Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for aerospace CNC part manufacturers.
A checklist built from how aerospace CNC part manufacturers work, to print or save as a PDF and bring to any supplier meeting.
What the software should cover
Tick each one that matters to your business.
- Drawing and revision control
- Material traceability
- First article inspection
- Special process tracking
- Nonconformance and concession
- Data pack and shipment
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- For quality managers
- For planners
- For machinists
- For inspectors
- For stores staff
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Lots held for first article approval or for a missing process certificate
- Cast numbers issued and the brackets, ribs and fittings cut from each
- Nonconformances by part number, cause and disposition
- Turnaround of anodisers and penetrant testing houses by vendor
- Quoted hours and material against actual cost for each closed lot
- Drawing revisions released and the work orders running on each
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- CMM and gauge data import
- Barcode and label printers
- Accounting export
- Document storage
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Can a work order be released only against the current drawing revision?
- How does heat number traceability work?
- Can the first article report be entered here?
- What if the part goes out for anodising or penetrant testing?
- Does it record nonconformances and customer concessions?
- Is serialising of individual parts supported?
- Does the system certify us to a quality standard?
- How are small lots quoted?
- How is pricing decided?
- Is an export available for a customer audit?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- A heat number gets separated from its part
- Programs run at the wrong revision
- Special process paperwork trails behind
- First article reports are rebuilt by hand
- Nonconformances stay informal
Prefer to talk it through? See the aerospace CNC part manufacturers page.