When I first started running my forging shop, a customer once pulled me aside after a bid meeting and asked, “Can you prove your work is worth what you’re charging?” That question stuck with me, not because I got defensive, but because it’s exactly why forging certifications matter. Forging isn’t just hammering metal into shape—it’s a process that has to be consistent, safe, and reliable for industries that depend on it, from automotive parts that keep trucks on the road to aerospace components that fly passengers across the globe. I’ve spent years navigating the maze of certifications, and I’ve learned they aren’t just pieces of paper to hang on a wall; they’re how you tell clients, “We know what we’re doing, and we can do it the right way every single time.” If you’re a forging supplier, or a buyer looking to work with one, figuring out how to get these certifications can feel overwhelming, but breaking it down step by step makes it manageable. Forging
First, you need to figure out which certifications actually apply to your work. Not all forging certifications are the same, and chasing ones you don’t need wastes time and money. When I started, I made the mistake of applying for a specialty aerospace certification before I even had a handle on the basic quality standards for general manufacturing. Now, I always start by looking at the industries my shop serves. If you make parts for the automotive sector, ISO/TS 16949 (now updated to IATF 16949) is non-negotiable. For oil and gas equipment, API Spec Q1 from the American Petroleum Institute is critical. For medical parts, ISO 13485 is the standard you’ll need. For general industrial parts, ISO 9001 is a good foundation. I also realized early on that some customers will have their own specific requirements on top of these third-party certifications, so it’s important to check what your target clients expect before you dive into the process. For example, a local farm equipment manufacturer might require ISO 9001, but a heavy equipment company might also ask for AS9100 if they supply parts to mining operations that overlap with aerospace quality standards.
Once you know which certifications you need, the next step is preparing your operations and documentation. This is the part that trips up most forging shops, because it’s not just about writing procedures—it’s about living them every single day. My shop used to have a binder full of “quality plans” that no one actually followed. We’d say we did heat treatment checks, but the logs were half-written and filed away in a drawer somewhere. When we started prepping for ISO 9001, we had to fix that. We mapped every step of our forging process: from how we inspect raw metal when it arrives, to how we track every heat of steel through the forging press, to how we test the final parts for strength. Every process had to have a written procedure, every task had to be assigned to a specific person, and every result had to be recorded and stored for years. For forging specifically, there are additional requirements beyond general quality management systems. For example, if you’re doing closed-die forging (the most common type for custom parts), you need to document your die maintenance schedule, your forging temperature controls, and your non-destructive testing (NDT) methods—like ultrasonic testing to check for internal cracks or magnetic particle testing for surface defects. When we were prepping for our first audit, we spent three months going through every log, fixing gaps, and training every single employee, from the press operators to the office admin, on how to follow the procedures. It wasn’t fun, but by the time the auditor showed up, we didn’t have to scramble at the last minute.
Next, you need to choose a certification body that’s accredited. Not all certifiers are equal, and if you pick one that’s not recognized, your certification will be useless. I learned this the hard way early on. A few years ago, I worked with a small certifier that offered a cheap ISO 9001 certification, but when a major automotive company checked, they told us the certifier wasn’t accredited by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), so the certification didn’t count. We had to go through the whole process again with an IAF-accredited body, which cost more and took more time, but it was worth it because we could actually use the certification to bid on big jobs. When choosing a certifier, check their accreditation first—look for a signoff from a national accreditation body, like the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) in the US, or UKAS in the UK. You should also ask for references from other forging suppliers they’ve worked with, especially in your industry. Some certifiers know forging inside and out, and they’ll understand your specific challenges—like how to document forging process controls, vs. a certifier that works mostly with software companies and doesn’t get the difference between open-die and closed-die forging. That understanding makes the audit go smoother, because they’ll ask the right questions and not waste time on things that don’t apply to your shop.
Once you’ve picked a certifier, it’s time for the audit process, which usually has two parts: a stage 1 audit and a stage 2 audit. The stage 1 audit is more of a pre-assessment to make sure you’re ready for the full audit. They’ll look at your documentation, walk through your shop, and make sure you have the basic systems in place. When we had our stage 1 audit for IATF 16949, the auditor pointed out that we didn’t have a process for handling non-conforming parts—like if a forged part was too short or had a surface defect. We had to put together a process for tagging bad parts, logging them, and either reworking, scrapping, or returning them, before we could move on to the stage 2 audit. The stage 2 audit is the full audit, where they’ll dig into every part of your operations. They’ll check actual records, not just binders—so they’ll pull press logs, heat treatment records, test results, and talk to the operators to make sure they’re actually following the procedures. My shop had a scare during our stage 2 audit when the auditor checked a batch of parts we’d forged for a local customer. He asked for the NDT test logs, and we realized one of the operators had forgotten to log a set of magnetic particle tests. We were able to get the test results from the lab that day, but it taught us that we can’t cut corners on documentation, even for small batches. The audit can take anywhere from a day for a small shop up to a week for a larger forging operation, depending on the scope of the certification.
After you pass the audit, you’ll get your certification, but that’s not the end of the road. Certifications aren’t one-time; they require ongoing surveillance audits, usually once a year, and a full recertification audit every three years. When we first got our ISO 9001 certification, we thought we were done, but our first surveillance audit a year later found that we’d stopped updating our procedure for raw material inspection. We’d been using the same checklists for three years, even though the steel supplier we worked with had changed their packaging, which meant our old checklist was missing a step for verifying batch numbers. That’s a common mistake—once you get your certification, it’s easy to let the systems slip, especially when you’re busy filling orders. Now, we have a monthly review where we go over our quality procedures, make updates when something changes in our operations, and do internal audits every six months to catch gaps before the surveillance audit. If you let your systems lapse, you can lose your certification, which is a big problem for any forging supplier—losing a certification like IATF 16949 can mean losing 70% or more of your business overnight, because most automotive customers require it.
There are also specialty certifications that can set you apart from other forging suppliers, if you want to target higher-margin, more specialized work. For example, if you make parts for aerospace, AS9100 is the standard you’ll need, and it’s more rigorous than ISO 9001, with extra requirements for traceability and defect prevention. We got AS9100 a few years ago, and it opened the door to working with two aerospace companies that had been out of our reach. Another specialty certification is for forging-specific processes, like forging quality systems for defense applications, or certifications for sustainable forging, like those that prove you’re reducing waste or energy use. I also recently got a certification for cold forging, which is great for small, high-precision parts for electronics. The key here is to only go after specialty certifications that align with your business goals. If your shop focuses on large, heavy parts for construction, chasing an aerospace certification isn’t going to help you, but getting API Spec Q1 for oil and gas parts will.
One thing I wish more forging suppliers knew is that certifications aren’t just for the big guys. When I started, I thought only large forging companies with hundreds of employees could afford or get certifications, but that’s not true. There are certifications tailored to small businesses, and many certifiers offer flexible audit schedules for smaller shops. When we were a 5-person shop, we got our first ISO 9001 certification with a certifier that specialized in small manufacturing businesses, and they walked us through every step, even when we didn’t know what a “non-conformity report” was. The investment is worth it, too—having certifications makes it easier to bid on jobs, because buyers will take your application seriously, and it helps you improve your operations, because you have to have consistent processes that reduce waste and mistakes. Since we got our first certification, we’ve cut our scrap rate by 20%, because we caught defects earlier in the process, and we’ve won three times as many bids as we did before.
If you’re a buyer looking for a forging supplier, don’t just ask if they have certifications—ask for details. Ask which specific certifications they hold, which industries they’re qualified for, and when their audits are up for renewal. Any reputable forging supplier will be happy to share copies of their certifications and talk about how they maintain them. For suppliers, don’t let the process intimidate you. Start with the basics—ISO 9001 is a solid foundation, and once you have that, you can add other certifications as you grow. Take it step by step, train your team, and remember that certifications are proof that you care about the quality of your work, which is what every customer wants.
At our forging shop, we know that certifications aren’t just a requirement—they’re a promise to our customers that every part we forge is made with care, precision, and consistency. If you’re looking for a forging partner that holds the necessary certifications for automotive, construction, or industrial parts, we’d be happy to talk about how we can meet your needs. Whether you need a small custom batch or a large order of standard forged parts, our team has the experience and certifications to get the job done right.
Ks Flange References:
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 9001:2015, Quality management systems — Requirements.
- International Automotive Task Force (IATF). IATF 16949:2016, Automotive quality management systems — Particular requirements for the application of ISO 9001:2015 for automotive production and relevant service part organizations.
- American Petroleum Institute (API). API Spec Q1:2020, Specification for quality management systems for the petroleum, petrochemical, and natural gas industries.
- SAE International. AS9100D:2016, Quality management systems — Requirements for aviation, space, and defense organizations.
- American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT). Standard Practice for Magnetic Particle Testing, ASNT SNT-TC-1A.
Shanxi Xinshunda Flange Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
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