Many manufacturing organisations already hold the ISO 9001 Certification for quality management, but to exploit the opportunities in supplying the aerospace industry or the Ministry of Defence, they must also operate to AS9100 and hold AS9100 Certification.
ISO 9001 provides a solid foundation and this blog looks at how to easily extend an existing quality management system to become AS9100 compliant.
What is the Difference between ISO 9001 and AS9100?
ISO 9001 is the international standard for quality management designed to be applicable to all types of organisation. For this reason the requirements are intentionally vague and need adapting to your specific business.
However, AS9100 builds upon the basic quality management system with very details aerospace specific requirements including:
- risk management,
- traceability,
- counterfeit parts prevention,
- product safety,
- configuration management,
- supply chain controls
- and more.
AS9100 can also be said to be more Process Focused with audits taking more of a risk-based, process approach.
Is AS9100 Equivalent to ISO 9001?
No, AS9100 should not be considered equivalent to ISO 9001, but rather a superset, reflecting the higher risks and regulatory requirements found in the aerospace industry.
How to Get AS9100 Certification? (Transition from ISO 9001 to AS9100)
There is an easy route to AS9100 certification, whether you already have ISO 9001 or not. Here are the basic steps:
1. Gap Analysis
As with any implementation project, a gap analysis exercise allows you to measure the level of effort required to become compliant.
2. AS9100 Implementation Project
Using the results of the gap analysis, adapt the current quality management system or close the gaps.
3. Internal Audit and PEARs
When the AS9100 QMS is established, the next step is to perform internal audits and Process Effectiveness Assessment Reports (PEAR). This is not only a requirement of the standard but also helps to identify any nonconformances or weaknesses in the system.
4. Engage the AS9100 Certification Body
Next it’s time to bring in the AS9100 Certification Body who will conduct an impartial assessment through two stages of audit.
5. Maintaining Certification and Inclusion on the OASIS Database
Once certified it’s important to maintain compliance with the standard and conduct regular internal audits and PEARs. Certification also opens up inclusion on the OASIS database which is essential to supply aerospace companies, and opens up many opportunities.
Other Frequently Asked Questions About AS9100.
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Yes! If your ISO 9001 system is mature and well embedded, ou can leverage the shared structure of Annex SL, and the PDCA approach to accelerate implementation of AS9100’s additional requirements.
This depends on your current quality management system and resources, but with the help of our AS9100 consultants we can speed up the process into a matter of weeks.
Conclusion – Ready for AS9100?
AS9100 certification opens up many lucrative doors in the aerospace supply chain through your organisations inclusion on the OASIS database. It also reduces risks throughout the supply chain by ensuring robust controls are in palace.
