The Rubber Group is proud to confirm our commitment to quality in the Aerospace, Space, and Defense (ASD) sectors by successfully maintaining conformance to the AS9100D standard. Based on ISO 9001, this standard ensures that The Rubber Group’s Aerospace Quality Management System (AQMS) is held to a level of excellence necessary to provide top-notch products to the ASD industry.
Since 2016, we have continuously maintained this certification to manufacture silicone molded and extruded products, die-cut products, and other elastomer products. Contact us today to discuss your ASD project needs and keep reading to learn more about AS9100D.
Formally known as AS9100D Quality Management Systems – Requirements for Aviation, Space and Defense Organizations, AS9100D is a standard that is kept by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) and the SAE Aerospace Division to normalize quality standards within the industry. AS9100D acts as an extension of ISO 9001 to address any potential shortcomings that apply to ASD companies.
What is AS9100D?
Prior to its introduction in 1999, every contractor – along with a variety of global government agencies – maintained independent standards for quality. The resulting increase in efficiency and improved safety has led to groups like the FAA, DOD, NASA, and EASA requiring suppliers to meet the AS9100D standard. As technology advances and new issues arise, this standard is periodically updated to reflect these changes. The current revision was published in 2016, and a new revision is expected in late 2026.
AS9100D Certification Process
The certification process for AS9100D is a rigorous assessment to ensure that each applicant is in full compliance with the standard. An accredited certification authority does an initial audit to identify any areas of non-conformance, then a second audit is performed to ensure updated compliance. While this may sound like a daunting task, the real work is done well before any audits take place.
The first steps are to implement an AQMS system that conforms to AS9100D and to perform a gap analysis to understand where improvements are needed. Once conformance is met and a certificate is issued, the work still is not over. Annual surveillance audits must be completed to maintain the certification. Additionally, every 3 years re-certification is necessary. Otherwise, the certification will expire.
Importance of the AS9100D Standard
In an industry where every mistake is magnified, it may seem obvious that a quality standard would be of immense importance. The importance of AS9100D can be distilled down to targeted outcomes like improved efficiency, risk reduction, and counterfeit avoidance. However, the real importance comes from a deeper place of mutual trust.
This trust extends to all parties who are involved with this standard, from the manufacturers that maintain the certification to the governing bodies that require it. By maintaining this standard, a company is demonstrating that it prioritizes making high quality products in a responsible and secure manner. This feeling is reciprocated by regulators who require this standard to ensure that the high-stakes nature of the ASD industry is supported with high quality, risk averse products.
Contact TRG About Your ASD Needs
At The Rubber Group, we wear our AS9100D certification as a badge of pride: a declaration of our commitment to the success of our customers. It ensures that we always put our customers first by placing an emphasis on the reliability and consistency of our processes, leading to high quality products. We also value the efficiency that our AQMS provides as a single source of truth, giving our organization a level of transparency previously unattainable.
As we look forward to maintaining our conformance for years to come, trust that you can contact us with any of your Aviation, Space and Defense project needs.