Certifications

ISO 14001:2015 specifies the requirements for an environmental management system that an organisation can use to enhance its environmental performance. ISO 14001:2015 is intended for use by an organisation seeking to manage its environmental responsibilities in a systematic manner that contributes to the environmental pillar of sustainability.

ISO 9001:2015 specifies requirements for a quality management system when an organisation:

• Needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements
• Aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements

In October 2016, a new International Standard, IATF 16949:2016, replaced ISO/TS 16949:2009. The goal of this International Standard is the development of a quality management system that:

• Provides for continual improvement
• Emphasizes defect prevention
• Includes specific requirements and tools from automotive industry
• Promotes reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain

This International Standard, coupled with applicable customer-specific requirements, defines the fundamental quality management system requirements for automotive production, service and/or accessory parts organisations.

AS9100 is the internationally recognised quality management system specific to aerospace and defence industries. With this certification, Signicast defence, aerospace, and aviation customers will see a reduction of process qualification lead time. The rigor of the AS9100 quality management system often supersedes organisation-unique requirements from the aerospace and defence industries, effectively eliminating the lengthy time associated with a full process qualification.

EN9100 is the internationally recognised quality management system specific to aerospace and defence industries. With this certification, CIREX defence, aerospace, and aviation customers will see a reduction of process qualification lead time. The rigor of the EN9100 quality management system often supersedes organisation-unique requirements from the aerospace and defence industries, effectively eliminating the lengthy time associated with a full process qualification.

ISO 50001 is based on the management system model of continual improvement also used for other well-known standards such as ISO 9001 or ISO 14001. This makes it easier for organisations to integrate energy management into their overall efforts to improve quality and environmental management.

ISO 50001 provides a framework of requirements for organisations to:

• Develop a policy for more efficient use of energy
• Fix targets and objectives to meet the policy
• Use data to better understand and make decisions about energy use
• Measure the results
• Review how well the policy works, and
• Continually improve energy management

ISO 13485:2016 specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organisation needs to demonstrate its ability to provide medical devices and related services that consistently meet customer and applicable regulatory requirements. Such organisations can be involved in one or more stages of the life-cycle, including design and development, production, storage and distribution, installation, or servicing of a medical device and design and development or provision of associated activities (e.g. technical support). ISO 13485:2016 can also be used by suppliers or external parties that provide product, including quality management system-related services to such organisations.

NADCAP is an industry-managed approach to conformity assessment that brings together technical experts from both Industry and Government to establish requirements for accreditation, accredit Suppliers and define operational program requirements. This results in a standardised approach to quality assurance and a reduction in redundant auditing throughout the aerospace industry because Prime contractors, Suppliers and Government representatives have joined forces to develop a program that:

• Establishes stringent industry consensus standards that satisfy the requirements of all participants
• Replaces routine auditing of Suppliers with one approved through a consensus decision-making process of members from the user community
• Conducts more in-depth, technically superior critical process audits
• Improves Supplier quality throughout industry through stringent requirements
• Reduces costs through improved standardisation
• Utilizes technically expert auditors to assure process familiarity
• Provides more frequent audits for Primes, fewer audits for Suppliers