The National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP) is a global cooperative accreditation program for aerospace engineering, defense, and related industries. It is managed by the Performance Review Institute (PRI), an independent third-party organization, and it is sponsored by leading industry associations and major aerospace and defense prime contractors.
The purpose of NADCAP is to provide a standardized approach for evaluating and accrediting suppliers of specialized processes and products for the aerospace and defense industries. It is a widely recognized and respected program, and companies that are accredited by NADCAP are considered to be among the best in their field.
To achieve NADCAP accreditation, a company must demonstrate that it meets or exceeds the rigorous quality standards set by the program. This involves undergoing a thorough on-site evaluation of the company's processes and procedures by trained NADCAP auditors. The auditors review the company's quality management system, as well as the technical competency of its personnel and the capabilities of its equipment.
Once a company has achieved NADCAP accreditation, it must maintain its accreditation through regular surveillance audits. This helps to ensure that the company continues to meet the high standards set by the program.
NADCAP covers a wide range of specialized processes and products used in the aerospace and defense industries. Some examples of the processes that are covered under NADCAP include:
Chemical processing
Coatings
Composites
Electronics
Fastener manufacturing and distribution
Heat treating
Machining
Non-destructive testing
Painting
Photographic services
Plating and surface finishing
Precision cleaning
Printing
Quality systems
Welding
This is not an exhaustive list, and there are many other specialized processes and products that are covered under NADCAP. To be accredited by NADCAP, a company must demonstrate that it meets or exceeds the quality standards set by the program for the specific processes and products it provides.
Overall, NADCAP is an important program that helps to ensure the quality and reliability of specialized products and processes used in the aerospace and defense industries.