AS9100 Clause 10 – Improvement

AS9100 is an internationally recognized quality management system (QMS) standard for the aerospace industry. It is based on the ISO 9001 standard, but with additional requirements specific to the aerospace sector. Clause 10 of AS9100 focuses on “Improvement” and is broken down into three sub-clauses: 10.1, 10.2, and 10.3.

1. 10.1 General: This sub-clause establishes the requirement for organizations to determine and select opportunities for improvement, and implement necessary actions to achieve the intended outcomes of their QMS. This includes enhancing customer satisfaction, ensuring products and services meet requirements, addressing risk and opportunities, and improving overall performance. Organizations should monitor, measure, and evaluate the effectiveness of these actions and adjust them as needed.
2. 10.2 Nonconformity and Corrective Action: In this sub-clause, organizations are required to establish a process for identifying, addressing, and managing nonconformities. This includes:

• Reacting to nonconformities by taking actions to control and correct them.
• Evaluating the need for action to eliminate the causes of nonconformities, to prevent recurrence.
• Implementing corrective actions and reviewing their effectiveness.
• Updating risks and opportunities determined during planning, if necessary.
• Making changes to the QMS, if needed.

Organizations must retain documented information as evidence of the nature of nonconformities, the actions taken, and the results of corrective actions.

3. 10.3 Continual Improvement: This sub-clause emphasizes the need for organizations to continually improve their QMS. They should do this by considering the results of analysis and evaluation, as well as the outputs from management review. Organizations should identify areas where improvements can be made and implement appropriate actions to enhance the QMS, ensuring it remains suitable, adequate, and effective.

Overall, Clause 10 of AS9100 is crucial for aerospace organizations to maintain a strong QMS, comply with customer and regulatory requirements, and enhance overall performance. Continuous improvement helps organizations achieve better results and maintain a competitive edge in the aerospace industry.