Saab Aerostructures on the way to Nadcap-certification
Saab Aerostructures is concentrating on standardizing and simplifying processes. All in order to improve ways of working, and become more cost-effective. One example is the ongoing work towards the EN9100-certification of the quality management system, another is the Nadcap-certification.
During this year, Saab Aerostructures has done a lot of work to define what needs to be changed in the organization in order to get a Nadcap-certification. Now the work to make these changes has started. PRI is the organization that defines the process requirements and distributes the certificates.
PRI stands for Performance Revision Institute and some of their representatives come from leading aircraft-industries. The organization arranges independent audits of specialized processes according to the Nadcap-program.
The philosophy of PRI-Nadcap is to standardize certain special processes, which results in more flexible audits while it at the same time reduces the cost. These thoughts are right on line with Saab Aerostructures business concept.
- We have decided to get a Nadcap-certification in order to simplify the work with existing and potential customers. With a certification, our customers can be sure that our special processes are performed in the best and safest way, says Ingrid Kornfeldt, Quality Director at Saab Aerostructures.
The work towards a Nadcap certification started at Saab Aerostructures in the spring of 2004. In the first phase it is the processes concerning heat treatment, non destructive testing and manufacturing of composite that will get a PRI-Nadcap-certification.
- We have now surveyed the situation and defined what has to be done. After the summer, we have started taking care of the planned actions and the work should be finished during the spring of 2005, says Ingrid Kornfeldt.
That the leading aircraft-manufacturers have agreed on the demands on how specific processes should be performed is an advantage for both manufactures and suppliers. Companies that apply for a certificate have to comply with certain demands, and then representatives from PRI conduct an audit. With a standardized way of attacking the issue, larger manufacturers do not have to do specific audits for suppliers and partners, who in their turn do not have to be audited as often.
- It is an advantage to us if all leading manufacturers use a standardized approach for how processes should be conducted. In that way we get a high and even level of how we conduct specific processes and we will also be able to simplify the auditing, says Ingrid Kornfeldt.
Back to CNB 5/2004