We are changing our name from Blue Wolf to QIC Global
We are changing our name from Blue Wolf to QIC Global
These days, high standards for quality require every business to have an established and recognized QMS. Among all the available standards, ISO 9001 and AS9100 are the ones most often recognized. Organizations across the globe often wonder – IS AS9100 better than ISO 9001? It is not always easy to find a simple answer. The suitability of AS9100 or ISO 9001 depends on what your company makes and aims to achieve and what customers require.
This blog looks into the differences, favorable aspects, and where each standard is most useful to guide you in selecting the best fit for your business.
All over the world, ISO 9001 is the most popular quality management standard. The principles of ISO Quality Management are equally useful to small or large businesses and cover customer satisfaction, constant improvements, handling risk, and sticking to standard processes. It gives a solid basis for managing quality, improving how a company operates, and achieving compliance with regulations.
On the other hand, AS9100 is stricter and made just for the aerospace and defense industries. It uses the structure of ISO 9001 and adds more rules about product safety, avoiding counterfeit parts, proper supplier management, and compliance with special regulations for high-risk industries focused on precision.
ISO 9001 can be used in many sectors such as manufacturing, services, healthcare, education, and others. The AS9100 standard is designed just for aerospace, aviation, and defense businesses.
It includes the requirements of ISO 9001 and also increases the standards in the areas of traceability, risk management, and controlling suppliers. It is meant to reach the high-quality and safety levels set by aerospace stakeholders.
Because aerospace and defense contractors require their suppliers to hold AS9100 certification, many of them certify their businesses. However, ISO 9001 covers the needs of many industries, although it might not be sufficient for more technical or risky situations.
The AS9100 standard calls for more detailed audits along with greater documentation that must be reviewed. Not only do auditors check if the processes exist, but they also assess whether they work to prevent mistakes, ensure workers’ safety, and manage risks in the best way possible.
If your organization wants a trustworthy standard, ISO 9001 is suitable.
– Participates in a wide manufacturing or service industries.
– Arranges quality management to be achievable and extendable with time.
– Looks to boost customer satisfaction and enhance how things operate within the company.
– No clients come from the aerospace or defense sectors.
ISO 9001 guides companies by giving them a reliable guideline but not making the strategy too complex. This method is best for SMEs or companies that are new to quality management.
AS9100 is preferred and often a mandatory choice, if your organization –
– Provides parts, products, or services to organizations working in aerospace, aviation, or defense.
– The organization must meet customer or regulatory requirements to be AS9100 certified.
– Companies are required to keep closer watch over – and maintain – traceability, safety, and risks.
– Must satisfy the expectations of well-known aerospace companies such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, or Raytheon.
Being certified to AS9100 allows you to work with important clients and gain entry into a regulated sector, though it calls for additional time for training, documenting, and preparing for audits.
According to quality management, there is no general sense in which is “better”—it is simply made for a specific issue. Software used here is critical because its failure could mean a serious catastrophe, like in aircraft manufacturing and defense equipment production. In these particular sectors, AS9100 plays an important part for businesses. For many, using ISO 9001 is right on point and does not require any advertising.
Make sure your certification progress goes in sync with your industry’s needs and your organization’s long-term strategy. If an organization does not provide services to aerospace clients, it may not depend on AS9100. However, as that shop dreams of becoming part of the aerospace supply, obtaining AS9100 would show a readiness to meet the industry’s requirements.
Therefore, is AS9100 better than ISO 9001? It is entirely up to your business strategy, the industry you serve, and what your customers want. ISO 9001 is well-known and appreciated worldwide and works well for almost every industry. AS9100 is particularly meant for situations involving aerospace and defense, focusing mainly on safety, risks, and following rules. Prior to deciding, reflect on the situation of your business, and determine where you want it to go. Pick the standard that best fits your strategy, raises your trustworthiness, and makes it easier to find new chances.
Yes. All the requirements of ISO 9001 are in AS9100 as well, which means being certified to AS9100 also means your QMS follows ISO 9001. Still, some companies choose to have both certifications, either for promotional or contract-related purposes.
Generally, yes. Since it adds new rules for handling risk, maintaining safety, and using documentation in the aerospace sector, AS9100 is more difficult to comply with. It requires IA organizations to be more ready for audits and have a higher level of internal processes.
If an organization doesn’t fall under the aerospace-related standards, ISO 9001 could be more economical and suitable.
