The aerospace industry is one of the most regulated sectors in the world and it's easy to see why. The sector covers military and passenger aircraft, missiles, space crafts, and other aviation vessels.  

As a technology-driven industry, it employs thousands of engineers and scientists who focus on research and development. With billions of lives depending on air travel safety every year, aerospace manufacturing must maintain and improve its processes to deliver the safest aircraft on the market. 

Read more to explore some of the best practices for manufacturers in the aerospace industry.       

• Obtaining Certifications And Complying With The Standards

All players in the industry are required to register and adhere to specific standards that cover product safety, configuration, testing, and support, among others. Also, these compliance standards focus on quality assurance, control, and management.  Thus, an aerospace machine shop like Moseys Productions and other companies become highly capable of producing globally-competitive, top-notch products.   

Hence, a company must get one or more of the following certifications, depending on which types of services it provides:

• AS9100: The guidelines set in this standard covers quality management applicable to aerospace manufacturers of machines and parts. The policies aim to enhance cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and performance.  This will allow manufacturers to provide the best services to their clients. Its subsection, AS9100D, seeks to strengthen supply chain accountability and risk management.
• AS9110: This standard sets the rules for aircraft repair and maintenance companies, including system malfunction restoration.
• AS9120: Military, space, and aviation firms are covered by these standards.  Like its predecessor, AS9100, it pushes sector players to put quality and safety first.
• AS6081: The standards included here aim to minimize counterfeit spare parts' risk from getting into the market. This can be achieved through regulating the purchase, inspection, and management workflows.  

Manufacturing centers with AS9100 certification provide customers with the assurance that the items meet and possibly surpass the quality standards set by the aerospace industry. In addition, it confirms that the company's facilities are at par with both AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 or the quality management systems applicable to the sector.  

Besides these certifications, manufacturers will also have to meet specific best practices recommendations from government and private organizations in the aerospace sector. Organizations including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), technical working groups and advisory boards, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) play vital roles in the sector. 

• Upgrading To The Latest Technology 

As mentioned, the aerospace industry is a technology-driven sector. Thus, all manufacturing facilities must update their operations using the latest technologies, including revolutionary inventions like an eco-friendly aircraft wing. 

Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) machines, which refer to the equipment used in cutting, shaping, assembling various aircraft parts, are a must-have. CNC machines are generally used to manage valuable tools such as turning mills, lathes, and grinders. Aerospace manufacturers must get the most advanced multitasking tools and automated systems. 

In addition, manufacturing facilities must possess industry-approved aviation software, which is crucial in an aircraft's operations and safety. For this, a company must acquire DO-178 B/C certifications and comply with the safety standards.   

• Training Aerospace Machinists 

The aerospace sector employs thousands of skilled machinists regularly, and they need to be trained fast and efficiently to keep with the latest technologies. Despite the industry taking a heavy beating due to the pandemic, industry experts are happy that the aerospace industry is preparing to take off again.  Thus, they’re able to slowly employ additional people. Both veteran and rookie machinists will have to be trained to create the different parts of an aircraft.

Schools may offer these courses, but hands-on training remains primordial in improving an aerospace machinist's skills. Advanced manufacturing companies provide online education to complement their employees' continuous learning experience. This requires employees to access their lessons online in the company portal as they're performing tasks that enhance their skills.        

• Conducting Regular Quality Assurance Audits   

Even with internal quality assurance and management systems in place, some products and workflows may still require review and improvements. Quality Assurance (QA) auditors exist to study and analyze manufacturing processes to make them better. Hence, they periodically check and evaluate the quality control processes.

Auditors review the workflows and identify weaknesses as well as recommend corrective measures for further compliance. QA auditors perform these tasks proactively, which means they're not only activated when there are serious quality issues.   

These auditors may be employed internally or may be hired as an external team. Regardless, the team should be an independent body.                                                                             

Wrap Up 

The aerospace industry is one of the largest sectors in the world. This business segment is also synonymous with safety and quality. Government and private organizations are pushing and monitoring all players, particularly aerospace manufacturers, to make their systems and products better than the last one. Putting these best practices in place helps companies flawlessly comply with the set regulations.