If you’re a small or medium-sized manufacturer (SMM) working in the aviation, aerospace, or defense industry — or if you’re planning on breaking into this sector — it can be difficult to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory standards that govern this niche.
This is especially true for the AS9100 Standard, a particularly stringent certification that, while not required for all SMMs in the space, can provide significant advantages to industry players.
This blog will serve as a general overview of AS9100. We’ll explore the standard, the quality management system (QMS) manufacturers will have to build, the benefits of certification, basic steps in the certification process, and more.
So, what is AS9100? AS9100 — also known as AS9100D, the most recent update to AS9100 from 2016 — is a unique, rigorous set of standards that govern some aerospace, aviation, and defense manufacturers.
The International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG), along with industry representatives from around the world, developed the standard for a variety of reasons:
AS9100 expands upon the principles of another, more general certification — ISO9001.
ISO9001 provides QMS standards, encourages continuous improvement and optimization, and prioritizes the process approach — but, any industry can seek certification. AS9100, on the other hand, is only applicable for aerospace, aviation, and defense manufacturers.
Manufacturers don’t have to be AS9100 certified to implement a Quality Management System. Regardless of industry or niche, manufacturers of all sizes can benefit from a sound QMS.
At its core, a QMS is a formalized system with two major purposes:
In addition, a QMS features two significant components:
A QMS is a significant component of the AS9100 certification, and manufacturers that pursue accreditation must create, maintain, and enforce a QMS that meets regulatory requirements.
More broadly, a QMS can be a part of a company’s general quality assurance strategy.
As noted above, AS9100 required procedures only apply to three general industries — aviation, aerospace, and defense. Within these, various companies can pursue certification, including:
However, you can apply for the certification even if your company doesn’t exclusively supply or work within or adjacent to these industries. For instance, if you manufacture sheet metal that is used in both aviation and automotive industries, you can seek AS9100 accreditation that governs your aviation-related operations.
AS9100 certification isn’t a legal requirement for manufacturers, designers, or other industry players, but it can provide a bevy of business benefits for companies that will be discussed later.
An AS9100 certification gives companies increased access to major players in the aerospace, aviation, and defense industries — many large-scale or high-visibility original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) exclusively pursue suppliers with the certification. Others may prefer or prioritize contracts with AS9100 certified manufacturers. So, a manufacturer could pursue certification to access more robust supply chains and larger-scale customers.
As for the companies that don’t seek certification, they can still use the AS9100 framework to improve or build their QMS, quality assurance program, or both.
AS9100 standards are quite comprehensive, touching every element of production and distribution – internal and external. Let’s explore some of the major criteria certified companies must meet:
This is only a basic overview of AS9100 requirements — the framework is robust, and companies should carefully review the entire rubric before seeking accreditation.
SMMs face unique challenges with AS9100 implementation, auditing, and compliance. In particular, the following elements common to most SMMs have the biggest impact on their ability to fully function within the system:
However, achieving AS9100 certification is an impressive feat that likely won’t go unnoticed by your industry or potential customers. The competitive advantage carries significant weight for smaller companies, arguably providing more benefits than it does for their larger counterparts.
AS9100 certification can provide the following key advantages to manufacturers large and small:
As mentioned above, some OEMs exclusively work with AS9100 certified suppliers and manufacturers. So, when your business achieves accreditation, you’ll automatically increase your business opportunities, potentially resulting in increased profits and company growth.
AS9100 certification requires three major steps:
Plus, once the process is complete, companies must maintain their certification via yearly surveillance audits and a recertification audit after three years have elapsed.
In the previous section, we noted a major step in the certification process — audits. An AS9100 gap analysis is one of these audits — a preliminary assessment of your compliance readiness.
As you complete this stage, you’ll explore three major elements:
For instance, in your preliminary AS9100 audit, you might discover that your training program doesn’t address risks as thoroughly as the certification requires. This would indicate that you’re not ready to become fully certified. As such, you’ll have to create a plan for implementing increased training initiatives, ensuring that they’re in place before your final audit is complete.
Especially for small companies, securing an AS9100 certification can be a daunting task. The requirements are substantial, and they demand careful review for adequate implementation.
In addition, many SMMs may not have completed as robust a certification as AS9100 before — thus, their lack of prior experience with accreditations at large could put them at a disadvantage. Executing implementations and assessments takes significant time. Your company might not currently have the bandwidth or staff to spare for significant procedure overhauls.
To improve their chances for success, SMMs should strongly consider working with a manufacturing consultant. These consultants typically perform two major functions:
Consultants are experts on the certification process, and their experience with accreditation — especially for AS9100 — is invaluable.
AS9100 certification is no small feat — companies must carefully review the requirements, create a plan of attack for widespread structural and procedural changes, and keep up with annual reviews and changes to the requirements.
If your business is ready to pursue certification — or simply improve your overall workflow — it’s time to consult the experts. CMTC is your go-to organization for manufacturing support, bolstering your manufacturing operation with three decades of industry experience. We help California manufacturers with all elements of AS9100 implementation and certification.
Contact us today to streamline your compliance.