Calculating Audit Time

Working towards certification is a time-consuming process, and once your organization believes it has met the AS9110 requirements it must be audited by an external selected registrar otherwise known as an accredited body. Oftentimes, organizations want to know how long the audit takes and that is why we have developed a time chart to give an approximation for your organization based on size. It is important to note that time is not only based on size but that these approximations will fluctuate depending on other factors including size, complexity, risk, and nature of an organization. An accredited registrar will use the guidelines and requirements set forth by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) to consider these factors and determine the time required to audit clients.

We have compiled a table to help give you an idea of the audit time you are facing. Remember that these are only estimates and the time will be adjusted based on complexity, risk, and nature. IAF provides additional guidelines and requirements for considering these factors.

Figure 1: Audit time. Copyright SAE AS9104/1.

Each certification body will have its own process for determining audit time, although they vary slightly from CB to CB they all must meet IAF requirements. Audit time may fluctuate between the initial surveillance and recertification audits. A certification body could determine after an initial audit that more or less time is required for the surveillance audit. Audit time may also include remote auditing techniques as well. This may be web meetings, teleconferencing, and electronic verification of the client’s processes. This is fairly common for the first stage of an audit.

AS9104 Standard outlines the requirements for aerospace quality management system (AQMS) certification programs in the Americas Aerospace Quality Group (AAQG). To understand who has the ability to grant certification read more here.