Description / Abstract:
This aerospace standard outlines the minimum requirements for
the quality assurance program of a distributor of new aircraft or
aerospace parts and material. It is designed to aid in the
surveillance and accreditation of a distributor who procures new
parts and materials and resells these products to customers or
other distributors in the aviation or aerospace industry, i.e., a
PASS THROUGH distributor. This standard may be used to determine
the adequacy and implementation of the distributor's quality
assurance program.
For the purposes of this standard, a pass through distributor
shall:
a. not affect the specification conformance of the product as
imparted by the manufacturer.
b. maintain on file and, if required, provide the purchaser with
unchanged copies of the documentation created and provided by the
original manufacturer that establishes traceability of
specification conformance.
c. provide certification to ensure that product quality and
traceability has been maintained and noncompromised.
d. be allowed to change the quantities from the original
shipment only to divide into smaller quantities of the same
original package without adversely affecting specification
conformance, environmental protection, limited life or age control,
traceability, or original manufacturer's warranty.
This standard recognizes that customer practices and the nature
of the commodities make it necessary to establish several levels of
quality assurance disciplines for pass through distributors. These
levels are defined as:
Level A:
The distributor acts as a repackager only, performing a visual
confirmation for obvious damage, proper identification of a part
number and/or manufacturer, lot/batch integrity when required, and
participates in the flow of unaltered documents attesting to the
conformity and traceability of the products from producer to
user.
Level B:
The distributor, in addition to providing the services shown in
Level A, is capable of performing dimensional verification on a
sampling basis so as to confirm physical conformity. The Level B
distributor must maintain pertinent product specification and
records of inspections performed and the results of those
inspections.
Level C:
The distributor, in addition to providing the services shown in
Level A and B, routinely performs dimensional verification of
products using standard measuring instruments and gauges and
attests to the purchaser as to the confirmation of conformity. When
required, the distributor shall have the capability to also perform
functional (mechanical, electromechanical, electronic, etc.)
testing and provide test reports to the customer.
Compliance with this standard does not necessarily indicate that
a distributor will be granted NADCAP accreditation.
Distributors are subject to a quality program audit by the
accrediting agency at any time during regular working hours.
Normally, the auditor will notify the distributor and arrange the
audit so as to cause minimal interference with the distributor's
operations, but, should circumstances dictate, the auditor may
arrive unannounced.
An accreditation audit for distribution of new aircraft parts is
not interchangeable and cannot be substituted for an audit
applicable to distributors performing remanufacturing, alteration
and/or repair services or those selling remanufactured, altered, or
repaired products.
Conforming parts and materials are necessary to support
compliance with applicable Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs)
which may include FAR 121.215, 121.303, 121.312, 121.363 and/or
135.143. FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 20-62 provides relevant
information on aeronautical replacement parts. Unapproved parts
should be reported in accordance with AC 21-29.
In those instances where this standard is used for distributors
servicing the commercial/civil aviation sector, the requirements
referencing "certified" or "authorized inspection personnel" is
mandatory.
Any verified evidence of product or document alteration will
result in loss of PRI/NADCAP accreditation. Such action will be
pursued through PRI's Due Process procedures. Product alteration is
any physical, chemical, or dimensional change from the original "as
manufactured" configuration. Document alteration is any deletion,
addition, or alteration to documents provided by the manufacturer
attesting to physical, chemical, dimensional, functional, or other
conformity or traceability aspect of the products.
This standard is compatible with the requirements of ISO 9003
(1987) "Quality systems - Model for quality assurance in final
inspection and test" or the equivalent ANSI/ASQC Q93.
PRI AC7103 is the checklist to be used with this standard.