In every aspect of our business, from a project management process dedicated to performance guarantees, through discussions with clients, a strong culture of internal communication and ISO 9001 and EN 9100 certifications, the AMETRA Group strives to ensure quality monitoring at all levels of the company.
Table des matières
1- The quality approach is an integral part of operations
As a company that’s ISO 9001 certified for its quality management, the AMETRA Group has implemented a specific project management method called P2P. This method notably outlines the procedures to be followed and how to monitor their implementation.
Each design office aims to ensure the highest quality delivery possible, from the study, calculations, prototype creation, to a precise and demanding selection of suppliers. Suppliers are chosen from an approved panel and their performance is regularly evaluated. This quality approach also entails a double level of formal monitoring:
- self-verification by the designer,
- verification by the project manager or a dedicated person.
Finally, internal audits are conducted to ensure that procedures are completely followed within the different agencies: has the process been put in place? Is it effectively implemented at all stages of the project?
This constant requirement for quality aims to ensure the satisfaction of each client.
2- Customer needs and requirements identified at the outset of the project
To ensure the quality and performance of each project, it’s important to conduct an accurate review of the requirements, which allows us to create a requirements matrix and a process map. This not only guarantees the project’s performance, but also ensures that the project’s implementation quality is guaranteed from the outset.
3- Teamwork based on communication
In order for employees to fully buy in to the quality approach, it’s essential to build closeness and dialogue both at the management level and at the agency and design office level.
- Each agency has a quality contact person who answers questions about the status of available documentation, quality policy, etc.
- Regular presence in regional agencies and design offices, in order to review P2P and indicator monitoring.
- Communication and educational discussion on this topic also includes providing documents, specific posters and information sharing.
- Quarterly meetings and steering committees dedicated to quality monitoring are followed up with phone calls.
- Customer meetings are held to closely track project progress.
Everything must be done to involve all stakeholders in the company’s quality approach, regardless of their function and geographical location.
Finally, in the same vein of continuous improvement, a satisfaction survey is conducted with each client on a regular basis.
4- EN 9100 certification, the guarantee of a high standard of quality in the aeronautics, defence and space industries
EN 9100, whose full title in French translates to « Quality Management System – Requirements (based on ISO 9001:2000) and Quality System – Model for Quality Assurance in Design, Development, Production, Installation and Operation (based on ISO 8402:1994) », is a standard dedicated to the space, aeronautics and defence industries. With clients including THALES, Safran and ArianeGroup, the AMETRA Group is perfectly in line with this expectation of high quality standards.
EN 9100 includes the full ISO 9001 standard while significantly increasing its requirements (+30% approximately). It also adds the concepts of « key characteristics » and « special processes« .
A special process is an operation that cannot be monitored with a measurement. For example, for heat treatment of a metal part, there is no way to check that everything went well in the end. The process must therefore be approved upstream to ensure that it’s repeatable and reliable. This point is particularly critical at the supply chain level of a design office. Supplier control allows to ensure that all their processes are approved.
EN 9100 certification also requires more control and traceability. For example, if an aircraft encounters a problem, it should be possible to trace the entire chain back to the design office that designed the part. Records must be kept of every single operation. This approach is very comprehensive and provides more advanced traceability than in many other areas.
In addition, the standard makes indicators mandatory and goes even further in the quality process: the OTD and the OQD, which measure compliance with deadlines and quality, have particularly high expected result rates.
For the AMETRA group, two elements of the management process have been reinforced:
- Risk management: a very high level of these criteria is one of the requirements for aeronautics. From the start of the project, every risk that could arise must be planned for (technical, deadlines, etc.). Each of them must be matched with an action plan to mitigate these risks.
- Control of requirements: this second point means being able to identify all the technical requirements related to the product to be manufactured. We must be able to demonstrate in advance that we can meet these requirements, and be able to provide supporting documentation and evidence on a case-by-case basis throughout the project (tests, calculations, etc.).
EN 9100 thus entails a strong sense of responsibility, which is felt at all levels of the project chain.
The AMETRA Group, certified EN 9100, guarantees complete control of the supply chain, including a very high level of supplier referencing for this type of project. Finally, the quality process in this context involves more formal discussion to approve the decisions.
Learn more about quality management within the Ametra Group on our YouTube channel and with our video: « 8 best practices for a successful project »
To learn more about the AMETRA Group’s industries and expertise, please visit our official website.
Article by Camille
