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QHSE Glossary

NADCAP

National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program — an industry-managed accreditation for special processes in aerospace.

NADCAP

NADCAP (Aerospace Special Process Accreditation) is a critical concept in quality, health, safety, and environmental management.

What Is NADCAP?

NADCAP (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) is the global cooperative accreditation programme for aerospace special processes managed by the Performance Review Institute (PRI). NADCAP provides a single industry-managed approach to conformity assessment — replacing multiple customer audits with one standardised accreditation. Special processes covered include: chemical processing, coatings, composites, elastomer seals, electronics, heat treating, materials testing, non-conventional machining, nondestructive testing (NDT), shot peening, surface enhancement, and welding. NADCAP accreditation is required by all major aerospace primes: Boeing, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Safran, GE Aviation, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and BAE Systems.

NADCAP Requirements Under UK Law

NADCAP is not a legal requirement but is a contractual requirement from aerospace prime contractors. AS9100 (based on ISO 9001 with aerospace additions) is the prerequisite quality management standard. NADCAP audits are conducted by PRI-employed auditors using checklists specific to each process type. Audits typically last 3-5 days on-site and are among the most thorough in any industry. Accreditation is granted for 12 or 18 months depending on performance. Merit status (18 months) requires consecutive successful audits with zero findings. Average NADCAP audit identifies 8-12 findings, with 30-day corrective action response required.

Key Components of NADCAP

  • Chemical processing
  • Coatings
  • Composites
  • Elastomer seals
  • Electronics (cable/harness)
  • Heat treating
  • Materials testing
  • Non-conventional machining (EDM/ECM/laser)
  • NDT (UT/RT/PT/MT/ET)
  • Shot peening
  • Surface enhancement
  • Welding (fusion/resistance/friction)

NADCAP in Practice

An aerospace heat treatment company (60 employees, 8 furnaces) manages NADCAP accreditation through Q-Hub. Their 12-month accreditation cycle requires: daily furnace temperature uniformity surveys (±6°C for AMS 2750 Class 2), weekly pyrometry checks, quarterly system accuracy tests, annual thermocouple calibrations (traceable to NPL), operator qualification records (per AMS 2750 Table 1), and complete batch traceability. Q-Hub tracks 2,400+ calibration records, 180 operator qualifications, and processes 50,000 parts per year with full metallurgical traceability. Their last NADCAP audit resulted in 2 findings (both minor) — earning merit status.

How to Manage NADCAP with Q-Hub

Q-Hub provides comprehensive tools for NADCAP management. The Audit Management module handles the core requirements, integrated with document control, audit scheduling, training management, and KPI dashboards to ensure your NADCAP processes are audit-ready at all times.

Related Terms

Want to see how Q-Hub handles NADCAP in practice? Book a demo or see pricing.

Related QHSE Terms

  • AS9100 — The aerospace quality management standard, based on ISO 9001 with additional requirements for aviati
  • Audit — A systematic, independent examination of processes, products, or systems to verify compliance with d
  • Bow-Tie Analysis — A visual risk assessment method that maps the causes of an event, the event itself, its consequences
  • CAPA — Corrective and Preventive Action — a systematic approach to investigating root causes of non-conform
  • COSHH — Control of Substances Hazardous to Health — UK regulations requiring employers to control exposure t
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