What is the AS series of standards?
The AS series of standards are the quality management systems standard applicable to companies that supply to the aviation, space and defense industries. These standards incorporate all of ISO 9001 but include additional industry requirements specific to the aerospace industry.
NQA offers certification to all four of the AS standards, outlined as follows:
-
AS9100D/EN9100:2016 the standard for organizations that design, develop, or provide aviation, space, and defense products and services including parts, components and assemblies.
-
AS9110C/EN9110:2016 the standard for repair stations and is based on AS9100 but adds specific requirements that are critical for the maintenance of commercial, private, and military aircrafts.
-
AS9120B/EN9100:2016 the standard for stockists and distributors of parts to manufacturers that supply the aerospace industry.
-
AS6081 this standard was created in response to a significant and increasing volume of fraudulent/counterfeit electronic parts entering the aerospace supply chain, posing significant performance, reliability, and safety risks.
NQA is the 3rd largest certification body for Aerospace in the world.
Helps you with
- Global recognition
- Access to large OEM's
- Proving business credentials
- Process effectiveness
- Customer satisfaction
- Product improvement
- Supply chain access
- Demonstrating commitment to quality
- Entry onto the IAQG Online Aerospace Supplier Information System (OASIS database)
Get a quote!
We'll give you a clear indication of the costs of gaining and maintaining certification. Download our Aerospace Quote Request Form today.
Benefits of Aerospace Certification
Global recognition as a reputable supplier
Certification is recognized internationally and accepted throughout industry supply chains, setting industry benchmarks for sourcing suppliers.
Access to large OEM’s
All companies registered to an Aerospace standard are listed in the OASIS database.
Improved stakeholder relationships
Improve the perception of your organization with staff, customers and suppliers.
Customer satisfaction
Deliver products that consistently meet customer requirements and a service that is dependable and can be relied on.
Ability to win more business
Procurement specifications often require certification as a condition to supply, so certification opens doors.
Reduced operating costs
Continual improvement of processes and resulting operational efficiencies mean money saved.
Proven business credentials
Independent verification against a globally recognized industry standard speaks volumes.
Are the AS standards right for me?
AS is right for you and your organization if you want to gain access to the global aerospace supply chain and demonstrate your commitment to the highest standards of quality in aerospace manufacture and supply.
We have certified a wide range of suppliers and innovators in the sector including industry leaders such as NASA, Boeing, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, L3 Communications and the European Space Agency.
The industry landscape is always changing. These changes have impacts to your customer needs and require the evolution of your management system. Considerations include:
- Changing Regulatory Needs
- Global Outsourcing
- Evolving Customer Requirements
- Shorter Delivery Deadlines
- Integrity Threats in the Supply Chain
- Flow Down of Requirements to the Lowest Levels of the Supply Chain
Who are these standards applicable to?
To satisfy its customers, the aerospace industry must continually provide safe and reliable products on time and at a reasonable cost that meet or exceed customer and regulatory authority requirements. This must be done while integrating products sourced from global suppliers and delivering goods to multiple customers who have varying quality requirements. So to ensure consistency, this family of aerospace quality management system standards was developed.
AS9100:2016 areas for change
AS9100:2016 has been released, the final version of AS9100:2016 standard is now available. It mirrors the new 10 clause format of the new ISO 9001:2015 standard.
The following areas have been added or enhanced:
- Product Safety
- Human Factors
- Risk Management
- Counterfeit Parts, Project Management, Configuration Management
- Product Realization and Planning
- Post Delivery Support
- Design Development
- Supplier Management and Raw Material Testing
- Quality Manual and Management Representative
The IAQG has released a set of deployment support materials which reference the changes and provide additional detail. Including the additional changes to the AS9120 and AS9110 standards.
It is recommended that all companies review these materials in detail:
Steps to Certification
-
Step 1
Complete a Quote Request Form so that we can understand your company and requirements. You can do this by completing either the online quick quote or the online formal quote request form. We will use this information to accurately define your scope of assessment and provide you with a proposal for certification.
-
Step 2
Once you’ve agreed your proposal, we will contact you to book your assessment with an NQA Assessor. This assessment consists of two mandatory visits that form the Initial Certification Audit. Please note that you must be able to demonstrate that your management system has been fully operational for a minimum of three months and has been subject to a management review and full cycle of internal audits.
-
Step 3
Following a successful two stage audit, a certification decision is made and if positive, then certification to the required standard is issued by NQA. You will receive both a hard and soft copy of the certificate. Certification is valid for three years and is maintained through a programme of annual surveillance audits and a three yearly recertification audit.