Glossary

Disposition Cycle Time

The elapsed time required to review, decide, and formally close a disposition for an issue or nonconformance.

Quality, Compliance and Traceability Nonconformance, MRB and CAPA (NCR)MRB, Deviations and Concessions

Disposition Cycle Time commonly refers to the total elapsed time from when an item, event, or record enters a disposition process to when a documented disposition decision is completed and released for action or closure.

In manufacturing and quality workflows, it is most often used for nonconforming material, deviations, exceptions, holds, or inspection findings that require review and a formal decision such as use-as-is, rework, repair, return to supplier, or scrap. The term measures time through the decision process itself. It does not automatically include the full time to execute the rework or repair unless an organization defines it that way.

What it includes

The start point is commonly the creation of the disposition-required record, hold, or NCR.
The end point is commonly the approval and recording of the disposition decision.
The measured time may include queue time, review time, routing time, and approval time across quality, engineering, production, supplier quality, or MRB participants.

What it does not necessarily include

Physical correction work such as rework, repair, or replacement.
Final verification or reinspection after the disposition is executed.
Downstream order rescheduling, shipment impact, or customer communication unless specifically defined in the metric.

Operational meaning

Disposition Cycle Time is used as a process metric for how quickly an organization moves exceptions to a documented decision. In MES, QMS, ERP, or NCR workflows, it may be tracked by record type, product family, site, supplier, severity, or disposition path. It is often reviewed to identify bottlenecks in review boards, engineering approvals, or cross-functional handoffs.

Example: if a nonconformance is opened on Monday and the formal disposition is approved on Thursday, the disposition cycle time is the elapsed time between those two events according to the site’s timing rules.

Common confusion

Disposition Cycle Time is often confused with resolution time or closure time. Resolution or closure time may extend beyond the disposition decision and include execution, verification, and record closure. It is also different from lead time for a production order, which covers a broader manufacturing process rather than an exception-handling step.

It may also be confused with MRB turnaround time. MRB turnaround time is a narrower term when the disposition is specifically handled through a Material Review Board. Disposition Cycle Time can be broader and may apply even when no formal MRB meeting is involved.

There is no single universal answer. In aerospace, the system of record for NCRs should usually be the platform that governs formal quality disposition, approvals, audit trail, and controlled closure, often QMS or a tightly governed NCR/MRB workflow. MES, ERP, and PLM may hold linked execution, material, or product data, but they are not automatically the authoritative NCR record.

When should an aerospace customer issue a SCAR to a supplier?

A SCAR should be issued when a supplier problem is significant enough that simple containment, routine communication, or a one-off supplier NCR is not sufficient. Typical triggers include repeated escapes, major requirement violations, ineffective corrective action, or risks to airworthiness, traceability, delivery, or regulatory obligations. Thresholds still depend on contract terms, supplier controls, and QMS maturity.

What are signs that a CAPA is not addressing the true root cause?

Common signs include repeat deviations, actions focused only on retraining or reminders, weak evidence linking causes to facts, and metrics that improve briefly then slip back. A CAPA may close administratively while the underlying process, system, measurement, supplier, or design issue remains unchanged. The answer depends on investigation quality, data integrity, and cross-functional follow-through.

Who should have authority to approve scrap, repair, or concession dispositions?

Authority should not sit with a single generic role. In most regulated operations, disposition approval belongs to defined, authorized functions based on risk, product criticality, and contract or customer requirements. Scrap may be locally approved in limited cases, but repair and concession decisions usually require quality-led review, engineering input, and documented traceability.

Related Glossary

Exception policy

A documented set of rules for when normal requirements may be bypassed, approved, tracked, and reviewed.