Key Takeaways
For machine shops looking to break into—or expand within—the aerospace and defense supply chain, one credential stands above the rest: AS9100 certification. It signals to customers, primes, and regulators that your quality management system (QMS) meets the rigorous demands of aviation, space, and defense manufacturing. Without it, many contracts simply aren't accessible.
This guide covers what AS9100 certification means for a machine shop, the specific benefits it delivers, and the step-by-step process for achieving it.
AS9100 is the internationally recognized quality management system standard for the aerospace and defense industry. Developed and maintained by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG), it builds on the foundation of ISO 9001:2015 and adds sector-specific requirements addressing areas such as operational risk management, configuration management, product safety, and counterfeit parts prevention.
For an AS9100 machine shop, the standard governs every aspect of production quality—from how raw materials are sourced and verified, to how finished components are measured, traced, and delivered. The current revision, AS9100 Rev D (2016), introduced risk-based thinking as a cross-cutting theme throughout the standard, requiring organizations to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risks at both the organizational and operational level.
Certification is administered through the IAQG's Industry Controlled Other Party (ICOP) scheme, an industry-managed program in which accredited third-party certification bodies (CBs) conduct audits against a defined set of requirements. Only organizations certified under this scheme are listed in the Online Aerospace Supplier Information System (OASIS) database—a directory that aerospace primes and OEMs use when qualifying new suppliers.
Major aerospace primes—including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Airbus, and their Tier 1 suppliers—typically require AS9100 certification as a baseline condition for supplier approval. Without it, an AS9100 machine shop cannot bid on most aerospace machining contracts, regardless of its technical capabilities. Certification is effectively the entry ticket to this market.
Aerospace machining involves tight tolerances, critical materials, and components that may end up in life-critical assemblies. AS9100 requires machine shops to maintain documented controls over production processes, equipment calibration, inspection methods, and material traceability. These requirements aren't just compliance checkboxes—they reflect the operational discipline that aerospace customers expect and that separates qualified suppliers from the rest.
AS9100 Rev D requires organizations to plan and implement a formal operational risk management process. For a machine shop, this means identifying and mitigating risks throughout the product life cycle—from contract review and material procurement through machining, inspection, and delivery. As the IAQG has noted, this requirement is intended to make organizations develop a proactive risk culture rather than simply react to non-conformances after the fact.
The aerospace industry has a documented problem with counterfeit components entering the supply chain. AS9100 specifically addresses this through Clause 8.1.4, which requires organizations to implement controls for the prevention of counterfeit or suspect counterfeit part use and delivery. For an AS9100 machine shop sourcing raw materials or hardware, this means establishing procurement controls and verification activities to confirm material authenticity.
Certification doesn't just satisfy a procurement requirement—it communicates something meaningful to customers. An AS9100-certified machine shop has demonstrated, through an independent third-party audit, that its QMS consistently produces conforming product. That track record builds the kind of customer trust that leads to long-term supplier relationships and repeat business.
Achieving AS9100 certification follows a structured path. Understanding each stage helps machine shops prepare effectively and avoid common delays.
Before engaging a certification body, most machine shops conduct a gap analysis to assess how their current quality practices measure up against AS9100 Rev D requirements. This identifies areas needing new documentation, revised procedures, or updated controls. From there, the QMS is developed or updated to address all applicable clauses.
Once the QMS is documented, it must be put into practice. Most organizations run under the new system for three to six months before pursuing certification. This pilot period generates the objective evidence—records, audit logs, management review minutes—that external auditors will need to confirm the system is functioning as intended, not just documented on paper.
Before any external audit, the organization must complete a full internal audit of all processes within the QMS scope, identify any nonconformities, implement corrective actions, and verify the results. A formal management review must follow, with senior leadership evaluating QMS performance and setting improvement objectives. These steps are prerequisites for the external certification audit—and auditors will look for evidence that they were conducted rigorously.
The certification process begins with a Stage 1 audit, typically conducted on-site over one to two days. The auditor reviews the documented QMS for alignment with AS9100 Rev D requirements, evaluates the organization's scope and processes, confirms that quality objectives are defined and tracked, and interviews personnel to gauge awareness of QMS requirements. At the conclusion of Stage 1, the auditor communicates any identified concerns and provides a readiness recommendation for Stage 2.
Conducted approximately one to two months after Stage 1, the Stage 2 audit is a comprehensive, process-level evaluation of the entire QMS. The certification body examines documented information, reviews records from the pilot period, assesses compliance with customer and regulatory requirements, and reports all non-conformances. If no major non-conformances are identified, the organization is recommended for certification. The resulting AS9100 certificate is valid for three years.
Non-conformances identified during the audit are not uncommon, and finding them is not a failure—how they are handled is what matters. The organization must conduct a root cause analysis, develop a corrective action plan, implement the actions, and provide documented evidence of resolution to the certification body. All non-conformances must be closed within six months of the audit's closing meeting. Failure to meet this timeline requires a repeat Stage 2 audit.
AS9100 certification requires annual surveillance audits throughout the three-year certificate period. These are full-scope audits that assess continued conformance and provide a mechanism for continuous improvement. At the end of the three-year cycle, a full recertification audit is required to maintain certification status.
While all clauses of AS9100 Rev D are applicable, certain areas carry particular weight for machining operations:
Organizations that achieve AS9100 certification smoothly tend to share a few common practices. They maintain a robust internal audit program that identifies and resolves issues before external auditors arrive. They keep documentation current, control document revisions carefully, and ensure that personnel at all levels understand the QMS requirements relevant to their roles. They also treat surveillance audits not as inspections to survive, but as opportunities to strengthen the system.
AS9100 certification is not a bureaucratic hurdle—it is a structured framework for building the operational discipline that aerospace manufacturing demands. For machine shops with the capability to serve this market, certification opens doors to contracts, supplier relationships, and competitive positioning that are otherwise out of reach.
The process requires real commitment: time, resources, and organizational engagement at every level. But machine shops that invest in a well-implemented AS9100 QMS consistently find that the benefits extend well beyond the certificate itself, producing measurable improvements in quality, efficiency, and customer confidence.
If your machine shop is considering AS9100 certification, partnering with an accredited certification body experienced in aerospace manufacturing is the most reliable path to getting it right.
Contact us today to learn more about how AS9100 certification can transform your operations, or request a quote to take the next step toward elevating your machine shop to new heights.
