4.4.1 Supplier Qualification
4.4.1.1
Level I fasteners shall be procured through qualified suppliers. Level II and III fasteners may be procured through nonqualified suppliers.
Note: Additional testing may be required during receiving inspection for Level II fasteners procured through nonqualified suppliers. See Table 1.
4.4.1.2
Suppliers are qualified by complying with one or more of the following criteria:
- a. The supplier meets the requirements of AS9100D, Quality Management Systems – Requirements for Aviation, Space and Defense Organizations, or ISO 9001:2015, Quality Management System – Requirements, for manufacturers, or AS9120B, Quality Management Systems – Requirements for Aviation, Space, and Defense Distributors for distributors, as certified by a third party audit.
- b. The supplier meets the requirements of one of the standards in 4.4.1.2.a above or AS9003A, Inspection and Test Quality Systems Requirements for Aviation, Space, and Defense Organizations, as evidenced by second-party or third-party audit results.
- c. The supplier is listed in the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Qualified Suppliers List (QSL). (https://www.dla.mil/TroopSupport/IndustrialHardware/Engineering-and-Technical-services/Qualified-Suppliers-List/)
- d. The supplier is qualified through a second party audit process, defined in the hardware developer’s QMS, and has an expiration period of no more than 3 years.
4.4.1.3
The objective evidence that serves as a basis for supplier qualification shall be maintained by the hardware developer.
4.4.2 Traceability
4.4.2.1
Level I fasteners shall have complete traceability in accordance with section 4.4.2.4. Incomplete traceability is acceptable for level II and III fasteners.
Note: Additional testing may be required during receiving inspection for Level II fasteners with incomplete traceability. See Table 1.
4.4.2.2
Fasteners shall be procured in homogeneous lots.
4.4.2.3
Commingling of lots shall not occur in order to ensure lot traceability.
4.4.2.4
The criteria for complete traceability of each fastener lot shall include all of the following:
- a. Documentation showing all transfers of custody from the original raw material manufacturer through the original part manufacturer, including unique lot/heat numbers.
- b. Documentation for all transfers of custody from the original part manufacturer to any intermediate manufacturers and distributors and the final supplier. Note: Traceability documentation that does not meet all of the criteria for complete traceability is considered incomplete traceability. 4.4.2.5 Traceability documentation shall be maintained by the hardware developer. Note: Bolts are often marked with identifying characteristics including the material symbol, manufacturer’s symbol, and lot number as space allows to facilitate traceability.
4.4.3 Certificate of Conformance (CoC)
4.4.3.1
Level I, II and III fasteners shall be procured with a Certificate of Conformance (CoC) that references the applicable technical specifications and the supplier.
4.4.4 Manufacturer’s Test Report (MTR)
4.4.4.1
Level I and II fasteners shall be procured with a Manufacturer’s Test Report (MTR). The MTR is optional for level III fasteners