AS9100 - Easier Than TS16949? Spring & Pressing company

[Monypennyuk]

Good Morning Everyone.

I am just wondering if anyone here has experience in implementing BOTH TS16949 AND As9100. And if so which was the easier?

We are a spring & Pressing company in the UK, with an aerospace back ground. We have had the ISO9001 for years, but in the last 2 years decided to go for the Ts due to customer demand. We are at the stage 2 now with our audit coming up just before Christmas. I am pretty confident we will pass.

However since starting on this TS route, the auto work has dropped off, and the Aero work has picked up to a point we are loosing work for not have the As9100.

My TS Auditor told me that the As was the easier of the two.

As i think we have pretty much put the best system i can in place im hoping to easily cover the AS with a few minor addtions or changes.

What do you think?

 

[D.Scott]

Re: AS9100 - Easier Than TS16949?

Good Morning Everyone.

My TS Auditor told me that the As was the easier of the two.

What do you think?

I think your auditor is oversimplifying it. If you are ready for your TS stage 2 audit and think you will pass it seems obvious passing the TS audit will be much easier than the AS. It is true that AS uses ISO9001 as a base just as TS but there are certainly additional requirements for Aerospace. Personally, I don't feel they are the sort of requirements you can just "add in". In addition you will have customer approvals in aerospace which I find more strict than automotive.

The next consideration would be that Aerospace does not accept TS in place of AS nor does TS accept AS as an alternative. Your automotive requirement, if you are a tier 1 supplier, will still be TS. You should certainly consider any customer specific requirements in this regard.

Again my personal advice would be to not throw the baby out with the bathwater. You seem well on your way to TS certification so why not go with it? You can then work on AS without having to start over. If you have a customer in aerospace, ask if they will help you develop an AS system.

Good luck.

Dave

 

[Monypennyuk]

Re: AS9100 - Easier Than TS16949?

Just to add we are a tier 3 + supplier.

Also i didnt mean to imply we were goin to quit going for the TS at all. I just wondered if anyone had experience in implementing Both and if so which was the easier of the two.

We want to hold both of these standards as we supply equally to both sectors in addition to our general customers.

Also customer specifics are proving quite hard to obtain with many of our customers having nothing specific in place. Those that do, seem to just be happy to refere to the standard.

 

[AndyN]

Re: AS9100 - Easier Than TS16949?

I'm not sure that either can be quantified as 'easier' than the other. They are different (in much the same way as the customers are) and each has its unique requirements, which 'spin' the basic ISO 9001 stuff. Since you were in the aero business, maybe AS would be easier, since you're familiar with the industry already......