NADCAP for CNC Suppliers: What Aerospace Procurement Engineers Verify in 2026

For an aerospace procurement engineer qualifying a CNC supplier for a Tier-1 Boeing or Lockheed flow-down, accepting AS9100D as proof of capability on a part that touches a special process is a $250,000–$1.2M risk. The certificate proves the quality management system. It does not prove that the heat treat, the NDT, the chemical processing, the welding, or the nonconventional machining inside the supplier’s process tree is itself controlled to aerospace standard. That control lives in NADCAP, and a CNC supplier without NADCAP on the special processes they perform — or without a documented NADCAP-accredited subcontract chain for the ones they outsource — is a supplier who will get caught at first-article inspection. At Rapid Precision, roughly one in five new aerospace RFQs we audit show this gap, and the cost of fixing it after PO is always higher than catching it before.

NADCAP — Nadcap, formally — is the Performance Review Institute’s aerospace and defense accreditation program for special processes. AS9100D is the umbrella QMS. NADCAP is the process-by-process accreditation that sits underneath it. For a CNC procurement engineer, the difference between the two is the difference between knowing a shop has a system and knowing the specific processes inside that system are audited. This guide walks aerospace procurement through the seven NADCAP checks that separate a supplier with the right accreditation footprint from one whose AS9100 wallpaper does not cover the actual flow-down.

What Is NADCAP, and How Does It Differ From AS9100?

NADCAP is administered by the Performance Review Institute (PRI) and accredits suppliers on 17 special process families through individually scoped audit checklists. AS9100D is the aerospace quality management system standard maintained by the IAQG; it certifies the overall organization. The two are not interchangeable. A CNC shop with AS9100D and no NADCAP can absolutely run a quality system, but it cannot self-certify a heat treat, a non-destructive test, a chemical etch, or a precision shot peen to aerospace prime standards. Those processes are accredited at the process level, not the company level.

For CNC suppliers specifically, the NADCAP checklists that matter most are:

• AC7116 — Nonconventional Machining and Surface Enhancement (covers wire EDM, sinker EDM, ECM, AWJ, and laser machining on flight-critical work).
• AC7117 — Shot Peening (mandatory for fatigue-critical aerospace surfaces).
• AC7108 — Chemical Processing (anodize, passivate, plating).
• AC7102 — Heat Treating (hardness, tempering, age hardening).
• AC7114 — Nondestructive Testing (FPI, MPI, UT, RT).

A CNC shop running its own heat treat or its own anodize line must hold NADCAP on those processes. A CNC shop that outsources those processes must demonstrate a documented NADCAP-accredited subcontract chain. Both paths are valid; both must be visible in your supplier file.

AS9100 vs NADCAP: The Aerospace Procurement Distinction

In a one-line audit response, the difference is: AS9100 audits the shop, NADCAP audits the process. The implication for an aerospace procurement engineer is that you need both views before issuing a flow-down PO above the de minimis threshold (typically $25,000 for Tier-2 work, $5,000 for Tier-1).

Dimension	AS9100D	NADCAP
Scope	Whole-organization QMS	Process-specific (17 special processes)
Audit frequency	3-year cycle + annual surveillance	12 to 24 month merit-based cycle
Audit body	Registrar (BSI, DNV, SGS, etc.)	PRI (Performance Review Institute)
Auditor profile	QMS generalist with aerospace knowledge	Process specialist (e.g., metallurgist for heat treat)
Required for prime supply	Yes — entry ticket	Yes — when special process is in scope of supply
Findings disposition	Findings reviewed by registrar	Findings reviewed by Task Group (industry peers)
Typical re-audit cost	$8,000 – $20,000 / cycle	$6,000 – $18,000 per process

 

For ITAR-controlled aerospace CNC work, Rapid Precision operates AS9100D + ISO 9001 + ITAR registration, with NADCAP-accredited subcontractors named in the supplier file for every special process flowing out of the building.

The 17 NADCAP Special Processes and Which Ones Apply to CNC Suppliers

Not every CNC supplier needs every NADCAP scope. The right way to read a supplier’s NADCAP footprint is to map your part’s process tree against the scope list and verify each touched process is either in-house accredited or subcontracted to an accredited supplier.

• Aerospace Quality Systems (AS/EN/JISQ9100, AS/EN9110)
• Chemical Processing (AC7108) — anodize, plating, passivation, chemical milling
• Composites (AC7118)
• Conventional Machining as a Special Process (limited scope; not routine for CNC)
• Coatings (AC7109) — paint, dry film lubricant
• Elastomer Seals (AC7117)
• Electronics (AC7119)
• Fluids Distribution (AC7113)
• Heat Treating (AC7102) — solution treat, age, anneal, normalize
• Materials Testing Labs (AC7101)
• Measurement & Inspection (AC7130) — CMM, optical, laser
• Metallic Materials Manufacturing (AC7126)
• Nondestructive Testing (AC7114) — FPI, MPI, RT, UT, ET
• Nonconventional Machining & Surface Enhancement (AC7116) — wire EDM, sinker EDM, AWJ, laser, ECM
• Nonmetallic Materials Manufacturing (AC7124)
• Nonmetallic Materials Testing (AC7122)
• Surface Enhancement (AC7117) — shot peen, laser peen, deep rolling
• Sealants (AC7200/1, AC7202)
• Welding (AC7110) — fusion, resistance, electron beam, brazing

For a typical CNC supplier producing aluminum 7075-T7351 structural brackets, the NADCAP footprint that matters is AC7108 (anodize), AC7117 (shot peen if specified), and AC7114 (FPI if required by drawing). For Inconel 718 turbine components, add AC7102 (heat treat) and frequently AC7116 (wire EDM).

How to Verify a CNC Supplier’s NADCAP Status Before Issuing a Flow-Down PO

The Performance Review Institute publishes an open database (eAuditNet) of every NADCAP accreditation, scope, and expiration date. Before issuing a PO that includes a special process, an aerospace procurement engineer should run these four checks and put the evidence in the supplier file:

• eAuditNet scope lookup — pull the supplier’s current accreditation, confirm the scope of approval (e.g., AC7102 nickel-base alloys vs all metallic alloys), confirm the expiration date is at least 6 months out.
• Subcontract chain mapping — if the supplier outsources any special process, request the supplier’s qualified subcontractor list (QSL) and confirm each named subcontractor in eAuditNet.
• Audit findings history — request the supplier’s last two NADCAP audit summary reports (or signed Letter of Compliance) and check for repeat findings on the same checklist line.
• Customer-specific approvals — for Boeing, Lockheed, Northrop, and other primes with their own supplier approval lists, confirm the supplier is on the prime’s current approved supplier list (ASL) for the relevant commodity code.

All four checks together take under two hours and convert a paper certificate into a defensible flow-down decision.

NADCAP CNC Pricing Premium in 2026: What the Accreditation Actually Costs You

NADCAP accreditation adds documented overhead to every special process touched. Aerospace procurement engineers should expect a NADCAP-accredited supplier to quote 15–35% higher than an AS9100-only equivalent, with the delta concentrated in the special process step rather than the CNC operation itself.

Component	AS9100-only	AS9100 + NADCAP	Premium
5-axis CNC milling, $/hr	$95 – $150	$110 – $175	+12 – 18%
Wire EDM (AC7116 scope), $/hr	$95 – $160	$130 – $220	+25 – 38%
Anodize Type II per part	$3 – $12	$5 – $18	+45 – 55%
Shot peen per surface	$8 – $25	$15 – $40	+55 – 75%
FAI documentation	$200 – $600	$350 – $900	+45 – 60%

 

The premium is not a margin grab. It is the documented cost of process control, lot traceability, qualified operators, calibrated test equipment, and the audit cycle itself. For a part that ends up on a flight-critical assembly, the premium is the cheapest insurance you will buy on the program.

The NADCAP CNC Supplier Verification Framework

Criterion	Pass threshold	Why it matters
Special process scope match	All touched processes accredited or subcontracted to accredited supplier	Gaps surface at FAI and cost weeks
eAuditNet expiration window	≥ 6 months remaining on accreditation	Lapses interrupt production
Findings history	No repeat findings in last 2 cycles	Repeat findings = drifting system
Prime ASL listing	On prime’s approved supplier list for commodity	Prime audit override risk if not
Subcontractor traceability	Named QSL with eAuditNet links	Subcontractor failure = supplier failure

 

よくある質問

Is NADCAP required for every aerospace CNC part?

No. NADCAP is required only when a special process is in scope of supply. A CNC-machined aluminum bracket that only requires AS9100-flow inspection and standard machining does not require NADCAP. The same bracket with a Type II anodize on the print requires either NADCAP AC7108 in-house or a NADCAP-accredited anodize subcontractor named in the supplier’s QSL. Read every callout on the drawing — heat treat, NDT, plating, peening, special machining processes — and map each to the right NADCAP scope.

What is the difference between NADCAP merit and NADCAP suspended?

NADCAP audit results lead to a merit status (typically 12, 18, or 24 months between audits depending on findings history) or a suspended/in-process status that may interrupt accreditation. A merit-status supplier has been operating within the audit cycle without major findings. A suspended supplier should be treated as not accredited until eAuditNet shows return to merit. Procurement should refuse new POs on suspended scope until restored.

Can a NADCAP-accredited supplier deliver non-aerospace parts under the same QMS?

Yes. NADCAP accredits processes, not customers. A supplier accredited for AC7102 heat treat can run commercial work on the same line. For aerospace lot traceability, the supplier must segregate lot records, qualification status, and inspection evidence so the aerospace product flow is auditable independently. Most NADCAP shops structure work cells precisely for this segregation.

How long does a CNC shop take to get NADCAP accredited from scratch?

First accreditation on one special process scope (e.g., AC7116 nonconventional machining) typically takes 9–14 months from kickoff to merit-status accreditation. The work includes a pre-audit assessment, procedural alignment to the relevant AC checklist, training, internal mock audits, and the formal PRI audit. Cost ranges from $15,000 to $40,000 for the first scope, less for additional scopes added to an existing system.

Does NADCAP cover counterfeit parts prevention?

Counterfeit parts prevention is principally addressed through AS9100D clause 8.1.4 and AS5553/AS6174 for electronic and metallic counterfeits respectively. NADCAP audits process-level control, which intersects with material traceability but does not replace the AS9100 counterfeit prevention program. A NADCAP supplier should still demonstrate AS5553-aligned procedures for any electronic content and AS6174 for metallic raw materials.

Is ITAR registration the same as NADCAP?

No. ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) is a US Department of State export control regime registered through DDTC. NADCAP is a quality accreditation administered by PRI. Defense aerospace work typically requires both, but they cover different responsibilities. ITAR controls technical data export and handling; NADCAP controls process quality. A CNC supplier serving DOD primes needs to demonstrate both, plus AS9100D, plus any prime-specific approvals.

Conclusion

• NADCAP audits the special process; AS9100 audits the shop. Aerospace procurement needs both before issuing a flow-down PO that touches a special process.
• The four-check verification — eAuditNet scope, expiration, findings history, prime ASL — converts a paper certificate into a defensible decision in under two hours.
• The 15–35% NADCAP premium is documented overhead, not margin; on flight-critical parts it is the cheapest insurance on the program.

Rapid Precision operates AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, and ITAR registered, with a published NADCAP-accredited subcontract chain for every special process flowing out of the building. Our patented quoting engine delivers binding aerospace pricing in under 30 minutes for prototype and bridge production work.

Submit your CAD files for a free quote and DFM review at rapidcision.com.