Precision machinist is accredited to AS/EN 9100

Precision engineers Burcas has become accredited to AS/EN 9100, the global aerospace quality standard that far exceeds the high standards set by ISO 9001:2000.

The aerospace industry is one of the world's most demanding manufacturing environments, so when precision engineers Burcas made the decision to target the sector, the company knew it would have to meet exacting standards of production quality and demonstrate management excellence in order to establish itself in the marketplace.

Specifically Burcas had to become accredited to AS/EN 9100, the global aerospace quality standard that far exceeds the high standards set by ISO 9001:2000.

Achieving AS/EN 9100 would be a major task, requiring the West Midlands' based company to completely review both its manufacturing processes and its management systems.

The programme would have to take in every part of the business and would need the support and of all employees, from the boardroom to the shop floor.

To help it deliver such a wide-ranging project and achieve the vital accreditation, Burcas turned to TEC Transnational, a European leader in AS/EN 9100 training and implementation.

For six months TEC Transnational's change team worked hand-in-hand with Burcas, both in the manufacturing heart of the company and via group training sessions.

To undertake such a wholesale review and extensive change programme within an established and successful company like Burcas was no mean feat.

Dr David Scrimshire, managing director of TEC Transnational, explained: "By targeting the aerospace sector Burcas had made an incredible strategic change to its business.

If successful it would mean the company would be in line for contracts from organisations such as Rolls Royce and Airbus.

He continued: "But first the company needed AS/EN 9100 accreditation, a global accreditation for which companies must demonstrate impeccable standards.

AS EN/9100 is far above ISO 9001:2000, it meant a substantial upgrade of the systems that Burcas had been operating, requiring a major investment on their part.

Because Burcas would be machining precision components for use in aircraft, the quality of the work had to be second-to-none in order to produce mission critical parts to minute tolerances.

As Dr Scrimshire said: "There are no service stations at 20,000ft.

Yet the demands of AS/EN 9100 go beyond the quality of the end product.

Aerospace customers need to be able to depend on their suppliers, so accredited companies have to adopt best practice at every step of the production process, from the issuing of customer quotes and strict adherence to lead times, through manufacturing with full traceability to the shipping of parts.

To identify the changes Burcas needed to make, the TEC Transnational team measured the company's existing ISO 9001:2000 processes against the benchmarks required by AS/EN 9100.

When this audit had been completed, the change team sat down with the Burcas management to pinpoint areas that needed transforming.

Dr Scrimshire continued: "This process required a sea change for Burcas, a major shift in the company's culture.

But we were amazed just how quickly and enthusiastically they responded to our programme, throughout the entire company.

When we identified the changes that needed to be made, the response from management was 'the more, the better'.

The TEC Transnational team talked senior management through the transformation process, and then they went to the shop floor and worked with middle managers and engineers to ensure their understanding of what needed to change.

The change team took a practical approach to the transformation, explaining why processes had to change for AS/EN 9100 accreditation and how this would improve quality, efficiency and effectiveness.

"This was vital to get the buy-in of everyone," Dr Scrimshire said.

"I have never seen such ownership of an accreditation process.

The communications within the company are very good.

Everyone at Burcas saw that AS/EN 9100 was not only good for the development of the business, they realised that it would also bring them and their colleagues benefits.

Working together, Burcas and TEC Transnational mapped-out all the various processes and interactions so that controlled conditions could be imposed on each stage.

These procedures were then placed on to the company's intranet providing fast and easy access to information and support material via any computer on the Burcas network.

After six months of hard work, Burcas was inspected by the BSi and given its AS/EN 9100 accreditation.

However, the transformation work does not end there.

In partnership with TEC Transnational, Burcas is now rolling out its newfound standards to other companies in its supply chain.

Suppliers will undergo in-house coaching and mentoring, along with external training, to harmonise their processes and procedures with that of Burcas.

According to Dr Scrimshire, this approach should bring aerospace business to even more companies.

He concluded: "The accreditation has made Burcas a more efficient, much slicker business.

By rolling this out to its supply chain, Burcas is taking other businesses with it, becoming a hub of what I believe will be a group of very successful companies.

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