Qualification, Inspection & Testing

Qualification, inspection, and testing are critical processes aimed at ensuring the reliability, performance, and compliance of engineering products or systems.

These processes involve assessing and validating the design, manufacturing, and functionality of various components, materials, or entire systems. These processes help identify potential issues, weaknesses, or deficiencies early in the development or manufacturing stages, allowing for necessary improvements, adjustments, or corrective actions. Ultimately, qualification and testing contribute to delivering safe, reliable, and high‑quality engineering solutions that meet industry standards and customer needs.

Portsmouth Aviation’s long-standing history in engineering services means we only output the highest quality products.

Qualification, inspection, and testing are essential parts of this process and our experience in the defence and aerospace sectors equip us with an expansive set of approvals and testing equipment.

Our company takes pride in its comprehensive inspection capabilities, strategically located within two temperature-controlled dedicated inspection rooms. The primary machine shop inspection facility houses two advanced hexagon CMM machines.

One of these machines boasts on-board laser scanning capabilities, in addition to the traditional touch probing functionality. For enhanced measurement accuracy of complex and large shapes, we have a dedicated inspection bay equipped with a cutting-edge 3D laser scanner. This scanner enables the generation of virtual images for precise comparison with associated CAD models. It also offers the convenience of reverse engineering functionality.

In addition to our CMMs and laser scanner, we have two optical measuring machines located in temperature-controlled facilities. These machines excel in accurate and rapid measurements, primarily catering to 2D parts.

Likewise, our welding and fabrication departments benefit from the expertise of qualified and experienced Quality Engineers and Technicians.

We even have on-site Level 2 and Level 3 NDT inspectors to ensure the highest quality standards. To support our in-house design and manufacturing activities, we have an onsite mechanical test facility. This facility, managed by a qualified and experienced test engineer, can perform static testing of up to 30 tons. While primarily intended for our own needs, we can also accommodate outside subcontracted testing. If required, we offer the generation of comprehensive inspection and test reports, including First Article reports in accordance with AS9102 and specific dimensional reporting, on a subcontract basis.

Our commitment to quality extends throughout our operations, backed by state-of-the-art inspection and testing facilities manned by a highly skilled team.

To support our metal plating operations, we have an onsite laboratory that conducts solution analysis and salt spray testing. Furthermore, a dedicated Quality Engineer is embedded within these departments, also providing coverage for our painting and powder coating facilities.

Specifications

Our approvals

AS9100 Quality Management System

Current revision AS9100 rev D
Initial approval to AS9100 achieved in 1997

ISO9001 Quality Management System

Current revision ISO9001:2015
Initial approval to ISO9001 achieved in 1994

MPAS Military Approved Packaging Scheme

Approved to the MPAS standard
Initial approval (as part of the ISO9001 approval) since 1994

ISO14001 Environmental Management System

Current revision ISO14001:2015
Initial approval to ISO14001 achieved since 2005

DAOS Design Approved Organisation Scheme

Current revision 2 since 2010

JOSCAR Registered

PA fully registered on the JOSCAR supplier accreditation register

SC21 Supply Chain for the 21st Century

Currently hold Silver Award for commendable levels of achievement

Cyber Essentials Plus

Currently hold profile version 3 for the whole organisation

We take great pride in our ability to provide the high level of quality products produced and using the state-of-the-art inspection and test equipment, ensure the customer’s needs are always met or exceeded.

Pete Vaughan, Quality Manager

Our

Capabilities

Technical Services

CNC Machining

Metal Fabrication

Metal Finishing

Paint & Finishing

Qualification, Inspection & Testing

See all capabilities

Technical Services

Focused on design. At Portsmouth Aviation, Technical Services are an integral part of our business model. Our approach is bespoke and can be a game changer for your project. Designed to support and complement our traditional manufacturing capabilities, we have a wide range of core technical service competencies to ensure that we remain at the forefront of precision engineering industries.

CNC Machining

CNC Machining is a crucial part of Portsmouth Aviation’s in-house capabilities. Our state-of-the-art equipment and wide-ranging expertise set us apart in the industry. This has included ensuring our CNC machining equipment is of outstanding quality, maintaining our ability to provide efficacy and quality to our valued customers. Our experienced team bestows upon us a comprehensive knowledge of CNC machinery, ensuring that our customers receive the best possible final product.

Metal Fabrication

Metal fabrication and manipulation is an area of expertise that is essential to many of the projects we undertake. At Portsmouth Aviation, our specialist engineers have a multitude of experience in metal fabrication and their proficiency in welding is evident in the quality of their work.

Metal Finishing

Metal finishing at Portsmouth Aviation has the power to enhance the performance, durability, and protection of the components we produce, enabling our process technicians to create reliable and long lasting protective coatings that can withstand challenging environments and operational demands.

Paint & Finishing

Paint and finishing services at Portsmouth Aviation play a crucial role in ensuring the quality and durability of our engineering products. With meticulous attention to detail and the use of advanced coating technologies, these services ensure the longevity and optimal performance of critical components, reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering high‑quality and reliable solutions to its customers.

Qualification, Inspection & Testing

Qualification, inspection, and testing are critical processes aimed at ensuring the reliability, performance, and compliance of engineering products or systems. These processes involve assessing and validating the design, manufacturing, and functionality of various components, materials, or entire systems. These processes help identify potential issues, weaknesses, or deficiencies early in the development or manufacturing stages, allowing for necessary improvements, adjustments, or corrective actions. Ultimately, qualification and testing contribute to delivering safe, reliable, and high‑quality engineering solutions that meet industry standards and customer needs.

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Qualification Inspection & Testing

Specifications