Industry Forum
Time is slipping by to ensure compliance with Rolls-Royce supplier requirements. On 2nd April 2018, Rolls-Royce Aerospace made an update to their Supplier Management Systems requirements document SABRe, now at edition 3, which added a mandate for compliance with AS/EN/SJAC 9145:2016. This was supported by a direct notification to suppliers (NTS 427) issued on the same day, which requires compliance to SABRe 3 by 2nd April 2019.
 
Background:
 
Back in 2016, the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) created a team representing the Aerospace sector in the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe. The team was assembled to write a common standard to cover new production introduction and product/process change management. Membership of the team included representatives from UTC, Rolls-Royce, GE Aviation, Airbus SNECMA, Bombardier and others; the result of the teams activity was the creation of an industry recognised standard. This standard was designated AS/EN/SJAC 9145:2016 and was released in November 2016.
 
AS/EN/SJAC 9145:2016 provides a best practice framework for Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP). In simple terms it is a project management tool following 5 standard phases and a part approval method which utilises an agreed set of supporting documents. The standard also gives organisations adopting the requirements an opportunity to further tailor the required supporting PPAP documentation to include requirements specific to their organisation – these additional requirements are termed Customer Specific Requirements (CSR).
 
The overall objective of the standard is twofold: to provide a simplified and common approach to Project Planning/Part Approval and to define an approach that underpins the journey towards Zero defects.
 
Having defined the standard, Aerospace Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s) are now mandating compliance as can be seen by the example set by Rolls-Royce Aero.
 
There is a new mood within the industry which, whilst recognising the need for product safety, also focuses on competitiveness and quality, with many OEM’s now driving towards a zero defects culture. AS/EN/SJAC 9145:2016 includes within its 5 phases, tools and techniques which are proactive in nature and hence support the drive towards greater competitiveness. This can be achieved through reduction in variation and waste from the supply chain, adopting defect prevention as a way of life and supporting continuous improvement.
 
AS/EN/SJAC 9145:2016 sequences proactive techniques such as Design and Process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Process Flow Diagram, Control Plan, Measurement System Analysis (MSA), Initial Process studies and First Article Inspection, all of which supports the expectation that from an OEM level and downwards, through the multiple layers of supply, that both products and processes will be designed with zero defects in mind.
 
Organisations now have to make a key decision: do they seek to introduce AS/EN/SJAC 9145:2016 as a vehicle to change their culture into a truly proactive and competitive one or do they adopt AS/EN/SJAC 9145:2016 simply because the customer mandates it?
 
Either way the driver for change has arrived and Industry Forum has the tools to assist with the adoption of the standard.
 
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