Part Buyers Authority Issue #3

With more than 42,000 flights, moving more than 2.5 million airline passengers across more than 29 million square miles of airspace each day – it’s no wonder that the quality standards for the aerospace industry are like no other. When parts are trusted within the Aerospace Insustry - you know the quality has been well demonstrated before it goes into flight. And even while part weight is reduced and parts get more complex – safety and reliability increases. This industry enjoys a well- deserved reputation for quality and reliability – resulting in a safety record that is the envy of all other industries. And, through continuous improvement – safety goes up each year, making it the safest form of transportation. As a precision machining manufacturer of flight-critical parts, we understand quality and repeatability. At the heart of producing defect-free precision components which work together in concert with other components is a comprehensive deployment of quality, throughout the entire production process. This industry demands critical tolerances to ensure performance, as the slightest variation can lead to failure. Some people associate quality management systems with the management of documentation and audits, and of course non- conformances and corrective actions. While others, reduce quality to using a “Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM),” (a device used in the measurement GREG DYSINGER Vice President of Sales & Marketing DYSINGER INCORPORATED 12 UNDERSTANDING QUALITY FOR AEROSPACE INDUSTRY MACHINED PARTS of a part), quality in this industry, is so much more, and anchored by adherence to the most stringent of all certifications, AS9100. AS9100 helps ensure a part’s quality, conformity, safety, airworthiness and reliability, and sets this industry’s quality requirements apart from all other industries. The other demanding military and aerospace industry machining standards include: ITAR registration and ISO 9001:2008 certification. In addition to understanding the quality standards, you will also want to observe how quality is moved throughout the production process, from the engineers, through the machinists and into post-processing. In this business, it’s not about just having one person in charge of quality – its about building quality into the part. The quality standards will vary depending on how the part is being produced frommanual one-offs to higher volume work performed with automation. You will also want an understanding of the equipment used for certified assurance processes (e.g., CNC machines, software and systems) and the guarantees regarding the quality assurance process (such as machining to exact specification, and on-time delivery). PLANNING THRU EXPERIENCE Building a quality product always starts with good planning. In today’s machining market place appropriate machining processes and machining center selection can make a project a success, for the customer and the supplier. In like manner, poor planning and processing can lead to disasters, not only in part conformance, but also in delivering products on time. High Strength Grade 5 Titanium Alloy NASA Mission Critical Component This very thin wall component offers strength, precision, as well as light part weight in a dynamic assembly for our National Space Program. These thin wall sections offer many challenges when holding extreme close dimensional and flatness of less than .001 inch. With the necessity of many heat treat and stress relieving operations, the successful processing of these types of materials for these delicate features requires great planning. PART BUYERS A U T H R I T Y