After just completing two consecutive AS9100D re-certification audits as the Director of Quality at Sonfarrel Aerospace, I have garnered great respect for the standard that guides our industry. Since 1999, AS9100 has helped give companies the structure needed to thrive in the aerospace industry while keeping up with customer requirements. Smaller companies go to considerable expense to become AS9100 registered. Completing an audit comes with a great sense of accomplishment and pride while letting other companies understand your commitment to improvement.
Unfortunately, some of the larger companies in our industry have spent many years developing their supplier requirements in addition to AS9100. These requirements could be a 25-page release in which companies are required to acknowledge or a seemingly yearly release of a 100 plus page manual suppliers must review.