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Qualifications to Ask a Forging Supplier For
A forging supplier can hold a quality system certificate, a product licence, a special process accreditation and a testing lab scope. They prove different things. This page maps which to ask for by industry and where to check each one.
Industry by standard by qualification
What buyers in each industry usually write on the drawing and the purchase order. Your customer specification governs.
| Industry | Standards on the drawing | Supplier qualifications | Tests and documents | Market rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil and gas, wellhead and valves | API 6A with PSL level, API 20B or 20C, ASTM A694 and A182 flanges, NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 for sour service | API Spec Q1 and Monogram licence, ISO 9001, class approval for offshore | EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2, Charpy, ultrasonic test, hardness record, data book | Destination rules: Buy America on US public projects, EU pressure rules where the part goes into pressure equipment |
| Pressure equipment, valves, flanges | ASTM A105, A182, A350, A336, A266; ASME B16.5 and B16.34; SA versions for code work | ISO 9001; for the EU, material appraisal routed through the equipment maker | EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2, EN 10228 acceptance levels, test orientation | PED 2014/68/EU, AD 2000 W 13 in Germany |
| Power generation, large vessels | ASTM A508 and A541, A336 for high temperature parts | ISO 9001; code qualification the buyer names (check with the buyer) | Heat treatment records, macroetch, ultrasonic test, test coupon location | ASME code, PED |
| Automotive and off-highway | EN 10083 quenched and tempered steels (now EN ISO 683), SAE grades, JIS G 4051 | IATF 16949, ISO 9001 | PPAP set, hardness, grain flow, grain flow check | End-of-life vehicle and material data reporting (the vehicle maker sets the format) |
| Aerospace, civil | ASTM B381, B564 and B247, SAE AMS specifications for the alloy | AS9100 and Nadcap accreditation for heat treating, NDT and materials testing where the customer requires it | Furnace survey records, first article report, macroetch, first article inspection | Export control: check ITAR and EAR scope with your own compliance officer; we do not advise on it |
| Marine and shipbuilding | EN 10222, ASTM A668 | Class society approval of the works or the product | 3.2 certificate with the society surveyor, Charpy | Class rules of the society named on the order |
| Rail, mining and wind | ASTM A668, EN 10250 | ISO 9001; rail programs may add their own scheme | Ultrasonic and magnetic particle test, heat traceability | None specific beyond the destination rules |
Not every row applies to every part. A general machinery shaft may need only ISO 9001 and a 3.1 certificate. Do not ask for a qualification the part does not need: it narrows the supplier list and raises the price.
What each qualification proves, and what it does not
Read the certificate scope, not the logo. Request the original and check it at the source named in the last column.
| Qualification | What it shows | What it does not show | How to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | The site runs a documented quality management system that an accredited body audited | That a given forging meets your drawing, or that the heat treatment and NDT are done in house | Certificate scope wording, site address and expiry; the issuing body's directory and its accreditation body |
| IATF 16949 | Automotive quality system with customer-specific requirements on top of ISO 9001 | Part approval: that is the PPAP, signed by the customer | Certificate number and scope; ask the certification body to confirm |
| AS9100 | Aerospace quality system, with its own audit rules and a shared database | Control of special processes: that is Nadcap or the customer's own approval | The IAQG OASIS database entry for the exact site |
| Nadcap | A named special process (heat treating, NDT, materials testing) is accredited at one site | Anything outside the listed scope; a scheduled audit is not accreditation | PRI eAuditNet Qualified Manufacturers List: site, process, dates |
| API Spec Q1 and Monogram | Q1: a quality system for the oil and gas sector. Monogram: a product licence under a named API specification | Quality of a lot. A Monogram covers products made under the licence, not every part the shop sells | API Composite List: licence number, specification, facility, status |
| ISO/IEC 17025 lab | A test laboratory is competent for the tests in its accredited scope | Tests outside the scope: read the scope sheet, not the logo | The accreditation body's scope document: method, material, range; see reading a lab scope |
| EN 10204 3.2 witness | An independent party saw the tests and signed the certificate | Process control before or after the witnessed tests | Inspector name, stamp and the inspection body's contact |
How the qualifications fit together
Four layers sit on a forging order. The quality system (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, AS9100, API Q1) says how the shop manages work. A product licence (the API Monogram) or a customer approval says it may supply a defined product. A special process accreditation (Nadcap) says one process, such as heat treating, is controlled at one site. The test evidence (a 3.1 or 3.2 certificate, a lab report) says this lot met this specification.
A buyer who asks only for the first layer gets a shop with paperwork. A buyer who asks for all four on a part that needs one gets a quote nobody can match. Pick the layers the part and the customer require, write them on the RFQ and ask each bidder for a sample certificate.
Subcontracted steps matter. Many forge shops buy heat treatment or NDT from outside. Ask which steps are in house, and ask for the subcontractor's scope when your specification requires an accredited process.
ForgingVendor does not issue or hold certificates and does not audit suppliers. List your requirements on the RFQ; we match you with up to 3 forging suppliers that say they meet them, and you check the originals before award.
Editions in motion
As of October 2026. Confirm dates with the certification body or the scheme owner.
| Scheme | Status |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | ISO 9001:2026 was published on 16 September 2026. Sources report a three-year transition to 30 September 2029; a 2015 certificate stays valid in that period. Ask your supplier for its transition plan. |
| AS9100 | AS9100D (2016) is the issued version in the IAQG register of February 2026. The next revision is renamed IA9100 and is expected from late 2026 to early 2027. |
| IATF 16949 | The IATF communique of July 2026 plans the second edition for mid-2027. Until then the 2016 edition applies. |
| API Spec Q1 | The 10th edition was effective on 18 September 2024. API withdrew remaining 9th edition certificates on 18 March 2026. |
Sources: ISO 9001:2026 notices from LRQA and NSF; IAQG standards register of February 2026; IATF stakeholder communique SC-2026-005 (July 2026); API Specification Q1 10th edition transition notification of 18 September 2023. The accreditation forum IAF was replaced by Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated on 1 January 2026, so database names may change.
Questions buyers ask
Does ForgingVendor hold any of these certificates?
No. ForgingVendor is a matching service, not a forge shop, and it issues and holds no certificates. Ask the forging supplier for the original certificate and check it in the database named for that scheme.
Which qualification matters most for my forging?
It depends on the part. Oil and gas buyers usually ask for API Q1 and a Monogram licence, automotive buyers for IATF 16949, aerospace buyers for AS9100 plus Nadcap for special processes. Pressure parts for the EU add material appraisal under the Pressure Equipment Directive. Start from the matrix above and put the list on the RFQ.
Is an ISO 9001 certificate enough to approve a forging supplier?
Rarely. It shows a quality system exists. It does not show the supplier can forge your alloy at your weight, heat treat it to your specification or pass your NDT acceptance level. Pair it with a sample lot, a capability check and the test records for a similar part.
Have a drawing ready? Get matched.
Send the drawing with the alloy, specification, qualifications and quantity. We match you with up to 3 forging suppliers and reply within 24 business hours.