4 Reasons Why AS9100 Certification is Important for Aerospace Manufacturers

When selecting an aerospace supplier, quality matters for the customers, which are often aviation companies, air passenger carriers, defense aircraft, and space institutions. AS9100 certification addresses this need of the manufacturers and provides them with a set of effective regulations that adhere to the consistent quality performance of their products. Before going into the details of the AS9100 standard, let us give some insights into its origin. It is formed in the year 1999, when the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the European Association of Aerospace Industries felt that the general quality management system (QMS) under the ISO 9001 does not entirely cover the originality, reliability, and safety requirements of aerospace products. It raised concerns for the primary customers, such as NASA and other national departments of defense. While keeping the ISO 9001 requirements for a foundation, the new AS9100 standard was formed to cover all aspects, such as precise directives, safety regulations, operational procedures, and risk mitigation to ensure quality.


Clearly, the requirements and clauses of the aerospace specific certification are directed to help the manufacturers deploy efficient processes and deliver fine-tuned and safe products. This blog post will further sum up the importance of the certification to the manufacturers in four brief points.

Customer Satisfaction

Like any industry, customers are at the center of the aerospace industry. The AS9100 standard sets up the requirements for a strong and all-inclusive QMS that will actively control, analyze, and monitor the different stages of the production and review the essential performance metrics or KPIs. Some of the metrics that the QMS takes into account are delivery time, product or component recall rates, defective products, contract audits, and customer complaints. The QMS and its certification are meant to establish streamlined and cohesive steps to manage the production cycle and prevent any operational risks in the final products.

Process Approach

Every specific ISO certification needs the organization to have a process approach for the respective management system. For instance, ISO 9001 certification specifies the approach for the QMS, ISO 45001 for an occupational health and safety (OHS) management system, and ISO 27001 certification for an information security management system (ISMS). Aircraft and spacecraft manufacturers will have a definite line of processes to follow under the AS9100 standard. The process approach will help them with directives for every process in production, including procuring materials, reviewing suppliers, product development, quality testing, and customer preferences analysis to ensure no faulty items are produced.

Continuous Improvement

The certification results in the implementation of the QMS will help the manufacturers keep a close tab on all aspects of their operations. It will be a perceptive tool to identify any potential pitfalls and immediately eliminate them. When continuous monitoring of the processes exists to resolve the issues in production, the manufacturers are bound to restrict errors and further improve the quality of the products.

Boosts Morale of the Staff

Implementing an internationally accepted standard for quality management will help the employees perform with high productivity and check any discrepancies in the processes. Checking the raw materials and assemblies and designing, developing, and testing the products, are all complicated tasks that need the skill and attention of the staff. The certification will ensure the management of the manufacturing organization will emphasize employee training, which will help to raise the efficiency of their employees in assessing the products during the entire production phase and check quality issues.

Bottom Line

These factors show why AS9100 certification is an important tool for an aerospace supplier or manufacturer. Also, if you study the established elements or clauses of the AS9100 certification, you will be able to understand it. They explain the general and technical requirements that should be met by the specific QMS. Apart from ensuring a process approach and continuous quality improvement, the certification’s requirements lay down the need for staff’s competency, continuous monitoring, and customer focus in the aerospace sector to assure product safety and quality.

Also Read: A Guide to Implementing Quality Management in Your Business


Contact Details:

Business Name: Compliancehelp Consulting, LLC

Email Id: info@quality-assurance.com

Phone No: 877 238 5855

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