Don’t use templates to achieve an ISO Standard
The Benefits and International Importance of AS 9100 Aerospace Manufacturing Certification
If you’re in the aerospace industry, you’ll understand the importance for having rigorous safety and quality standards in place. For aerospace manufacturers, being up-to-date with the AS 9100 quality standards is essential in order to supply parts to the industry. In order to obtain your listing with the Online Aerospace Supplier Information System (OASIS), you need to comply with the aerospace industry specific requirements set out in AS 9100.
As advancements in the aerospace industry continue, manufacturers not only need to ensure they obtain the AS 9100 certification, but that they keep up to date with any revisions. At Qualitation, all our aerospace Qualitators have extensive backgrounds in the aerospace industry, allowing them to give you unparalleled advice throughout the entire certification process. They will ensure your manufacturing specifications conform to all the latest revisions to AS 9100, keeping you at the cutting edge of aerospace manufacture.
Why is AS 9100 so important?
As well as being compulsory in order to manufacture and supply products to the aerospace industry, AS 9100 was developed by a number of bodies in order to provide global aerospace manufacturing standards everyone could agree on.
AS 9100 shares many standards outlined in ISO 9001, however there’s an extra emphasis on regulatory compliance and product traceability through subcontractors and configuration management. The standard additionally focuses on aerospace manufacturers being able to improve their quality management system between their audits, which can make the AS9100 certification quite difficult to maintain.
Even if your company is producing raw materials for aerospace manufacturers, you will still be expected to produce documentation demonstrating you maintain to AS 9100 standards.
How AS9100 handles long supply chains
Producing aerospace parts leaves a long supply chain, creating a major challenge for the industry. Within the supply base, some companies are sources to numerous industries. As this chain is so long and complicated, it should come as no surprise that AS 9100 is so stringent with the expectations it has for maintaining manufacturers.
Communication is key
AS 9100 specifically sets out areas you need to consider, including:
- Clarifying engineering requirements
- Managing test specimens
- Right of access to suppliers’ facilities
No aspect of supplier control is more important for manufacturers than understanding that you’re responsible for your suppliers and sub-tier suppliers. Included in this is performing special processes regularly subcontracted to processing houses. Your suppliers must always use AS9100 approved sources, but you’re responsible for ensuring you’ve verified the matter.
Safety and quality control
Manufacturing sophisticated vehicles, such as airplanes or rockets understandably needs special attention throughout the entire production process. You need to ensure all the correct revisions of any engineering documentation is recorded and used within instructions, and that performance is noted.
Controlling production processes is an essential way to prove that your operations have been correctly performed. This is more important than ever when it concerns processes that can’t be inspected after-the-fact.
As your industry often relies upon production equipment and tooling, such as computer-controlled machinery, this too forms part of the basis for product acceptance. When this is the case, you must ensure you can demonstrate the integrity of your equipment, developing a process to provide sufficient oversight of the entire process.
AS 9100 provides the entire framework needed for an effective traceability program, fundamental when your products require traceability of their components. With aircraft designed to function for over fifty years, properly producing and maintaining it is needed for its continued safe operation. Not only does this include servicing work, but maintenance and repair manuals too. Once more, AS 9100 highlights the necessity for documenting all work and production performed, and the equipment and people who performed it.
When things go wrong
Should you ever experience a malfunction or something gone wrong, AS 9100 gives clear directions for the control and disposal of non-conforming material. The standards include requirements for contacting your customers for authorisation should a non-conforming part appear during maintenance or repair.
The benefits of AS 9100
AS 9100’s benefits become ever more pronounced as it becomes increasingly established in the industry. In particular:
- A reduction in multiple expectations from a number of substandard and outdated standards.
- A consistent methodology of quality verification throughout the supply chain.
The results from this are pleasing to both manufacturers and their suppliers. AS 9100 in fact leads to a decrease in time consuming verification audits, as well as fostering increased consistency in expectations.
As a direct result of this, there is a reduction of oversight costs throughout the supply chains, as well as a significant improvement in supplier performance.
Qualitation’s role in obtaining your AS 9100 certification
For almost two decades, we’ve believed that implementing quality systems should bring you tangible benefits. Rather than simply focusing on getting you a badge, we run our business on world-class principles. When we guide you through achieving your AS 9100 certification, we ensure it promotes efficiency, increased your customer satisfaction and helps your employees to feel happier and more secure in their roles.
For more information about how we can help your company achieve its AS 9100 certification, call 0845 600 6975 or contact our expert team now.
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