AS9120

AS9120
Name	AS9120
Status	Active
Domain	Aerospace supply chain quality
Based on	AS9100, ISO 9001
Issued by	SAE International, IAQG
First published	2007

AS9120

AS9120 is a quality management standard tailored for aerospace distributors and stocking organizations. It builds on commercial quality frameworks to address aerospace-specific supply chain, traceability, and counterfeit mitigation requirements. Organizations adopt AS9120 to align with procurement expectations from major aviation manufacturers and to demonstrate compliance with industry audit regimes.

Overview

AS9120 originated from aerospace industry harmonization efforts involving SAE International, the International Aerospace Quality Group, and large manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. The standard targets distributors, brokers, and stocking organizations that supply parts to prime contractors like General Electric and Rolls-Royce Holdings. Stakeholders include procurement organizations at Pratt & Whitney, Honeywell Aerospace, and Safran as well as military procurement agencies such as the United States Department of Defense and the European Defence Agency. AS9120 aligns with quality philosophies from ISO, informed by aerospace events that highlighted counterfeit risk and traceability incidents involving suppliers to Raytheon Technologies and Thales Group.

Requirements and Scope

AS9120 specifies requirements for a quality management system focused on distribution activities. Core elements reference control of purchased product, preservation, identification, storage, and record retention demanded by primes like Embraer and Bombardier Aerospace. Clauses cover supplier evaluation influenced by practices at NASA programs and standards applied by European Space Agency contractors. The scope excludes design but mandates conformity for parts destined for programs such as F-35 Lightning II and commercial platforms like the A320 family and 737 Next Generation. Requirements integrate counterfeit prevention measures advocated by ASD-STAN and traceability expectations used by Siemens and Thales Alenia Space.

Implementation and Certification Process

Organizations typically implement AS9120 by aligning existing ISO 9001 processes with aerospace distributor controls used by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Implementation steps mirror practices from certification bodies like Bureau Veritas, DNV GL, and SGS, involving gap analysis, documentation, internal audits, management review, and corrective action systems reflecting methodologies from Lean adopters including Toyota and Six Sigma programs at General Motors. Certification audit chains often reference accreditation from national bodies such as ANAB in the United States, UKAS in the United Kingdom, and DAkkS in Germany. Successful certification is commonly required by supply chains servicing Airbus Helicopters, Sikorsky, and Meggitt.

Relationship to ISO 9001 and Aerospace Standards

AS9120 is a sector-specific derivative that augments ISO 9001 requirements with aerospace-oriented provisions similar to those in AS9100 and AS9110. The standard complements aerospace quality assurance practices used by Pratt & Whitney Canada, Garrett (Honeywell), and CFM International. Cross-references exist with counterfeit avoidance standards promoted by JA1000 and procurement expectations from Nadcap accreditation processes used by suppliers to Spirit AeroSystems and Triumph Group. Harmonization with ISO structures facilitates integration into enterprise systems adopted by conglomerates like United Technologies Corporation and Siemens AG.

Benefits and Challenges

Benefits cited by distributors include improved traceability for parts used on platforms like the Boeing 787 and enhanced supplier oversight for subcontractors to Leonardo S.p.A. and Dassault Aviation. Certification can open contracts with primes including Safran Landing Systems and L3Harris Technologies and support compliance with regulatory agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Challenges include the administrative burden faced by small and medium enterprises similar to suppliers in the supply chains of Textron Aviation and Parker Hannifin, the need for robust counterfeit detection capabilities expected by BAE Systems, and the cost of audits by registrars such as Intertek and TÜV SÜD. Managing multi-tier supplier data for programs like Delta Air Lines component maintenance or United Airlines spares can strain IT systems modeled after SAP or Oracle implementations.

Industry Adoption and Accreditation Bodies

Adoption of AS9120 is common among distributors serving civil and defense primes including Honeywell, Boeing, and Airbus Defence and Space. Accreditation and certification bodies involved in audits include Bureau Veritas, DNV, SGS, Intertek, TÜV Rheinland, and TÜV SÜD, often operating under national accreditation schemes like ANAB, UKAS, DAkkS, COFRAC, and JAS-ANZ. Industry groups and consortia that influence interpretation include the International Aerospace Quality Group, SAE International, and regional bodies such as AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe and Aviation Suppliers Association, which liaise with major OEMs like Embraer and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation.

Category:Aerospace standards