All aerospace manufacturers must comply with AS/EN/JISQ 9100 Rev. C, which is due to be released by the IAQG in the first quarter of 2009. All companies impacted by these changes will generally have up to 30 months from the issue date of AS/EN/JISQ 9100 Rev. C to update their documentation and practices. Coordination with the Registrar to determine specific timing is advised.

An IAQG sub-team made up of 18 members from 16 different IAQG companies in 10 countries in all sectors (Americas, Europe and Asia) worked on this revision. The reasoning behind updating AS/EN/JISQ 9100 was to:

• Incorporate ISO 9001:2008 changes

• Expand the scope to include land- and sea-based 

  systems for defense applications

• Ensure alignment with IAQG strategy (on-time, 

  on-quality performance)

• Adopt new requirements based on stakeholder 

  needs

• Improve existing requirements where stakeholders 

  have identified a need for clarification, including 

  when a documented procedure is required

Key changes to AS/EN/JISQ 9100 include:

The understanding of risk is important for any organization to develop and maintain a proactive quality management system so a new definition of the term “risk” has been added. It is defined as “an undesirable situation or circumstance that has both a likelihood of occurring and a potentially negative consequence”. 

Risk management was similarly emphasized, with a new requirement added regarding the implementation of a risk management process applicable to the product and organization covering responsibility, criteria, mitigation and acceptance. Organizations should consider whether they have a risk management process that addresses all the applicable requirements, whether the definition of risk is properly understood and applied and if they are being managed successfully.

A requirement for management responsibility for measuring “product conformity” and “on-time delivery” have been added, as well as the need for corrective actions as appropriate. 

There is also now a requirement for organizations to monitor customer satisfaction based on product conformity and on-time delivery as well as customer complaints and corrective action requests. Companies are also expected to develop plans as appropriate to address deficiencies, where identified. 

The requirement to have a document showing the relationship between 9100 requirements and the organizations documented procedures was removed because it was deemed to be non-value added. 

These, and several other changes, will impact all organizations that currently hold, or are looking to attain, AS/EN/JISQ 9100. A PRI web poll carried out in January 2009 indicated that nearly two-thirds of aerospace industry respondents were not confident that they understood the changes to AS/EN/JISQ 9100.

To assist in the transition to the new revision, eQuaLearn has worked with industry experts to develop a detailed review of the changes in AS/EN/JISQ 9100 and how to apply these new requirements at your company. eQuaLearn is part of PRI’s Customer Solutions and Support, which aims to identify and meet customer demand in all areas of business relating to quality.

Learn more and register at www.eQuaLearn.com