RedEye On Demand Earns AS9100C

RedEye On Demand, a rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing service, and business unit of Stratasys Inc. has earned AS9100C certification. Achieving this international standard in the aviation, space and defense industries signifies that RedEye On Demand meets the quality management standards required to provide production parts made using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing technology for aerospace manufacturers.

“Representing the highest levels of quality, achieving AS9100C certification recognizes our commitment to helping the aerospace community bring their products to market faster without compromising integrity,” says Richard Garrity, Stratasys vice president of RedEye On Demand. “Using real thermoplastics, FDM 3D printing technology offers engineers an attractive option for producing end-use parts in an efficient and cost-effective way.”

The AS9100C standard ensures that dedicated processes are set aside for the way in which manufacturers handle production parts. Interior parts made at RedEye using the FDM process then go to the aircraft manufacturer and are applied to end use in commercial, hobby and military applications. According to Garrity, the key to this growing interest in applying FDM technology in aerospace is it enables the manufacturing of lighter aircraft, which has tremendous impact on fuel costs.

AS9100C fully incorporates the requirements of the ISO 9001:2008 certification, which RedEye On Demand received in February 2011, while adding nearly 100 additional requirements specific to quality and safety for aerospace manufacturing. The rigorous audit process included a full on-site audit by a third-party accredited registrar to ensure that working practices observe the procedures and stated objectives and that appropriate records are kept. Additional surveillance visits will be conducted in the future to ensure that the certification remains valid.

“The process to achieve AS9100C certification has driven our organizational performance to a whole new level,” said Garrity. “It has given us a systematic process in our approach to developing parts for the aerospace industry, and holds us accountable for what we make.”