Quality in the aerospace industry: main points

In a sector classified as highly technologically intensive, quality in the aerospace industry is a critical factor, along with trust, as errors or failures in one of the aircraft components or services can have fatal results. Consequently, it is essential to have an efficient quality management system to reduce risks and provide reliability, which applies to the design, production, integration, installation, testing, services, maintenance, and repair of products used in aerospace construction.

The AS 9100 standard, a globally recognized industry quality management system, was developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the European Association of Aerospace Industries in 1999, and updated in partnership with the ISO Organization and the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG ).

In addition to the IAQG, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) also establish requirements for the civil aerospace industry taken into account in the AS 9100 standard.

Thus, all interested parties are aligned on product safety requirements, quality policy, organizational objectives, ethical behavior and duties of each person involved in the processes for component or service compliance, ensuring quality in the aerospace industry.

The document standardizes as much of the requirements of the quality management system in the aerospace industry as possible, and can be used at all levels of the supply chain. The adoption of the AS 9100 standard should result in an improvement in quality with a wider application of good practices.

The aerospace industry has unique requirements for quality management, which is why many companies that provide products and services such as maintenance to the sector invest in obtaining AS 9100/9120 certification.

AS 9100 is based on ISO 9001 and addresses safety and reliability requirements specific to the aerospace sector, including civil aviation, space, and defense.

It is a quality-based certification that guarantees safety, consistency and regulatory compliance of manufactured components, parts or products, highlighting the importance of risk control, traceability, change management, continuous improvement, and compliance with requirements.

AS 9120 complements and expands the practices of the Aerospace Quality Management System that is part of the AS 9100 standard, with the inclusion of additional specific requirements for component distributors. This covered all stages of production, including purchasing, receiving inspection, inspection of manufacturing processes, and final inspection, thus providing guidance on how to deal with risks with the adoption of controls.

The complexity and critical nature of products in the aerospace sector requires a robust and comprehensive quality management system. Regulatory compliance is not just a legal requirement; it is a fundamental aspect of maintaining public safety.

Check out the main points that guide quality management in the aerospace industry, which must be proven preferably in an audited and certified manner:

Supplier quality management

For aircraft manufacturing organizations, the quality management approach should not be limited to just their processes and products, but should also include supplier quality management.

It is necessary to have adequate practices to manage processes related to suppliers without interrupting the production schedule, with transparent communication. The manufacturer must have access to workflows and the ability to regularly evaluate the partner's performance based on factors such as quality, consistency, costs, and industry compliance, ensuring quality throughout the chain.

The quality management system must incorporate mechanisms to trace materials and components to their origin, providing transparency throughout the supply chain, contributing to risk management and preventing the use of inferior quality materials.

Processes improvement

Quality management in the aerospace industry means, first and foremost, improving processes by adopting the best practices regulated by the sector, streamlining production and reducing the risk of errors and failures. The result is the delivery of quality components within the agreed deadline.

This approach also requires consistent and continuous monitoring of processes to identify opportunities for improvement in operations or products.

Including the practice of continuous improvement offers the ability to drive operational efficiency, reduce costs, rework, waste or recalls, and increase production scale.

Nonconformity management

The aerospace sector is highly regulated and the entire production chain must comply with numerous requirements and quality standards imposed by the industry and different regulatory authorities.

A fundamental function of the quality management program in the aerospace industry must be able to ensure the compliance of manufacturing processes, components, and products with applicable regulations and standards.

Moreover, it allows you to quickly identify points of non-compliance and speed up the planning of their correction.

Corrective and preventive actions

Quality management in the aerospace industry speeds up the implementation of the Corrective and Preventive Action program (CAPA) after a thorough assessment of potential risks and quality problems in processes or products. Therefore, it is good practice to inspect processes end-to-end to identify any inefficiencies, errors, problems, and/or risks.

The quality management program must also provide appropriate methodologies to discover the root causes of problems and take necessary actions to correct them or prevent them from occurring again.

Informed decision making

Lastly, the concept of quality management in the aerospace industry should enable aerospace manufacturers to make effective decisions based on reliable data that drive their business growth.

To achieve this, the quality management system must include comprehensive documentation of processes and recording of critical data that will enable informed decision making about manufacturing operations that further improve quality, increase customer satisfaction, and drive growth.

By obtaining AS 9100 certification, the aerospace chain supplier obtains several benefits and abilities, such as:

Producing safe, high-quality products and services

The aerospace industry has strict quality and safety regulations to ensure manufacturers receive safe, high-quality products and services. The AS9100 standard not only ensures passenger safety when boarding an aircraft where components were produced by certified companies, but also improved and efficient processes for aircraft manufacturing organizations.

Inclusion in the Online Aerospace Supplier Information System® (OASIS)

All AS 9100 certified companies must be included in the Online Aerospace Supplier Information System® (OASIS). Most large manufacturers require their suppliers and service providers to be registered. It is a basic requirement to serve customers around the world.

OASIS is an online resource that contains a list of suppliers certified/registered under IAQG rules that meet aerospace quality management system requirements.

Continuous Improvement

One of the fundamental principles of the AS 9100 standard is continuous improvement. This process allows certified companies to implement iterative design practices and change their processes to become safer and more efficient through a cycle of evaluating performance, identifying opportunities for improvement, and implementing changes.

Increased productivity

The AS 9100 implementation process improves employee training and qualifications, results in better documentation and process control, and ultimately leads to more consistent performance, as well as less waste and rework. In addition, managers receive fewer troubleshooting calls and employees are better able to solve problems autonomously.

Compliance with aerospace-specific regulations

Manufacturers and stakeholders want to know that the products and services companies provide fully comply with relevant regulations and legislation. By achieving AS 9100 certification, you can be confident that your organization has taken the necessary steps to produce high-quality, compliant products and services.

In this way, companies in the sector send a clear signal that they have a structured management system, thus demonstrating their ability to provide products that consistently meet customer requirements and applicable regulations: including processes for continuous improvement and better quality in the aerospace industry.

A quality management system in accordance with AS 9100 and AS 9120 standards allows the aerospace sector's production chain to:

• Assess the function and requirements/specifications of products at all stages of their life cycle, from development to decline
• Track the inputs, processes and components used in the parts
• Assess the skills of personnel allocated to production lines
• Define security practices in accordance with standards
• Analyze and assess risks when adopting new technologies

Count on TÜV Rheinland's expertise to implement all the requirements of the standards that ensure safety and quality in the aerospace industry in six essential steps:

1. Preliminary audit (optional)

The audit team checks whether your management system documentation complies with the requirements of AS 9100 standards.

2. Documentation review

The audit team examines the extent to which non-conformities identified in the preliminary audit have been resolved.

3. Certification audit

Our auditors evaluate the effectiveness of the system and its practical applications in two stages.

The Stage 1 audit checks the client's quality management system to clarify the general certification conditions and assess the organization's maturity for an AS 9100 certification.

Stage 2 audits focus on the implementation and effectiveness of the quality management system, as well as its compliance with the requirements of AS 9100. Stage 2 can be viewed as the initial certification audit and should be carried out within a maximum period of six months following Stage 1.

4. Certificate issuance

Once all criteria have been met, the company receives the certificate, demonstrating that its quality management system is functional and in compliance with all standards. Furthermore, the company will be registered in our Certipedia online certificate database.

5. Surveillance Audits

Annual Surveillance audits help the company to continually optimize its processes.

6. Recertification

Recertification after three years allows the continuous improvement process to be maintained, and highlights the quality of services for partners and customers in the aerospace sector.

Contact TÜV Rheinland and learn more about the certification process in the AS 9100 series.