Posted by Cade Hart on | Comments Off on What is an AS9100D certified manufacturer?
What is an AS9100D certified manufacturer?
At H&S Manufacturing we pride ourselves on being a manufacturer that specializes in precision fabrication. Many manufacturers can boast about their quality with little proof of how or to what standard their quality is upheld. AS9100 certification holds the manufacturer to a higher level of requirements. H&S Manufacturing is an AS9100D certified manufacturer, and we explain more about what that means.
What is AS9100?
AS9100 is a standard of companywide certification for implementing a Quality Management System (QMS). This standard comes from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for manufacturing companies that produce products for the defense, space, and aviation organizations. Many companies assume that this standard is the same as the ISO 9001:2015, International Organization for Standardization (ISO). AS9100 expands the requirements set by ISO for Quality Management System. Meaning the manufacturer is held to a higher standard for the quality of your products.
The D being added to AS9100 is the revision D which was added as an aerospace standard used by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG). The updated revision from 2016, is to update the goals of the certification to evolve with the needs of the industry.
Why consider using an AS9100D certified manufacturer?
For a manufacturer to become certified requires a lot of work, time, and implementation. Setting these standards in place can take years to achieve. However, these benefit the manufacturer, customer, and end-users. Here are some examples:
Quality-It’s a requirement from AS9100 that your management team implements process improvements. Continually improving your processes as a manufacturer means catching quality issues before they leave manufacturing. Another requirement under AS9100D is counterfeit part prevention where training and controls are taught to catch counterfeit parts. These checks and balances improve process effectiveness leading to better customer satisfaction due to consistent results.
Less Risk-Operational risk management process plan must be in place to become AS9100 certified. Identifying risk and assigning risk management responsibilities and then taking actions to limit possible risk factors. This will improve your quality and lead time.
Independent Verification- Every year AS9100D certified manufacturers are audited by an independent company, to ensure they are meeting the rigorous standards in place with the certification.
How is the AS9100 certification completed?
Certification happens after an independent third-party audit of the Quality Management System implemented by the manufacturer. The system in place needs to align with the standards of the AS9100D, as well as operations to provide high-quality products to customers. Once it’s been confirmed the manufacturers’ system is compliant, customers don’t have to spend their own research time to verify the manufacturers’ processes.
Before the independent audit takes place, the manufacturer must review its internal Quality Management System and ensure it aligns to the AS9100 standards. Here is what to look out for:
Audit Internal Processes: This will allow the manufacturer to check its processes to see if they meet requirements and if not, the company will fix any issues. The audit will show flaws in the new system put into place, so they are addressed up-front.
Management Audit:The management team can score the internal Quality Management System and make sure each group has its role clearly defined.
Corrective action: Identify the know issues and the plan in place to correct these issues.
Once the internal review and corrections are made it’s time for the independent audit to check for compliance with the AS9100D standards. Then employees are interviewed to ensure the QMS processes match specifications needed for certification.
Finally, once the corrective actions to any concerns are met through the findings of the independent review, the manufacturer is awarded the certification. Now suppliers know the manufacturer can make products, to the standards of the aerospace and defense industry.
Consider H&S Manufacturing for your AS9100D Certified Manufacturer
Precision fabrication is an excellent manufacturing method for various medical devices, defense, space, and aviation industries. H&S Manufacturing has been delivering high precision custom contract manufacturing services since 1968. We rely on the expertise of our manufacturing team and technology to produce exacting tolerances with complex part designs. For more information about the sections of AS9100D, click here.
Posted by Jody Key on | Comments Off on The Uses of Custom Sheet Metal in the Aerospace Industry
The Uses of Custom Sheet Metal in the Aerospace Industry
In the aerospace industry, precision and consistency are critical to manufacturing and assembling safe, reliable aircraft. Aerospace parts must provide long-lasting performance while tolerating humidity, extreme temperatures, and high mechanical stresses. At H&S Manufacturing, we leverage our precision machining capabilities to produce custom sheet metal fabrications that comply with the aerospace industry’s rigorous safety and quality standards. Our AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 certified facility is equipped to handle everything from prototyping to full production, with services like shearing, punching, precision laser cutting, extruding, notching, and other fabrication techniques.
In this blog, we’ll highlight the applications and benefits of our precision sheet metal fabrication services in the aviation & aerospace industries.
Sheet Metal for Aerospace
Metal materials used in aircraft construction are selected based on several factors, including durability, strength-to-weight ratio, and corrosion resistance. The metal’s structural integrity must also be capable of withstanding exposure to the high pressures and extreme temperatures encountered during flight. Three commonly used sheet metals in this industry are aluminum, stainless steel, and brass.
Aluminum: Aluminum is a lightweight, electrically conductive metal that can be strengthened and enhanced through the addition of various alloying elements. The most popular aluminum alloys in aircraft construction are 7075, 7475-02, and 6061, all of which exhibit excellent resistance to fatigue resistance and damage. Specific aerospace applications of aluminum sheet metal include:
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Wing panes
Fuselage
Rudder
Doors and floors
Engine turbines
Cockpit instrumentation
Seats
Exhaust pipes
Stainless steel: Stainless steel is a group of corrosion-resistant iron-carbon alloys containing 10-30% chromium. Because they maintain superior mechanical properties over a wide temperature range, stainless steel alloys are ideal for enduring the harsh conditions of continuous flight. Applications of stainless steel sheet metal manufacturing in the aviation aerospace industry include:
Airframes
Landing gear
Jet engines
Brass: Brass is a copper-zinc alloy with excellent hardness, workability, corrosion, and temperature resistance. This alloy performs well in harsh settings, making it ideal for aerospace environments. Applications of brass sheet metal manufacturing in aircraft construction include:
Wheel and brake components
Landing gear
Cargo doors
Casings for electrical components
Benefits
Aviation sheet metal fabrication is an intricate process that requires precision equipment and close attention to detail. Custom metal stamping and forming techniques are particularly well suited for sheet metal fabricated products since they allow for precise cutting and shaping while eliminating surface defects. Other benefits of metal stamping and forming include:
Affordability: Metal stamping and forming are highly cost-effective, especially for large-scale production runs where the dies can be reused.
High accuracy: The custom dies and tools used for metal stamping ensure excellent precision and tight dimensional tolerances. Cold forming can achieve superior levels of precision since it eliminates any heat-related warping.
To maximize the benefits of sheet metal fabrication, it is important to choose materials that meet the functional and environmental requirements of a given aerospace application. Aluminum, stainless steel, and brass each have distinct advantages:
Aluminum
Excellent strength-to-weight ratio
Resistance to corrosion, UV radiation, and moisture
Malleability
Low cost
Well-documented properties
Simple to inspect
Easy to replace or repair
Recyclable
Stainless steel
Corrosion resistance
Generally stronger and more durable than aluminum
Low maintenance
Aesthetically appealing
Brass
Performs well at high temperatures
Great conductor of heat and electricity
Spark resistance
Corrosion resistance
Sheet Metal Fabrication Services at H&S Manufacturing
For over 50 years, H&S Manufacturing has built employee trust, earned customer loyalty, and improved our sheet metal fabrication processes. By investing in the latest sheet metal manufacturing methods and equipment, we ensure cost-effective, compliant, and reliable sheet metal fabrications for a range of mission-critical aerospace applications. To complement our core manufacturing capabilities, we also offer secondary services to optimize your sheet metal fabricated products for their intended environment.
Posted by Jody Key on | Comments Off on Aerospace Manufacturing
Aerospace Manufacturing
H&S Manufacturing Co. is ISO 9001:2015 and AS9001Dcertified and specializes in precision sheet metal fabrication, electro-mechanical assembly, mechanical assembly,machining, and testing, and offers contract and custom manufacturing solutions with integrity. H&S is focused on delivering the best software, equipment, and training to its staff so that they can manufacture products that are built to exact specifications. H&S employs cutting-edge manufacturing technology, engineering software, and a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. H&S has real-time e-mail and FTP functionality as part of its promise for reliable and rapid data delivery. Hardware installation, mechanical assembly, and spot welding services are also provided by H&S.
H&S works on material including copper, aluminum, brass, galvanized hot or cold-rolled steel, stainless steel, and plastics. The vertical and horizontal machining capabilities include drilling, milling, boring, countersinking, tapping, and counterboring. We provide high-quality service of sheet metal fabrication including forming/bending, notching, punching, and shearing. We also offer finishing services like plating, graining, powder coating, deburring, wet painting, silk screening, sandblasting, and heat treating.
Aerospace Industry
The aerospace industry is a high-tech industry. Most enterprises in the aerospace industry must comply with one of three specific standards: AS 9100, AS 9110, or AS 9120. A corporation or individual engaged in the design, construction, maintenance, testing, and sale of airplanes, missiles, aircraft parts, rockets, or spacecraft are known as aerospace manufacturers. Airline design and production are the primary focuses of aerospace manufacturing companies. Airliners account for over 60% of all products sold by aerospace manufacturing companies.
Because its principal products, flight vehicles, require millions of different parts, the aerospace industry’s product line is forced to be vast. In addition, to operate and maintain the vehicles, other support systems are required. Military aircraft have the biggest market share in terms of sales, followed by space systems and civil aircraft, with missiles occupying a minor position.
Services
H&S Manufacturing specializes in the customized manufacture of small and large-scale products for a variety of applications and industries. A few examples are given below:
Precision Machining
Usingprecise machining capabilities, H&S Manufacturing specializes in the production of unique parts to strict requirements. Drilling, milling, tapping, and boring are among the capabilities, as are welding, plating, silk screening, heat-treating, and painting.
Custom Sheet Metal Fabrication
H&S Manufacturing specializes in high-qualitycustom sheet metal fabrication for a variety of industries, including lighting, medical, and defense. Modern high-speed multi-tool equipment, such as punch-laser machines, laser cutting machines, and punch presses, are available at our facility. We can make parts out of cold and hot rolled steel, aluminum, brass, stainless steel, and copper.
Precision Laser Cutting
Precision laser cutting services are provided by H&S Manufacturing for a variety of industries, including medical, electronics, military, and energy. We use modern, RF-excited, turbine-driven, fast axial flow CO2 lasers that combine precision and speed. We can cut a variety of materials with our three-axis cutting capabilities, including, heavy plate, aluminum, thin metals, and steel. To know more about the laser cutting process, click here.
Custom Place Gaskets
Forcustom gaskets, H&S Manufacturing offers form-in-place liquid dispensing. A fully equipped 3 axis (XYZ) robot maximizes our production rate by properly and quickly dispensing silicon-based materials for gaskets. Using a variety of bead sizes as small as .030” x.030” for accurate positioning on surfaces, multiple patterns and volumes can be created. We manufacture EMI shielding components that are both electrically and thermally efficient.
Custom Box Build
H&S Manufacturing specializes in electromechanical assemblies, such as power supply, cable wiring, fans, and chassis, as well as brackets, harnesses, and boards. Box build manufacturing service provides customers with experience and insight for all levels of production volume, from prototype to large batches, from part fabrication to complete final assembly, including enclosures.
