The Technical Services division of Keighley Laboratories has achieved world-class Nadcap accreditation for a Materials Testing Laboratory (MTL), a status recognised by the majority of global aerospace primes as a mark of quality assurance excellence. The West Yorkshire Company also gained coveted Merit grade, which rewards superior performance in Nadcap audits and reduces subsequent audit frequency. Accreditation has also prompted affirmation and prolongation of its Airbus approval, the aircraft manufacturer having adopted the Nadcap programme for its global supply chain.
As one of the few Nadcap-accredited MTL facilities in the UK, Keighley Labs has been successfully assessed for the evaluation of aerospace welds, tensile, impact and bend testing, metallographic and micro indentation hardness procedures, and specimen preparation and machining. Combined with UKAS accredited testing and certification to many international standards and Civil Aviation Authority approval of in-house weld specimen supervisors, this confirms the company as a centre of excellence for weld testing, at a time when there is a Europe-wide shortage of the necessary expertise.
The Keighley Labs’ Nadcap application, which was supported by numerous key aerospace customers and Airbus itself, involved Divisional Technical Services Director, Matthew Mellor, Senior Metallurgist, Peter Hanson, and Quality Manager, Tim Clegg, in a thoroughly intensive programme.
Although modern composites are increasingly used in aviation, metal is still the most prevalent aircraft construction material, including but not limited to steel, aluminium, stainless steel, nickel and titanium alloys. The company’s in-depth weld assessment and inspection expertise, across all metallic materials and current manual and automatic welding methods, will ensure that welded joints comply with the highest aerospace and equivalent specifications.
Keighley Laboratories
www.keighleylabs.co.uk
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