Key Takeaways:
- Different Scope: AS9100 certifies your whole quality system; Nadcap accredits specific special processes.
- Often Both Required: Aerospace primes typically mandate AS9100 certification plus Nadcap for the processes they buy.
- They Reinforce Each Other: AS9100 provides the quality framework; Nadcap validates the technical work performed inside it.
Two credentials, one supply chain, and confusing them can cost you a contract. AS9100 certification and Nadcap accreditation get lumped together, but they measure very different things, and aerospace buyers expect suppliers to understand both.
At Valence Surface Technologies, we operate 12 facilities holding AS9100 certification and Nadcap accreditations across non-destructive testing, chemical processing, plating, coatings, and shot peening, so we live inside these requirements every day, for nearly every major commercial and military aerospace platform.
In this piece, we’ll cover what each credential is, how they differ, the AS9100 requirements aerospace suppliers must meet, and why you likely need both.
What Is AS9100 Certification And Why Does It Matter For Aerospace Suppliers?
AS9100 certification is proof that a supplier operates a quality management system tailored to the aviation, space, and defense industries. It’s the baseline credential that tells a prime contractor you can consistently deliver conforming parts and documentation.
It Extends ISO 9001 for Aerospace
AS9100 includes all of ISO 9001 plus aerospace-specific additions, risk-based thinking, configuration management, counterfeit-part prevention, and product safety. Passing an ISO audit alone isn’t enough; aerospace buyers want the industry layer.
It Signals Systemic Reliability
AS9100 certification covers how your entire organization operates: document control, corrective action, supplier management, and traceability. For buyers, it’s a signal that quality is systemic, not accidental.
It’s Often a Gate to Doing Business
Many aerospace customers use AS9100 certification as a supplier-qualification requirement before issuing work. Without it, suppliers are frequently disqualified before technical review begins.
What Is Nadcap Accreditation And Why Does It Matter For Aerospace Suppliers?
Nadcap (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) is an industry-driven program that accredits the special processes aerospace parts depend on. It goes deep into the technical work itself, where defects are hard to detect after the fact.
It Focuses on Special Processes
Nadcap targets processes whose results can’t be fully verified by inspecting the finished part, things like chemical processing, coatings, and non-destructive testing. Accreditation confirms that those processes are controlled in accordance with strict engineering standards.
It’s Governed by Industry, Not Just Auditors
Nadcap is managed through the Performance Review Institute, with primes actively shaping the audit criteria. That means requirements reflect what aerospace buyers actually need on the shop floor.
It Reduces Redundant Audits
A single Nadcap accreditation can reduce redundant customer audits among participating customers, sparing suppliers from separate customer audits for the same process.
Nadcap vs AS9100 Difference Every Supplier Should Understand
Understanding the difference between Nadcap and AS9100 comes down to scope: one certifies your management system; the other accredits your technical processes.
Scope: System vs. Process
AS9100 certification evaluates your organization-wide quality management system. Nadcap accredits individual special processes, one commodity at a time.
Ownership: General Standard vs. Industry Program
AS9100 is an SAE-published standard developed through the IAQG (International Aerospace Quality Group). Nadcap is a specific accreditation program run by the Performance Review Institute on behalf of member companies.
Depth: Broad vs. Deep
AS9100 is broad and applies to nearly any aerospace supplier. Nadcap is narrow and deep, applying only to suppliers performing the special processes it covers.
AS9100 Requirements Aerospace Suppliers Must Meet For Compliance
The AS9100 requirements that aerospace suppliers face center on documented, repeatable control across the business. Meeting them means proving, not just claiming, consistency.
Documented Quality Management System
Suppliers must maintain controlled documentation covering processes, procedures, and records. Auditors expect evidence that people follow what’s written.
Risk Management and Configuration Control
AS9100 requires proactive risk identification and strict configuration management so the right part revision is built every time.
Traceability and Corrective Action
Full traceability of materials and parts is mandatory, along with a closed-loop corrective action process that addresses root cause, not just symptoms.
Supplier and Product Safety Controls
Suppliers must oversee their own sub-tier vendors and demonstrate controls to ensure product safety and prevent counterfeit parts.
Why Aerospace Suppliers Often Need Both AS9100 And Nadcap
For most suppliers performing special processes, AS9100 certification and Nadcap accreditation aren’t alternatives—they’re a paired requirement written into contracts.
Primes Mandate the Combination
Major aerospace and defense primes routinely require AS9100 certification for the organization and Nadcap for each applicable special process. One without the other often fails the flow-down requirements.
Each Covers What the Other Can’t
AS9100 confirms your system is sound, but doesn’t audit whether your plating line meets a specific engineering spec. Nadcap does exactly that, so together they close the gap.
Both Reduce Program Risk
For buyers, the combination lowers the risk of nonconforming, flight-critical parts entering the supply chain. That risk reduction is why both credentials carry weight.
How AS9100 And Nadcap Work Together Across The Aerospace Supply Chain
AS9100 and Nadcap aren’t competing frameworks; they operate as layers. The certification sets the system-level foundation; the accreditation validates the technical execution inside it.
The Framework and the Proof
AS9100 provides the quality architecture; Nadcap provides process-level proof that the work performed under that architecture meets spec.
Consistent Flow-Down
Requirements flow from the prime to the supplier to the sub-tier. When each tier holds both credentials, quality expectations stay consistent down the chain.
Fewer Surprises at Delivery
Together, they catch issues at the process and system level long before parts reach final assembly, reducing rejections and program delays.
How Valence Maintains AS9100 And Nadcap Compliance Across Our Facilities
We treat compliance as an operating discipline, not a certificate on the wall. Across our 12 facilities, we hold AS9100 certification and Nadcap accreditations spanning the special processes aerospace parts require.
The Valence Standard
Our unified Quality Management System—the Valence Standard—applies the same compliance expectations across all locations, so a customer gets consistent audit readiness whether we’re plating, coating, peening, or inspecting.
Ongoing Investment
We invest continuously in technology, environmental controls, and workforce development to keep our processes accreditation-ready and stable at scale.
Vendor Consolidation Without Fragmentation
Because we integrate non-destructive testing, chemical processing, plating, coatings, shot peening, and sub-assembly under one roof, customers consolidate multiple accredited processes with a single trusted partner. To learn more about the full range of capabilities we bring under that single umbrella, explore our All Services Overview.
Final Thoughts
AS9100 certification and Nadcap accreditation answer two different questions: is your quality system sound, and are your special processes controlled? Aerospace suppliers who understand both and hold both where required position themselves as reliable, low-risk partners. At Valence, we maintain both across every facility so our customers can build with confidence, on schedule, at scale.
Frequently Asked Questions About AS9100 vs Nadcap: What Aerospace Suppliers Need To Know About Both
Do aerospace suppliers need both AS9100 and Nadcap?
Usually, yes, primes typically require AS9100 certification for the organization and Nadcap for any special processes performed.
What special processes require Nadcap accreditation?
Processes like chemical processing, non-destructive testing, coatings, plating, shot peening, and heat treating.
Why is it called AS9100 certification but Nadcap accreditation?
AS9100 certifies conformance to a published standard, while Nadcap accredits competence in specific processes through an industry program.
How long does it take to achieve AS9100 certification?
Typically, several months to a year, depending on the maturity and readiness of your existing quality system.
How often do AS9100 and Nadcap need to be renewed?
AS9100 certification runs on a three-year cycle with annual surveillance. Nadcap is typically audited on a 12-month cycle initially, and eligible suppliers may earn extended intervals such as 18 or 24 months through merit.
How much does AS9100 certification and Nadcap accreditation cost?
Costs vary widely by facility size, scope, and processes, so pricing should be confirmed with your registrar and the Performance Review Institute.