In aerospace manufacturing, quality does not start on the shop floor — it starts at the loading dock. Receiving inspection is the first line of defence in any AS9100-compliant quality management system, and getting it right determines whether non-conforming material ever makes it into your production process. At Tru-Tech Precision, receiving inspection is a controlled, documented process that applies to every piece of raw material, purchased component, and externally processed part that enters our facility.
This article explains how receiving inspection works under AS9100, what happens when material is accepted or rejected, and why this process is critical to delivering conforming aerospace components.
What AS9100 Requires for Receiving Inspection
AS9100 Rev D (clause 8.4.2) requires organizations to establish and implement verification activities to ensure that externally provided products and services meet specified requirements. In practical terms, this means every incoming material and part must be inspected or otherwise verified before it is released for use in production.
The standard does not prescribe a single method — it allows organizations to define their own receiving inspection procedures based on the type of product, the supplier's track record, and the criticality of the application. What it does require is that the process is documented, consistently followed, and that records are maintained.
At Tru-Tech, our receiving inspection procedure covers:
- Raw material (bar stock, plate, forgings, castings)
- Purchased components and hardware
- Parts returning from external processing (anodizing, plating, heat treat, NDT)
- Customer-supplied material or tooling
The Receiving Inspection Process
When material arrives at our facility, it does not go directly to the shop floor. It enters a designated receiving area where our quality team performs a structured inspection before releasing it for production use.
1. Visual and Packaging Inspection
The first check is straightforward — we verify that packaging is intact and that there is no visible damage to the material. Dented boxes, torn wrapping, or signs of moisture exposure are flagged immediately. For raw material, we look for surface defects such as scratches, pitting, corrosion, or mill scale that could affect the finished part.
2. Documentation Verification
This is where receiving inspection becomes critical under AS9100. We verify that all required documentation accompanies the shipment:
- Mill certifications (MTRs): For raw material, the material test report must match the specification called out on the purchase order — correct alloy designation, temper condition, and mechanical properties within the required ranges.
- Certificates of conformity (C of C): Supplier certifications confirming that the product meets the purchase order requirements and applicable specifications.
- Processing certifications: For parts returning from external processing, we verify that the processing house has provided certifications confirming the correct process was performed per the applicable specification (e.g., MIL-A-8625 for anodizing, AMS 2700 for passivation).
- Test reports: Where applicable — dimensional reports, hardness test results, NDT reports, or any other testing specified by the purchase order.
Missing or incomplete documentation is one of the most common reasons for material being placed on hold during receiving inspection. We do not release material into production without the required paperwork — no exceptions.
3. Dimensional and Physical Verification
Depending on the material type and criticality, we perform dimensional checks to confirm the material matches the purchase order. For raw bar stock, this includes verifying diameter, length, and material identification markings. For purchased components, we may perform dimensional inspection of critical features using calipers, micrometers, or CMM equipment. For externally processed parts, we verify coating thickness, visual appearance, and any measurable attributes specified by the process specification.
4. Positive Material Identification (PMI)
For critical applications — particularly nuclear and aerospace — we perform positive material identification testing to verify that the material's chemical composition matches the mill certification. PMI testing uses X-ray fluorescence (XRF) or optical emission spectroscopy to confirm the alloy is what it claims to be. This step catches potential material mix-ups at the source before they become a problem in production.
Accepting Material
Material that passes all receiving inspection checks — visual, documentation, dimensional, and PMI where applicable — is formally accepted and released for production use. The acceptance is documented in our quality system with:
- The date of inspection and the inspector who performed it
- Confirmation that all documentation was reviewed and found compliant
- Any dimensional or test results recorded during inspection
- A unique lot or identification number that links the material to its certifications throughout production
Accepted material is moved from the receiving area to our controlled inventory storage, where it is clearly identified and traceable. This traceability chain — from the mill certification through receiving inspection to the finished part — is a fundamental requirement of AS9100 and is what enables us to provide complete material traceability on every component we ship.
Rejecting Material
When material fails any aspect of receiving inspection, it is immediately segregated and identified as non-conforming. Under AS9100, non-conforming product must be controlled to prevent its unintended use or delivery. Here is how we handle rejections:
Segregation and Identification
Rejected material is physically moved to a designated non-conforming material area — separate from accepted inventory and the production floor. It is clearly tagged or labelled to indicate its non-conforming status. This prevents anyone from inadvertently pulling the material for a job.
Non-Conformance Report (NCR)
A formal non-conformance report is generated documenting the nature of the discrepancy — whether it is a documentation issue, dimensional non-conformance, material defect, or incorrect processing. The NCR includes:
- A description of the non-conformance
- The purchase order and specification requirements that were not met
- Supporting evidence (measurements, photographs, certification discrepancies)
- The disposition decision
Disposition Options
Once a non-conformance is documented, the material must be dispositioned. Under AS9100, the typical disposition options are:
- Return to supplier: The most common disposition for incoming material that does not meet purchase order requirements. The material is returned to the supplier with documentation of the non-conformance, and replacement material is requested.
- Use as-is (with customer approval): In some cases, a minor deviation may not affect the part's form, fit, or function. However, using non-conforming material requires documented engineering justification and — for aerospace applications — written customer approval before proceeding. We do not make use-as-is decisions unilaterally.
- Rework or repair: If the non-conformance can be corrected — for example, re-processing a surface treatment that did not meet specification — the material may be sent back for rework. The reworked product must then pass receiving inspection again before acceptance.
- Scrap: Material that cannot be returned, used as-is, or reworked is scrapped and disposed of. Scrapped material is removed from inventory and documented in the quality system.
Supplier Notification and Corrective Action
When material is rejected, we notify the supplier with details of the non-conformance. For recurring issues or significant defects, we may issue a Supplier Corrective Action Request (SCAR) requiring the supplier to investigate the root cause, implement corrective actions, and provide evidence that the issue has been resolved. This process is an important part of maintaining a reliable supply chain and is tracked as part of our supplier performance monitoring under AS9100.
Common Reasons for Rejection
Based on our experience, the most frequent reasons material is rejected during receiving inspection include:
- Missing or incomplete certifications: The material test report is missing, does not list the required specification, or does not include all required test results.
- Material specification mismatch: The cert shows a different alloy grade, temper, or specification than what was ordered. Even a minor discrepancy — such as receiving 6061-T6 when 6061-T651 was specified — requires resolution.
- Dimensional discrepancies: Raw material outside the ordered size tolerance, or purchased components that do not meet drawing requirements.
- Surface condition issues: Scratches, corrosion, contamination, or other surface defects that could affect the finished component's performance or appearance.
- Processing non-conformances: Parts returning from external processing with incorrect coating thickness, missed areas, discolouration, or certifications that do not reference the correct specification.
- Incorrect quantity or part number: What was shipped does not match what was ordered.
Why Receiving Inspection Matters
It is tempting to view receiving inspection as paperwork overhead — an administrative step before the real work begins. But in aerospace manufacturing, receiving inspection is a quality gate that prevents non-conforming material from contaminating your production process. The cost of catching a material issue at receiving is a fraction of catching it after machining, after external processing, or — worst case — after the part has been shipped to a customer.
A disciplined receiving inspection process also protects your traceability chain. Every component Tru-Tech ships can be traced back to the specific heat lot of raw material it was made from, the certifications that accompanied that material, and the inspector who verified it at receiving. This is not just an AS9100 requirement — it is what allows our customers to confidently install our parts into flight-critical and safety-critical assemblies.
How Tru-Tech Handles Receiving Inspection
At Tru-Tech Precision, receiving inspection is embedded in our daily operations — not treated as an afterthought. Our quality team inspects every incoming shipment using documented procedures, calibrated equipment, and standardized checklists. Material is not released to the floor until it has been formally accepted. When issues arise, our non-conformance and corrective action processes ensure they are resolved properly and that suppliers are held accountable.
This discipline is part of what makes our AS9100 quality system work in practice, not just on paper. It is why our customers trust us with their most critical components — they know that the quality of a Tru-Tech part starts before the spindle ever turns.
If you have questions about our receiving inspection process or how our quality system protects your supply chain, contact our team.