Configuration management for the aviation industry

Oct 09, 2020 Audit

Compliance with strict safety and security standards is the key issue facing the aviation industry today. Effective configuration management according to the DIN EN/AS9100 international standard for quality management is therefore essential to protect against disruptions within the aviation value chain.

Your advantages of a properly implemented configuration management:

  • Fulfilment of the specifications and requirements for your products
  • Reduced frequency of corrective actions
  • Increased product quality
  • Improvement of your business processes through increased transparency
Configuration management (CM) is primarily concerned with the technical and organizational measures and structures related to the structural specifications of a product. Efficient and sustainable configuration management enables the aviation industry to ensure the lifetime suitability of an aircraft.
Optimal configuration management is based on four supporting pillars:
Identification
Critical units are hierarchically organized, defined and clearly distinguished.
Monitoring
Continuous oversight and optimization of your products and monitoring of changes.
Documentation
Comprehensive documentation of the configuration of products and subsequent changes.
Audit
Regular review of the configuration management according to DIN EN/AS9100 requirements.

It is recommended to check for any changes in required functional and physical characteristics at least once a month. Irregular comparison of your current production processes and manufacturer requirements can lead to questions whether your products sufficiently meet mandatory quality and safety standards. Furthermore, thorough inspection and accurate documentation form the basis for ensuing customer or authority approvals. Regular audits determine whether the technical implementation of your products corresponds to the defined services and the submitted change requests. The topicality of your configuration descriptions is also examined. In this context, DIN EN/AS9100 requires a clear quality management, which describes the necessary processes and measures to ensure product safety during the entire product life cycle.
Documented security in the aviation industry
Our experts are able to provide you with optimum support thanks to their many years of experience and comprehensive know-how in the field of management system auditing and the aviation industry. With us at your side, you can demonstrate to your customers, business partners and the responsible authorities that you meet the product configuration requirements in the best possible way - throughout the entire product life cycle.
Would you like to learn more about auditing as part of your configuration management? Please contact us!