NADCAP

NADCAP (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) is an industry-managed accreditation program that standardizes the auditing and approval of special processes and selected products used in aerospace and defense manufacturing.

What NADCAP covers

NADCAP commonly applies to “special processes” where the final quality of the product cannot be fully verified by subsequent inspection or testing. Examples include:

• Heat treating, welding, brazing, and soldering
• Non-destructive testing (NDT) such as radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle, and penetrant testing
• Chemical processing and surface treatments (plating, anodizing, etching)
• Composite manufacturing and bonding
• Coatings, shot peening, sealing, and similar controlled processes

Accreditation is performed by NADCAP-approved auditors against process-specific criteria defined by industry task groups. The outcome is an accreditation decision for the supplier’s facility and defined scope, not for the individual products.

Operational meaning in manufacturing

In practice, NADCAP affects how aerospace and defense plants plan and control their special processes, including:

• Documented procedures, work instructions, and process control plans tied to specific NADCAP scopes
• Qualification and periodic requalification of equipment, fixtures, and tooling used in special processes
• Operator qualification, training records, and documented authorization to run accredited processes
• Detailed process parameters and records (e.g., time, temperature, chemistry, pressure) captured for each lot or part
• Traceability between customer requirements, process specifications, certification records, and delivered parts

IT and OT systems such as MES, ERP, PLM, QMS, and data acquisition platforms are often configured to preserve complete, auditable records for NADCAP-relevant operations, including change control and revision history for process documentation.

Relationship to other standards

NADCAP is often used alongside:

• AS9100 for the overall quality management system at the organization level
• AS9102 for first article inspection and verification of production processes
• Customer-specific requirements that may mandate NADCAP accreditation for certain processes or suppliers

While AS9100 addresses management-system level controls, NADCAP focuses more deeply on technical process controls and execution for defined special processes.

Common confusion

• NADCAP vs. AS9100: AS9100 is a quality management system standard; NADCAP is a process-specific accreditation program. An organization may hold AS9100 certification, NADCAP accreditations, both, or neither, depending on scope and customer requirements.
• NADCAP vs. customer approval: Some customers have their own process approvals. NADCAP accreditation is an industry-managed program and does not automatically replace or guarantee customer-specific approvals unless contractually accepted.

Link to AS9102 and traceability context

In environments where AS9102 first article inspection applies, NADCAP-accredited processes often form part of the process flow being validated. Manufacturers typically need to link FAI records to the specific NADCAP-approved processes, equipment, lots, and certifications used, so that an auditor can trace a delivered part back through all special processes and associated records.