AS 9100D Resource Management

Key Requirements:

• Determine and provide resources needed to support the quality management system (QMS).
• Ensure employees are competent in their job functions and aware of relevant QMS related information.
• Develop an internal and external communication plan.
• Control documented information that is required by AS9100 and by your organization.

Section 7 Support

Section 7.1: Resources

Organizations must determine what resources are needed to support their QMS and then provide those resources. Resources include people, infrastructure (e.g., technology or equipment), environment (e.g., non-discriminatory or stress reducing), monitoring and measuring resources (e.g., calibrated equipment) and organizational knowledge (e.g., experiences or standards that are not documented).

Monitoring and measuring resources must have a process for calibration and verification. That process is to include a register of all calibrated and verified equipment and specify the following:

• Equipment type
• Unique identification
• Location
• Calibration or verification method
• Frequency
• Acceptance criteria

Section 7.2: Competence

Employees must be competent in the work they are assigned to perform based on education, training, or experience. If they are found to not be competent, the organization must take actions to help that person become competent, consider reassignment, or hire competent persons. In addition, periodic reviews must be performed to evaluate employee competence. Documented information that serves as evidence of competence must be retained such as resumes, signed training records, or certificates.

Section 7.3: Awareness

Employees need to be aware of important components of the QMS as well as their impact on the QMS. The information an organization is required to communicate to employees includes:

• Quality policy
• Applicable quality objectives
• Their contribution to the QMS, product or service conformity, and product safety
• Implications of not conforming with the QMS’ requirements
• Relevant changes to documented information
• The importance of ethical behavior

Section 7.4: Communication

Organizations must identify all forms of internal and external communications related to their QMS and develop a communication plan. Examples of relevant communication include internal or external feedback or any of the bulleted items above within 7.3 Awareness. The communication plan must include,

• What will be communicated?
• When will it be communicated?
• With whom will it be communicated to?
• How will it be communicated?
• Who will communicate?

Section 7.5: Documented Information

Documented information includes both documents (i.e. procedures or manuals) and records (i.e. filled out forms). Documented information must include that which is required by AS9100 and determined by the organization as necessary for its operations. Documented information needs to have appropriate identification, description, format, review, and approval process, and be controlled.

Controlling documented information involves ensuring it is available when and where needed, protected from improper use, as well as addressing how it will be distributed, stored, preserved, version controlled, retained, disposed of, and how you will prevent the inadvertent use of obsolete documents.

Many of these requirements can be met using document control software or by maintaining on a shared network with restricted editing capabilities, allowing only a designated Document Controller to make updates. If you do choose to control documents electronically, have a defined process for how they will be controlled.

Please note that certain text from the AS9100 standard is only used for instructional purposes. Standard Stores recognizes and respects the SAE International copyright and intellectual property guidelines.