E-Archive

Nadcap Column

in Vol. 14 - July Issue - Year 2013
What Help Is Available For Companies That Want Nadcap Accreditation?

For aerospace suppliers who are required by their customers to obtain Nadcap accreditation, it can be a big undertaking. Knowing where to find useful documentation and other guidance can make all the difference in terms of both audit performance and confidence about the process.
For this reason, this article is intended to share some of the ways in which PRI, the not-for-profit organization that administers Nadcap on behalf of the industry, provides information to support companies through the audit and accreditation process.

Symposia
Since 2011, PRI has held six supplier symposia – five in France and one in Germany, with the first UK symposium due to take place in September 2013. These events were organised jointly with GIFAS, BDLI and ADS respectively, with support from Airbus, BAE Systems, EADS, Eurocopter, Honeywell, MTU Aero Engines, SAFRAN, Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca and over 350 supplier representatives have attended so far.
These events are free of charge and are held with a goal of educating suppliers about Nadcap through presentations by Nadcap-subscribing Primes and Nadcap-accredited suppliers, as well as providing an opportunity to ask questions and network. With the information provided in these sessions, companies are able to make an informed decision about Nadcap accreditation and connect with people that they can contact later if they have any follow-up questions.

Professional Development
Through eQuaLearn, PRI’s training department, a large number of courses are available in multiple languages and in venues around the world. With themes of quality (and classes including Internal Auditing, Introduction to Aerospace Quality and Root Cause Corrective Action) and special processes (with classes such as Introduction to Pyrometry and Nadcap Audit Preparation), all the courses have been developed to support companies in their Nadcap accreditation journey.
Classes are offered free of charge at the Nadcap meetings which take place three times each year around the world, and are also available around the world at other times of the year. The schedules are available at www.eQuaLearn.com

Whitepapers
In response to supplier feedback, PRI has developed a number of “PRI Perspectives” on topics related to Nadcap, including quality, auditing and business topics. These short documents are available to download free of charge from the PRI website at www.pri-network.org/about-pri/media-center/pri-perspective/. Topics include Building Internal Support for Nadcap, Nadcap Audit Preparation Timeline, and How to Promote Your Nadcap Accreditation.

Checklists
All Nadcap audit checklists are available online to download prior to the Nadcap audit. In fact, it is strongly recommended that they are used during pre-audit preparation and in internal audits. By following the checklist that the Nadcap auditor will use, companies are able to anticipate the expectations of the Nadcap auditor and ensure that all the objective evidence and other supporting documentation is available for the audit.

Common Non-Conformances
Another valuable tool for use in audit preparation is the detailed list of common non-conformances that is available without charge online at www.eAuditNet.com. By reviewing the typical mistakes made in Nadcap audits, it is possible to learn from other companies’ experiences and avoid repeating them. Many Task Groups also provide other useful guidance including handbooks and presentations by Nadcap-subscribing Primes to clarify their requirements. These are all available on eAuditNet as well.

Translation
Much of the information detailed above is available in multiple languages. Although the official language of Nadcap is English, the industry recognizes that it is much easier to utilize information in the local language. As a result, the PRI website, for example, was translated into multiple languages this year, to assist companies to find and use helpful information more easily. This is an ongoing process, and information is translated regularly in response to customer feedback.

For more information on the above, please visit www.pri-network.org or contact Joanna Leigh, Marketing Manager for the PRI at joanna.leigh@pri-europe.org.uk