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General
1.
What is Nadcap?
2.
How does the Nadcap process work?
3.
What is a Nadcap Task Group?
4.
What will Nadcap do for me, what added value does it serve?
5.
What prime contractors currently require Nadcap approval?
6.
How can my company get involved with Nadcap other than through audits?
#1. What is Nadcap?
Nadcap (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) is an industry-managed approach to conformity assessment of 'special processes' that brings together technical experts from prime contractors, suppliers and representatives from government to work together and establish requirements for approval of suppliers using a standardized approach. Unlike traditional third party programs, Nadcap approval is granted based upon industry consensus.
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#2. How does the Nadcap process work?
The Performance Review Institute (PRI) administers the Nadcap program. PRI will schedule an audit and assign an approved auditor who will conduct the audit against an industry agreed standard using an industry agreed checklist. At the end of the audit, any non-conformity issues will be raised and non-conformance reports issued. PRI will administer closeout of the non-conformance reports and upon completion will present the completed audit package to a 'special process' task group made up of members from industry that will review it and vote on its acceptability for approval. Accreditation is granted when all nonconformances are closed.
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#3. What is a Nadcap Task Group?
Nadcap Task Groups are composed of personnel (Prime Contractors, Government Representatives, Suppliers) with expertise in the particular product, process or service for which suppliers are to be accredited (e.g. NDT, Heat Treating). The Task Group has responsibilities for the accreditation program including: deploying the accreditation process, recommendations for auditor hiring and training needs, standard and checklist development, metrics, and continuous improvement.
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#4. What will Nadcap do for me, what added value does it serve?
The Nadcap program offers the opportunity for suppliers to gain tighter controls within their special processes, provides the forum for a voice in the establishment of audit requirements, networking, and market recognition.
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#5. What prime contractors currently require Nadcap approval?
Details of which prime contractors require specific approvals can be obtained from the PRI/Nadcap website.
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#6. How can my company get involved with Nadcap other than through audits?
Nadcap encourages suppliers to participate at all levels of the program. By attending the quarterly meetings, the supplier's have a voice in program operation, checklist/standard revisions, industry solutions, networking with peers and customers etc.
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Contacting Nadcap
#1. What are the qualifications to be an auditor?
Nadcap has prescribed requirements (as defined in the PRI/Nadcap Procedure NIP-002 "Auditor Selection, Approval and Training") for auditors for general education, experience, professional accomplishments and technical specific requirements. Each Task Group defines their specific criteria for approval (e.g. Level III in four different NDT Methods). The Nadcap Auditor base averages over 30 years experience in the aerospace industry with technical expertise in the audit commodity (heat treating, testing laboratories, welding, etc.).
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#2. Who are/will be the Nadcap approved auditors for process control?
Nadcap maintains a listing of qualified auditors and assigns these independent contractors as applicable to the required audit.
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#3. What if we don't like our assigned auditor, or have problems with him/her?
Nadcap welcomes any and all comments relating to auditor performance. Nadcap reviews each auditor for each audit conducted and utilizes data provided from audits and suppliers to develop curriculum for the annual auditor training that they conduct.
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#4. Are the auditors allowed to help with the corrective actions?
Nadcap auditors provide explanation as to what general good practice is for root cause and corrective action but do not provide assistance with responding or closure of nonconformances.
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#5. Will there be Nadcap auditors that could conduct the audit in languages other than English? (In cases where the audit will be occurring in a non-English speaking country)
Currently, Nadcap Auditors are all English speaking, however, Nadcap has begun an extensive search for auditors that are multi-lingual for such a purpose.
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#1. Where can I obtain the industry agreed checklist used for Nadcap audits?
The Nadcap Audit Checklists (AC)'s can be obtained by contacting PRI at (724) 772-1616. Sometimes it is necessary, however, for the supplier to complete a preliminary questionnaire (found on the PRI/Nadcap website) to determine which checklists are applicable.
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#2. What standards does Nadcap audit against?
Industry agreed Society of Automotive (SAE) Aerospace Standards (AS) accepted by all participating prime contractors.
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#3. Who decides what the Nadcap audit criteria are?
Each "Special Process" Task Group consisting of Prime Contractors, Government Representatives, and Suppliers create and/or revise the audit criteria by consensus to correspond to the approved SAE Aerospace
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#1. Should I obtain Nadcap questionnaires prior to the audit?
Upon scheduling any Nadcap audit, PRI forwards the applicable audit checklists to the supplier for preparation. PRI, however, recommends a thorough self-audit using the audit checklists to be performed to allow for adequate preparation time prior to scheduling of the audit.
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#2. What type of preparation is required for a Nadcap audit?
PRI/Nadcap recommends using the applicable audit checklists to conduct a thorough self-audit. Correcting Nonconformances identified and serious preparation directly affect cycle time of processing the audit report. Staff Engineers are available at PRI to discuss any questions that suppliers may have regarding audit criteria questions.
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#3. How are the audits conducted on site?
Nadcap audits follow general auditing protocol with an in-briefing meeting and an exit or out-briefing meeting. Auditors identify any/all nonconformances on a daily basis. The auditor will contact the supplier prior to the audit to determine the audit plan so as to disrupt the supplier operations as little as possible.
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#4. How are the audits conducted on site?
Nadcap audits follow general auditing protocol with an in-briefing meeting and an exit or out-briefing meeting. Auditors identify any/all nonconformances on a daily basis. The auditor will contact the supplier prior to the audit to determine the audit plan so as to disrupt the supplier operations as little as possible.
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#5. How long does the audit take?
Nadcap audits generally take two (2) - five (5) days to conduct. The audit length is based upon the scope of the audit (number of checklist, processes, etc.).
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#6. Will Nadcap require 5-part corrective actions?
Nadcap requires a response to include: root cause, immediate corrective actions, action taken to prevent recurrence, product impact evaluation (if applicable), and submittal of objective evidence.
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#7. Does Nadcap approve, verify and follow up processor's Corrective Action?
Nadcap approves the processor's corrective action and requires objective evidence of implementation for all findings (major and minor) for initial audits. For subsequent reaccreditation audits, objective evidence is required for all Major findings. All corrective actions are verified as part of subsequent audits (and/or as part of a follow-up audit, if required).
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#8. Do suppliers require follow-up audits for verification of corrective actions?
Nadcap Task Groups generally require follow-up audits for two reasons (1) when several nonconformances are written indicating systemic problems that result in numerous corrective actions. A follow-up audit will be conducted to test the new systems put in to place and (2) when major findings are identified that indicate product impact issues. Nadcap has an advisory process in place to identify potential product impact issues immediately to the Prime Contractor/Government Representatives through the Supplier Advisory notification system.
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#9. It was explained that Nadcap audits focus on requirements specified in the established industry-wide standards (AS standards). However, during the job audits (i.e. product audits) will customer-specific requirements (for example, BAC specification requirements) be reviewed if the shop order specifies that BAC specification requirements must be met? Or do we assume that the processor has a "Process Implementing Procedure" which is their "how-to" document and Nadcap audit will audit to this document?
Nadcap audits processors utilizing the audit criteria defined which includes "job/compliance" audits. This is the tracing of a job from incoming (contract review) to shipping. Through this method, Nadcap verifies that the supplier is meeting customer requirements through the flowdown of the process. If the customer requirement is for a "Process Implementing Procedure" then Nadcap will audit this process.
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#10. Which Nadcap preliminary questionnaires apply to our site?
A Nadcap defines special process commodities as follows:
NDT: Liquid Penetrant, Magnetic Particle, Ultrasonics, X-ray
Heat Treating: For multiple Alloy Families: Stress Relieving, Annealing, Carburizing, Nitriding, Carbonitiriding, Ferritic Nitrocarburizing, Ion Nitriding, Vacuum Heat Treating, Vacuum Oil Quenching, Hardening, Induction Hardening, Furnace Brazing, Dip Brazing, Induction Brazing, Vacuum Furnace Brazing, Flame Hardening, Cryogenic Treatments, Hot Forming/Hot sizing, Die Quenching, Hipping, Hardness and Metallography to support the heat treating function
Welding: Torch/Induction Manual Brazing, Flash Welding, Electron Beam Welding, Fusion Welding, Laser Welding, Resistance Welding, Friction/Inertia Welding, Diffusion Welding, Percussion Stud Welding.
Coatings: Thermal Spray, Vapor Deposition, Cementation, Stripping, Coating Evaluations, Plating of Coated Parts, Heat Treating of Coatings
Chemical Processing: Plating, Anodizing, Conversion/Phosphate Coatings, Paint and Dry Film Lubricants, Etch
Materials Testing Laboratories: Chemical, Mechanical, Metallography & Microhardness, Hardness, Corrosion, Mechanical Test Specimen Preparation, Differential Thermal Analysis, X-Ray Diffraction, Coating Evaluations, Fastener Testing
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#1. How do I schedule a Nadcap audit?
To schedule an audit, please contact John Stecklow (Scheduling -- Extension 8146) or David Dubois (Sales & Marketing -- Extension 8136) at PRI (724) 772-1616.
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NADCAP PROCESS -- Frequency
#1. What is the frequency of Nadcap audits?
Frequency can vary for each special process. The Nadcap policy is that the first subsequent audit (first reaccreditation audit) is to be conducted within twelve months of the initial audit. Subsequent reaccreditation audits may be conducted per the Supplier Merit Program on 18 month or 24 month intervals based upon audit performance. Please contact PRI for the specific requirements of the applicable special process accreditation task group.
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#1. What is the cost of Nadcap accreditation?
Details can be obtained from PRI (Nadcap). The cost of the audit is based upon the length of the audit.
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#2. Can Nadcap provide ballpark annual costs for auditing based on the number of employees and the number of special processes?
Nadcap can provide a quotation for the length of the audit (based upon the information contained on the applicable preliminary questionnaire). Nadcap audits are generally between two (2) to five (5) days. The cost of the audits (inclusive of auditor travel costs) is as follows (per special process commodity accreditation program)
2 Days -- $4,850
3 Days -- $5,700
4 Days -- $6,550
5 Days -- $7,150
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#3. For a major supplier with multiple process approvals, having one Nadcap auditor for each technology would be very costly especially if the travel costs are high. Is Nadcap looking at multi-task auditors in the future who could cover multiple audits (different technologies)?
Nadcap does have and continues to look for multi-tasked auditors to cover multiple audits. Although, experience has indicated that suppliers have not preferred to have multiple audits conducted at the same time.
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