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Small shop trying to achieve AS9100

Discussion in 'AS 91XX - Aerospace Quality Standards' started by bob smith, Sep 20, 2024.

  1. bob smith

    bob smith Member

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    In reading here, it seems most are VERY familiar with quality systems. I hope my preliminary ignorance doesn't me blasted but we are a manufacturing shop, currently working in aerospace but have not pursued AS9100. We are currently setting up a new facility and our goal is to get AS9100 before we ever accept another job. This is sort of a clean slate situation.

    Because we are in aerospace, I am familiar with some of the forms and procedures, but don't currently even have the newest revD standard to review. What I am hoping is we can setup and adopt a new system and grow into it, on the right path.

    As part of this, we would like to be able to pursue approvals with top aero OEMs as well as DOD. I know most have their own specific requirements and it would sure be helpful to learn some of them as we setup our quality system.

    I should mention we are a shop of only 3 employees right now, wearing many different hats. I would hope I could simply take the internal auditor training to become the lead auditor? I think more than anything, I am trying to get my bearings on how to begin! I have not been able to review a sample revD quality manual to see how we do this. Not sure if we can make our own forms or if using standard templates is best?

    What we are trying to achieve is a reduced paper system, with possibly some type of ERP system, or maybe we are allowed to use our own? I seem recall a friend's shop having to jump through hoops to update their inhouse system to meet a leading aerospace OEM's requirements. Not sure what all that was about.

    We would like to implement a coding/tracking system for work flow. It would be nonsense in our small shop right now, but trying to setup now for growth.
     
  2. Golfman25

    Golfman25 Well-Known Member

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    First things first. Buy a copy of the standard and review. Then determine if a plain old Iso 9001 system would be a good intermediate step. Work from there.
     
  3. bob smith

    bob smith Member

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    Thank you but no, ISO won't do. We've been blocked for years from new business because we don't have AS9100.
     
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  4. MonsterEnergy22

    MonsterEnergy22 Member

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    Is there any supplemental literature for AS9100 similar to ISO 9000 & 9002 ?
     
  5. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    Welcome, Bob!
    Yes, this is a specialty for me, in particular. Reading your post:

    I would save your a) time and b) money on such a thing. It’s a conventional wisdom but experience shows almost a complete waste of money. Yes, someone will likely be in total disagreement, but that’s their issue!

    Most shop ERP systems don’t help much with a QMS and that’s OK. I suggest a K.I.S.S. approach. I would be happy to chat with you. No commercial interest. Anicholsqa@gmail.com.
    Drop me a line some time
     
  6. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    The IAQG Supply Chain Handbook is supposed to be helpful, but like a lot of such things, they “spin” commonly held mythology etc into “requirements”. There’s an IATF book and it’s got the same challenges.
    https://iaqg.org/tools/scmh/
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2024
  7. bob smith

    bob smith Member

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    Very much appreciate it guys! Andy, I will reach out. to be clear, I am not interested in "over achieving" here. We just need to get our fancy piece of paper and have the big bible to hand to our customers. I was told years back that someone 'within the organization' (that term gets over used, lol) must receive formal training. I spent weeks in the years past,, studying AS9100. Never have even looked at ISO as it doesn't help one bit. On the KISS principle, "write down your plan, work to your plan, return back at times to make sure work and plan are the same"....

    What I find funny with AS9100 is at least in my area, it does nothing to improve a shop. I know several that have been months late, delivered wrong parts continually, yet Boeing still loves them. At one time, a Boeing rep literally lived in their QC lab figuring out how they are screwing up. Simply Amazing.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2024
  8. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    You are welcome!
    That can be a challenge! Too much is mythology, taken as requirements.
    Exactly so - an example of a myth, frequently started by inexperienced consultants, AWOL auditors or voodoo...
    Sadly this isn't as much to do with AS9100 as it is with other mistakes. One place I know of "guarantees" AS 9100D certification in under 30 days! Bogus, but who would know, going in?
    Also, experience shows that not all Certification Bodies/Registrars are legit.

    Actually, you did, because ISO 9001 is baked in with AS9100D! ISO 9001 isn't a "help" type document. ISO/TS 9002 is. Or you can get practical help from people with a track record of implementation. BTW - I'm on the ISO 9001 US committee, working on the next round of changes, if that helps!
     
  9. bob smith

    bob smith Member

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    By that statement, I only meant that all our customers are requesting AS9100D for the work that we do. Of course it will be nice to also inherently have ISO baken in.
     
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  10. andic

    andic Member

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    Hi Bob

    someone once said to me “if you know what you are doing is right then it’s easy to defend”

    it sounds like you have a well established and competent workshop, so that’s a good starting point. Probably the biggest new thing for you will be the planning and control of change aspects of the standard
    Good luck hope you can come back to get answers to specific questions as they come up
     
  11. bob smith

    bob smith Member

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    Thanks. I think some of my focus the past couple days has been regarding how we can improve and streamline our FAIR process. Trying to sort of merge some type of "ballooning" software with CMM software. Not sure how we will approach this. We need to upgrade our CMM, but we simply can't buy a new one. Basically trying to accelerate the FAI reports as it really eats up time.

    I would say we do a ton of inspection work with the height gage. At present, our CMM is mostly a "customer appeaser".