Linqs AS9100 services

What is AS 9100?

The AS9100 series is an ISO 9001-based standard that is established specifically for the aerospace industry, which encompasses space, aviation and defense industries. The AS9100 series applies to manufacturers, distributors and aviation maintenance to ensure safety, reliability and regulatory compliance specific to the aerospace industry.

AS9100 is a globally recognized standard for guidance to satisfy the aerospace industry supply-chain requirements that goes beyond the ISO 9001 standard. Large and small aerospace industry suppliers have customers like Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, General Dynamics and Pratt & Whitney. The top 20 aerospace companies make up approximately 76% of overall sales and over 82% of the profit. Many of these large companies’ have customers with strict contracts and regulations for the Department of Defense, NASA and FAA.

There are no excuses in the aerospace industry for not fully complying with these Agencies’ requirements, and following the AS9100 series standard tremendously improves a company’s capabilities to satisfy them. Additional reasons to become AS9100 series certified include:

  • More receptiveness to your company;
  • Improve image in the marketplace;
  • Ease in becoming an approved supplier globally;
  • Improve customer satisfaction;
  • Improve production and processes efficiencies;
  • Increase risk management for better decision-making;
  • Protect the customers and industry through counterfeit prevention.

The aerospace industry continues to grow and more innovation and suppliers are needed. Any size company can achieve AS9100 series certification to enter into the market and grow market share.

Who is Required to Comply?

The aerospace industry is highly regulated by Federal civil and military agencies. Major aerospace manufacturers and their suppliers worldwide require compliance and most often certification to AS9100 series. Overall, this industry is complex and diverse, and organizations can be designers and developers, manufacturers, service providers and distributors.

A comprehensive quality management system is obligatory for providing and proving safe, reliable products and services. Additionally, AS9100 has a bigger emphasis on risk management due to the critical nature of potential harms to humans and civilization. If your company desires inclusion in the supply-chain, or to develop products and services in the industry, then AS9100 series will be essential.

 

What are the Components of AS9100?

AS9100 series includes ISO 9001:2015 quality management system requirements as its base and specifies additional aviation, space, and defense industry requirements, definitions and notes. AS9100 series has over 100 additional requirements to ISO 9001:2015 that are specific to the aerospace industry. It has 10 clauses that follow the Plan, Do, Check, Act cycle in a process-based approach encouraging risk-based management, product safety, counterfeit part prevention, employee awareness, and product planning and realization to meet customer’s delivery needs:

  1. Scope
  2. Normative references
  3. Terms and Definitions
  4. Context of the organization
  5. Leadership
  6. Planning
  7. Support
  8. Operation
  9. Performance evaluation
  10. Continual Improvement

 

How Can We Help You?

Don’t try to manage it all alone! Linqs focuses on assisting design, development and manufacturing companies with AS9100; and AS9120 for distributors of components like electronics and hardware. We can boost your education & understanding, provide training and help you develop your quality management system for AS9100 series compliance.

Phase 1 – Training, Assessment, and Gap Analysis

  • Provide training on AS9100 series clauses and compliance;
  • Review the organization system(s) including internal and external interested stakeholders;
  • Review of AS9100 series requirements based on the organization system(s);
  • Identify the gaps where remediation is needed.

Duration: 1 week

Phase 2 – Compliance Program Management and Procedure Development

  • Prioritize the gaps which can be closed in a short time frame;
  • Develop plan of actions & milestones to obtain AS9100 series compliance;
  • Develop robust documented quality management system;
  • Engage with each department involved with quality and operations; and
  • Advise on best quality management system practices.

Deliverables:

  • Quality Policy, Quality Objectives and Quality Scope;
  • Risk analysis management in context to stakeholders;
  • Develop procedures for the organization’s effective operations;
  • Develop document and records controls;
  • Develop customer feedback and complaint handling processes; and
  • Develop data analysis and continuous improvement processes.

Duration: Varies depending on the size and scope of the organization

Phase 3 – Continuous Compliance Monitoring (Optional)

  • Perform Internal Audits;
  • Assess and identify the new gaps a result of changes in operations, regulations, and customer focus;
  • Updates to the quality management system including revision changes to risk analysis, processes, significant operation developments, quality scope and documentation controls;
  • Assistance with customer requirements, customer complaints, and audit findings;
  • Assistance with representation during audits;
  • Advise on continuous improvement; and
  • Continuous education & training for your organization.

Duration: Varies depending on task(s)