Think about making a small gear that spins smoothly in a jet engine or creating a light wing piece that can handle enormous pressures. In today's rapidly evolving aerospace industry, maintaining high-quality standards is crucial for success. Whether you're a manufacturer, supplier, or service provider in aviation, achieving AS9100 certification can be a game-changer.
According to simpleQuE, as of May 9, 2023, there were 21,457 AS9100:2016 certifications worldwide, including versions like EN 9100:2018, JIS Q 9100:2016, and KS Q9100:2018. Among these, 9,044 were issued in the United States. So, what exactly is this prestigious badge of honor?
In this blog, we will guide you on what AS9100 certification is and the whole as9100 certification process. We will also understand what costs are involved in getting it. So, let's dive in.
What Is AS9100 Certification?
Think of AS9100 as a blueprint for building a robust quality management system (QMS) specifically designed for the aerospace industry. It's like a detailed recipe book, but instead of cookies and cakes, it prescribes the ingredients and steps for ensuring the consistent production of safe, reliable, and top-notch aerospace products and services.
AS9100 is created by a big player in the aerospace industry known as the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG).
What Are The AS9100 Certification Processes?
Below are the step-by-step process for AS9100 certification:
- AS9100 Certification Preparation
Before starting the certification process, ensure everyone agrees, especially top management. Choose a team or leader who is well-versed in the standard to oversee the process. Get an updated copy of the standard to get a brief idea of the process and gather existing documents.
- Perform AS9100 Gap Analysis
After collecting all documents, analyze for gaps between AS9100 requirements and current processes. Before you continue, please fix these missing parts.
- Create an AS9100 Action Plan
After finishing the gap analysis, it's crucial to make an AS9100 action plan. This plan should list all the requirements that need fixing and when they should be done. It helps the organization stay organized and ensures that certification happens as planned.
- Create Mandatory Documents
AS9100 tells companies they must create and follow specific essential steps. These include making a quality policy, setting quality goals and plans, defining what the quality management system covers, and having a written process for managing outside processes.
- Educate Your Organization on AS9100
After setting up the system, it's crucial to make sure all employees understand what to do. This means teaching them the standard rules and what they need to do to keep our AS9100 certification. They should also know if there are any updates to our processes and any new paperwork they need to handle.
- AS9100 Implementation
Address non-conformities and create processes that follow AS9100 requirements. Ensure proper and timely implementation for certification.
- AS9100 Internal Audit
Conduct internal audits by trained members to ensure compliance. Keep track of all audit records to ensure they are honest and reliable.
- AS9100 Certification Audit
This step is essential for the AS9100 certification process. Once all requirements are met, undergo a certification audit by an accredited body to verify proper implementation.
- AS9100 Certification Maintenance
After achieving certification, maintain compliance and undergo regular audits. Apply for recertification as needed to uphold accreditation.
What Is The AS9100 Certification Cost?
There are several factors that can affect AS9100 certification costs, such as organization size, internal expertise, existing systems, and registrar charges. Larger organizations might pay more because it takes longer to put everything in place. Smaller companies can get certified faster, especially if they follow all the design rules.
You can save money at first by using your own experts, but if they don't do a good job, it could cause problems later on, costing even more to fix. If your organization already has ISO 9001 certification, moving to AS9100 should be easy because AS9100 is based on ISO 9001. You can save money by using the processes you already have.
The ongoing cost of certification includes regular audits. These audits happen every three years, with smaller checks every year. For a company with 100 employees, this could add up to around $20,000 over three years. And if you need help implementing the system, it could cost between $20,000 to $100,000 or even more.
Conclusion
AS9100 certification is a valuable asset for aerospace companies committed to excellence in quality management. By knowing ‘what is AS9100 certification’ and always looking for ways to get better, companies can earn and keep their AS9100 certification. This shows how much they care about making great products and giving excellent service in the aerospace industry.
Ready to take your aerospace business to new heights? Start your journey towards AS9100 certification smoothly and hassle-free today by contacting KSQA. Don't wait – it's time to soar above the competition with AS9100 certification! Visit our website for more details.
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