AS9120 - Quality Management Systems Aerospace Requirements

by Kishan Tambralli

AS9120 is a quality management system standard for the aerospace industry. The AS9120 Standard specifies requirements for the design, development, production, and inspection of an aerospace product to meet customer or regulatory requirements. In addition, this Standard includes specific provisions for aviation safety-critical systems and equipment where failure could result in significant hazards to life or property.

AS9120 Quality Management System Aerospace Requirements

AS9120 is a standard for Quality Management Systems in the aerospace, defense, and space industries. It includes planning, executing, monitoring, and improving quality management systems. The Aerospace Industries Association developed the Standard to provide a reliable international benchmark that can be used across different countries and regions. AS9120 also includes guidance on how to comply with ISO 9001:2008 requirements.

Who is it for?

AS9120 is a quality management system standard for the aerospace industry. It specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an organization’s quality management systems to ensure that products are manufactured with due regard to the safety and health of end-users.

AS9120 is also known as ISO 9001-2000(E) – Quality Management Systems–Requirements with Guidance for Use. The document has been updated to consider some of the latest technical developments in aviation. In addition, AS9120 specifies the requirements necessary to ensure product safety, reliability, and performance.

It was developed to help businesses implement and maintain high product or service quality levels. AS9120 also helps organizations identify potential risks that might impact the company’s ability to meet customer requirements and how those risks can be mitigated.

AS9120 is a quality standard designed to help aerospace and defense organizations maintain their high level of safety. This Standard applies to the design, production, integration, installation, testing, servicing, maintenance, and repair of products. There are many benefits associated with this certification, including improved product reliability and increased customer satisfaction. It also helps companies meet their customers’ needs more efficiently by improving communication with them on AS9120 compliance.

Requirements of AS 9120


What is AS9120 Certification?

AS9120 certification ensures that your organization adheres to the AS 9120 Quality Management System (QMS), which provides standards for businesses designing, manufacturing, or assembling aerospace products. The certification is recognized by the aviation and defense industries worldwide, making it essential for companies looking to do business with these sectors.

Is AS9120 certification right for my organization?

AS9120 certification is a process of ensuring that your organization adheres to the AS9120 Quality Management System. This International Standard is for organizations designing, manufacturing, and assembling aerospace products. The requirements are divided into eight sections:

The Standard also sets out how organizations should be structured to maintain their quality system, what documentation they need, and how it should be held. In addition, it provides guidance on personnel training in all areas of quality management, including planning and control activities such as inspection/test/inspection procedures.

List out the Benefits of Aerospace AS9120

Aerospace AS9120 is an important document that must be followed when manufacturing aerospace components. It gives an overview of the requirements for quality management systems, and it covers all aspects of production, including purchasing, receiving inspection, in-process inspection, verification (production), and final inspection.

In addition, aerospace AS9120 guides how to address risks by implementing controls into the process where needed. This blog post discusses some benefits of following this Standard: increased safety, improved efficiency through reductions in scrap and rework rates, better customer satisfaction, more cost-effective supply chains, reduced costs associated with certification audits, and streamlined processes, which can increase productivity.

AS9100 vs. AS9120: What's the Difference?

AS9100 was a standard for the aerospace industry, but AS9120 is an update that covers additional requirements for this industry. The big difference between these standards is that AS9100 requires only auditing while AS9120 has more detailed requirements to help ensure compliance with regulations and international agreements. It also includes a stronger emphasis on quality management system design and implementation.

AS9120, on the other hand, is more specific and applies only to medical devices. This means that companies producing both products need two different systems depending on which they are manufacturing. In addition, there are two significant differences between AS9120 and AS9100: documentation requirements and scope of application.

One significant difference between AS9100 and AS9120 is that under AS 9120, companies can use third-party auditors. In contrast, under the old version, they had to be their auditor who created some problems because not all companies have qualified staff members who could do this job effectively.

  • AS9120 focuses on quality management system aspects of production that are not addressed by other international standards.
  • AS9120 includes additional requirements related to manufacturing processes, measuring equipment used during the manufacturing process, and verification activities performed by a third party or an inspector. – The main differences between 9100 and 9120 are that 9100 does not include any requirements related to measurement equipment or verification activities while 9120 requires.

Implementing the Requirements of AS9120

AS9120 is a standard for quality management systems in the aerospace industry. It has been designed to provide a practical, integrated approach to managing the risks associated with producing complex products and services. The requirements of AS9120 are listed below:

  • Planning: The company must have a program that ensures that all requirements are met before any product or service can be released. This includes customer feedback, quality records, inspection reports, etc.
  • Monitoring: There needs to be monitoring after every step of production, so there are no defects at the end-stage. Quality checks should also occur during this stage so problems can be addressed early on if they arise. 
  • Analysis: Data collected needs to be analyzed to see what improvements can be made. This could involve anything from the manufacturing process itself to customer feedback. 

Implementing these requirements is critical for ensuring product and service quality. Companies can minimize the risk of defective products reaching their customers by following these guidelines.