Get it right: Aerospace Supplier Qualification Checklist for Precision Machining Programs

Aerospace programs don’t fail because the machining was wrong. They fail because the quality documentation wasn’t complete, the first article inspection took three rounds to close, the revision changed mid-production without a controlled process, or the outside processor couldn’t provide the certifications that incoming inspection needed.

This checklist is built for sourcing managers, quality engineers, and program managers evaluating precision machining suppliers for aerospace programs. It covers the certifications to verify, the inspection capability signals that matter at the program level, and the five questions that reveal how a supplier actually operates under the demands of an aerospace production environment.

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Section 1: Certifications to Verify

AS9100D certification — current and active
Verify through the supplier’s certificate and the IAQG OASIS database at iaqg.org. AS9100D governs the full quality management system — documentation, revision control, inspection, nonconformance management, and corrective action — and adds aerospace-specific requirements for risk management, configuration management, first article inspection, and counterfeit part prevention. Required by Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, and GE Aerospace as a minimum qualification criterion for Tier 2 suppliers. Certification is maintained through ongoing surveillance audits — not a one-time achievement.

ISO 9001:2015 certification — current and active
The foundation standard underlying AS9100D. A supplier holding AS9100D necessarily holds ISO 9001:2015. Verify both certificates are current with active surveillance.

ITAR registration — if program involves controlled technical data
Verify at DDTC.state.gov. Request the supplier’s CAGE Code for cross-reference. If your program involves drawings, specifications, or technical data that appear on the U.S. Munitions List, ITAR registration at the supplier level is required.

CMMC Level 2 — if supplier handles CUI
Applicable to aerospace programs with defense contract involvement where engineering drawings, technical specifications, or program documentation qualify as Controlled Unclassified Information. Confirm certification is C3PAO-assessed (third-party), not self-assessed, and that annual affirmation is current. Request their certificate and check expiration dates.

NADCAP accreditation — if applicable to required process
For chemical processing, heat treatment, non-destructive testing, or other special processes where NADCAP is specified on the drawing or in the contract, verify the supplier’s approved processor at pri-nadcap.com.

Section 2: First Article and Inspection Capability

Certifications establish the quality system. Inspection capability determines whether that system produces reliable output at the part level.

AS9102 First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) capability — Forms 1, 2, and 3: part number accountability, product design documentation, and design characteristics. Every characteristic on the drawing measured and recorded with actual values. Ask for a sample FAIR from a previous program (proprietary data redacted) — its format and completeness is the single most revealing signal a supplier can provide.
CMM inspection with documented dimensional reports — Computer-generated data with actual measured values, traceable to the inspection date, operator, machine, and drawing revision. Eliminates handwritten records and provides the traceability that quality audits and incoming inspection require.
In-process CMM verification — For complex or multi-operation parts, CMM verification between setups confirms positional integrity before final profiling. This is what prevents a fully machined part from failing final inspection due to a second-operation positioning error.
Source inspection support — Can the supplier accommodate customer or third-party representative presence at inspection? This is a standard requirement on many aerospace programs and should be confirmed at qualification.
Calibration records — All measurement equipment calibrated on a documented schedule with records on file. Required by AS9100D and verifiable during a supplier audit.

Section 3: Documentation and Quality Signals

Revision-controlled drawing management — Not a shared folder. A formal system controlling which revision is active at the machine, preventing use of superseded documents.
Job traveler or production tracking document — Follows the part through every operation, records actuals, creates an auditable production record.
Nonconformance and corrective action process — Documented, active, and closed in a defined timeframe. Ask to see the corrective action log — how quickly nonconformances are identified and closed is more informative than any certificate.
Material traceability — From raw stock Material Test Report (MTR) through every operation to the finished part certificate. The chain should be unbroken.
Certificate of Conformance — Issued with every shipment, stating compliance to the drawing revision, material specification, and applicable quality requirements.
Outside processor documentation — For anodizing, heat treat, plating, or any other outside process, certs from the processor should be traceable to each specific job, not just on file generally.

Section 4: Five Questions to Ask

These questions are designed to reveal operational practice, not documentation. A supplier who answers them specifically and without hesitation is operating at a different level than one who answers in generalities.

Walk me through your first article inspection process.
1. Strong: AS9102 format, CMM-generated dimensional data, all drawing characteristics measured with actual values, balloon drawing cross-referenced, material certifications attached, results traceable to drawing revision and inspection date.
2. Weak: “We check it and sign off.” No standard format, no CMM data, no formal traceability.
How do you manage engineering change notifications mid-production?
1. Strong: Engineering hold placed immediately on affected jobs, traveler updated before work resumes, customer notification protocol with a named owner, version control on all active shop documents.
2. Weak: “We just update the file.” Informal, verbal, no documented change control process.
What triggers a schedule risk call to us — and who makes it?
1. Strong: A defined threshold — for example, any delivery risk exceeding 48 hours triggers proactive contact from a named account owner before the customer asks.
2. Weak: “We call you if something comes up.” Reactive by default, no defined protocol.
How do you control outside processing vendors?
1. Strong: Approved vendor list, documented flow-down of requirements, incoming inspection on return, processor certifications traceable to each specific job, and supplier audits on a defined schedule.
2. Weak: “We send it out and get it back.” No documented controls, no incoming verification.
What is your process for the first production run of a new program?
1. Strong: Dedicated setup review before first piece runs, first-piece inspection before the full run proceeds, program-specific work instructions separate from standard operating procedures, first article comparison to confirm production setup matches FAI.
2. Weak: Standard production process. No dedicated first-run protocol.

Compliance Reference – What do these terms mean?

AS9100D — Aerospace Quality Management System

What it is: The quality management standard for aviation, space, and defense manufacturing, built on ISO 9001:2015 with additional requirements for risk management, configuration management, first article inspection, and counterfeit part prevention.
Who needs it: Required by most aerospace primes as a minimum qualification criterion for Tier 2 suppliers. Governs documentation, revision control, inspection, nonconformance, and corrective action processes.
How to verify: Registrar certificate plus IAQG OASIS database at iaqg.org.
What it signals: Independently audited quality systems covering the full production cycle, maintained through ongoing surveillance audits — not a one-time achievement.

AS9102 — First Article Inspection Report (FAIR)

What it is: The aerospace standard for first article inspection reporting, covering three forms: part number accountability, product design documentation, and design characteristics. Every characteristic on the drawing is measured and recorded with its actual value, traceable to the drawing revision.
Why it matters: A supplier who can produce a compliant AS9102 FAIR on first article demonstrates that their production process is capable of consistently meeting drawing requirements. It is the primary qualification gate for most aerospace production contracts.
How to verify: Request a sample FAIR from a previous program with proprietary data redacted. The format, completeness, and level of traceability reveals the supplier’s actual quality discipline more clearly than any certificate.

CMM Inspection — Coordinate Measuring Machine Documentation

What it is: Computer-generated dimensional inspection reports with actual measured values for every characteristic, traceable to a specific machine, operator, measurement date, and drawing revision.
Why it matters: CMM-generated data is required by most aerospace primes for first article inspection and is expected for incoming inspection of safety-critical features. It eliminates handwritten records and provides the audit trail that quality systems require.
How to verify: Request a sample CMM report. Confirm that feature IDs cross-reference to the balloon drawing and that actual values are recorded against nominal dimensions and tolerances — not just pass/fail.

About Borg Design

Borg Design holds AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, DDTC/ITAR registration, and CMMC Level 2 certification. We operate a 58,000 sq. ft. facility in Hudson, Massachusetts with 50+ precision machines, in-house CMM inspection, AS9102 FAIR capability, and prototype-to-production support. Four-generation family ownership since 1945. CAGE Code: 1V3P1.

For aerospace and defense programs requiring a qualified Tier 2 precision machining partner, contact our estimating team → or submit an RFQ →.

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