Extending the Reach of Conformance

Author:  Kumar Balan | Blast Cleaning and Shot Peening Specialist
Source:  The Shot Peener magazine, Vol 38, Issue 1, Winter 2024
Doc ID:  2024003
Year of Publication:  2024
Abstract:  
BASICS OF CONFORMANCE Industries that manufacture and process mission-critical components are generally better tuned to conformance. Aerospace, Medical, and to an extent, Automotive, are a few examples. The purpose of conformance is to ensure standardization of a process. Conformance also moderates suppliers of parts and services to such industries so that the end-user can rest assured that the inputs have been designed and manufactured to help them achieve standardized and expected results. The shot peening Industry refers to multiple specifications/ documents, including SAE Recommended Practices for Surface Vehicles, AMS for Aerospace Material Specifications, and a healthy cross-referencing between them. SAE and AMS documents cover both process and product specifications. In addition to these primary specifications, most Aerospace primes and Automotive OEMs have their localized specifications that are generally based on the source SAE and AMS documents. For most that work with these specifications, the compliance process also involves an audit. Aerospace primes and MROs rely on audits such as Nadcap (formerly North American Defence Contractors Accreditation Program) administered by PRI (Performance Review Institute) to validate whether the end user has interpreted and geared their equipment and processes to peen correctly.