SPRING 2016

32 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S

32 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK COMPUTER INSIGHTS, INC 108 Third Street, Bloomingdale, IL 60108 TEL 1-800-539-1233 FAX 630-893-4030 EMAIL sales@ci-inc.com WEB www.ci-inc.com AEROSPACE DISTRIBUTORS HAVE UNIQUE NEEDS Aerospace Needs Are Precise Aerospace Distributors have all the same needs that commercial fastener distributors have, their needs are much more precise. Commercial fastener distributors often need to maintain lot control and traceability; aerospace distributors always require lot control, traceability, detailed quality certification to multiple specifications and complete paperwork with every shipment. Always. No mistakes, no excuses, no second chances. Sourcing The whole process starts with sourcing the product. The vendor must be certified and must pass several critical tests in order to be considered. The barrier to entry is high so there are a limited number of major suppliers and the list doesn’t change often. All suppliers in the chain are required to stay up to date with their certifications at all times. FAA Definition Of A Standard Part Here is a quick look at the minimum requirements that an aerospace distributor must face. It is the FAA definition of a simple standard part: “A part manufactured in complete compliance with an established industry or U.S. Government specification which includes design, manufacturing, test and acceptance criteria, and uniform identification requirements; or for a type of part which the Administrator has found demonstrates conformity based solely on meeting performance criteria, is in complete compliance with an established industry or U.S. Government specification which contains performance criteria, test and acceptance criteria, and uniform identification requirements. The specification must include all information necessary to produce and conform the part and be published so that any party may manufacture the part. Examples include, but are not limited to, National Aerospace Standard (NAS), Army and Navy Aeronautical Standard (AN), Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), SAE Sematec, Joint Electron Device Engineering Council, Joint Electron Tube Engineering Council, and American National Standards Institute (ANSI).” Vendor & Product Certifications That’s just the beginning, vendor certifications include, but are not limited to, AS 9120, ISO 9001. Parts certifications include, but are not limited to, MS, NAS, AN. Actually, MS, NAS and AN are for the most part obsolete, even though they are still often ordered to with those part numbers. Aerospace fasteners are made to NASM standards which are published by the AIA (Aerospace Industries Association). Suppliers need to take care to use the correct specification and revision when providing and sourcing aerospace fasteners. Individual parts may also require that they be certified to aerospace OEM part numbers such as Boeing or Airbus. Even though the fasteners may be identical to the NASM part numbers, they may require additional certifications for original mill test reports, plating certifications, etc.” BUSINESS FOCUS ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 120