output, AS9102 forms, source-inspection record, or customer-specific evidence is missing.

Standard inspection focuses on material, features, finish, and the job requirements. Formal dimensional inspection records the applicable characteristics using calibrated tools and correlates the results to a ballooned print. CMM inspection adds the required coordinate-measurement evidence. FAIR documents first-article accountability against the design and specification requirements.

Source inspection occurs at the supplier before shipment. Build and Hold stops after the agreed first part or small batch for approval. Custom inspection follows the written customer plan, which can include serialization, nondestructive testing, a custom sampling plan, or a customer-provided inspection sheet.

• Standard: verify the quoted part requirements; formal documentation may not ship.
• Formal dimensional: correlate applicable characteristics and recorded results to the ballooned drawing.
• CMM: preserve the required CMM output as well as the correlated report.
• FAIR: account for every applicable design characteristic, note, material, and process requirement.
• Source or Build and Hold: do not advance beyond the specified inspection or approval gate.
• Custom: follow the exact written scope instead of substituting a generic checklist.

The checker should infer the likely level from the uploaded order and inspection form, show the reviewer what it found, and report uncertainty when the controlling instruction is absent. It should not apply FAIR-only or Formal-only rules to every packet.

When the evidence and the selected level disagree, resolve the live job first. Adding unnecessary documents can introduce conflicting revisions, quantities, or identifiers just as easily as omitting a required record.