A Guide to AS9100 Quality Standards

When it comes to quality control, aerospace has by far the strictest standards. It should be no wonder why, since the margin for error in flight is effectively zero. While part failure in other industries leads to downtime or other inconveniences, failure in aerospace can result in catastrophic losses. This is why the industry is subject to its own quality standards, most notably AS9100. In this post, we’ll look closer at AS9100.

AS9100 is based on the ISO 9001 standard with additional considerations for aerospace, aviation and defense industries. These factors include product safety, risk management, counterfeit parts prevention and strict documentation and traceability. It places much stronger controls and verifications on manufacturers than ISO 9001.

It’s important to recognize that aircraft and spacecraft operate in extreme environments. They are subject to high vibration, rapid thermal cycling, and intense pressure changes. This is very different than machinery or vehicles on the ground. Since you can’t simply “shut it down”, or pull over, every component must be guaranteed to perform under maximum stress.

Let’s look at the key provisions of AS9100, and what they mean for manufacturers, their suppliers and their buyers:

This is the heart of the standard. It requires manufacturers to have a formal risk evaluation system in place. It applies to new technologies, delivery schedules, complex designs and much more. Suppliers are often asked to provide their own risk assessments for materials or components. With effective risk management in place, buyers can have peace of mind that the manufacturer isn’t just reacting to problems, but working hard to avoid them.

In general manufacturing, safety typically applies to the working environment and infrastructure. With AS9100, safety applies to the product as well. And not just when it leaves the dock, but throughout its entire lifecycle. The intent of just about every aspect of AS9100 ultimately applies to product safety.

This is a big one. If you’ve been in manufacturing long enough, you might have heard horror stories where manufacturers may have sought profit above authenticity, seriously compromising a component and therefore the end product. But swapping a high-performance alloy for a cheaper look-alike isn’t just wrong, it can be extremely dangerous. This is what the AS9100’s counterfeit part prevention considerations look to avoid. To do so, it requires that suppliers provide Certificates of Conformance and Material Certs that certify the raw material’s composition. Periodic materials testing, employee awareness, and supplier awareness are also key aspects. This helps assure buyers that they are getting the right material.

It’s no secret that the manufacturing process typically requires multiple suppliers to work together to make components, assemblies and end products. This is particularly true for finishing services such as plating, anodizing heat treating, and countless other services. With the external provider provision, the manufacturer is legally responsible for the quality of their vendors. In turn, these vendors can be subject to surprise audits at any time by the manufacturer or the FAA. This helps promote a “chain of trust” for buyers. They are not simply purchasing from one organization, but buying into a vetted supply chain.

These are other key factors that apply to materials, components, and processes used throughout the entire production process. Every part must be traceable back to its source. This means its manufacturing process and inspection results. The reason for this is rather simple. Should there be a defect or performance/safety issue, it helps companies to identify the root cause. Then they can isolate affected components and implement corrective actions where needed, depending on the source of the problem.

A critical aspect of any quality management system is the feedback loop, and AS9100 is certainly no exception. It requires that organizations monitor customer satisfaction by evaluating product conformity, on-time delivery, and customer complaints. It’s more than just collecting this data, the key to success is properly reacting to it by making continual adjustments and improvement. Doing so helps ensure that aerospace suppliers can consistently meet safety, quality, and regulatory requirements, fostering trust, reducing risks, and enhancing performance.

Interestingly, implementing the AS9100 QMS results in more than just consistent, superior quality products.

Improved credibility with customers and prospects – not just those in the aerospace or aviation fields that are required to work with AS9100 certified companies. This higher profile often leads to more business.

Operational Excellence – AS9100 encourages organizations to focus on continuous improvement, customer satisfaction and process efficiency. By doing so, companies will lower defect rates and reduce waste. This leads to improve product reliability and enhances operational performance, which often carries down to the bottom line.

Better Employee Morale - AS9100 clearly defines roles, responsibilities, and process ownership within an organization. As a result, employees become more aware of how their work affects product safety and quality. They are encouraged to take responsibility for their roles within the company and how their contributions attest to the success of the Quality Management System. Employees then feel they are part of something more than just a workplace, they are part of a team. Improved morale leads to higher engagement, improved teamwork, and stronger accountability.

It’s often said that AS9100 is more than just a certification. When properly implemented, it changes the organization at its core, as it fosters a culture of quality, accountability and safety. When adopting its many principles, aerospace companies then build trust with customers, regulators, and partners. Above all – they achieve the most important goal. They ensure that the products they manufacture meet the highest levels of reliability and safety required in aviation, defense, and space exploration.