ADSS-SP-1000771137 Issue 1
ADSS-SP-1000771137 Issue 1
: ADSS-SP-1000771137
Requirement Specification Issue : 01
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The current issue is the electronic copy, these are available online. All paper copies are for information only.
Title
CHEMICAL CONVERSION COATING
TREATMENT OF ALUMINIUM AND ALUMINIUM
ALLOYS – GENERAL APPLICATIONS.
Digitally signed by
David David Drzyzga
Date: 2020.07.22
Prepared : Drzyzga 10:11:16 +01'00'
Date :
Digitally signed by
Alice Alice Murfin
Verified: Date: 2020.07.22
Murfin 19:01:58 +01'00'
Date :
Authorised: Date :
Authorised: Ali Hussain DN: cn=Ali Hussain, o=Airbus Defence and Space,
ou=TOQST4, email=ali.hussain@airbus.com, c=US
Date: 2020.07.29 13:01:33 +01'00'
Date :
A. Hussain (Quality)
CONTENTS
1 SCOPE ............................................................................................................................................ 4
2 APPLICABILITY ............................................................................................................................... 4
3 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................ 5
4 LIMITATIONS .................................................................................................................................. 7
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
Ref. : ADSS-SP-1000771137
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Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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1 SCOPE
This Airbus Defence and Space Process Requirement Specification defines the requirements for the
‘Chemical Conversion Coating (CCC) Treatment of Aluminium and Aluminium Alloys’ for Flight and Non-
Flight applications.
It covers the use of Immersion, Brush and Swab applications.
Chemical Conversion Coatings give a good measure of protection against corrosion and can also provide
a highly effective keying base for paint processes.
The immersion method is the preferred method of coating. The brushing or swabbing methods are
intended principally for local application, or where parts are too large for immersion or where the part
contains inappropriate materials.
The purpose of this Process Requirement Specification, see AD9, is to give design and quality
requirements to manufacturers. Although the essential requirements of a process are defined, this
specification does not give complete in house process instructions, these shall be given in the
manufacturers detailed process instructions and supporting work instructions.
This Process Requirement Specification shall not be used as an inspection document unless parts or
assemblies have been manufactured in accordance to this specification.
It shall be applied when mentioned in the relevant standard, material specification, drawing, supplier
requirement documentation or contract.
2 APPLICABILITY
This Airbus Defence and Space Process Requirement Specification is applicable by a drawing directly or
through another document for the purpose given in the Scope.
When processing to ADSS-SP-1000771137 is required, it shall be invoked on the drawing or applicable
alternative documentation by the words: apply ‘Chemical Conversion Coating (CCC) Treatment of
Aluminium and Aluminium Alloys’ in accordance with ADSS-SP-1000771137 and any areas not to be
treated shall be defined.
Detailed process instructions shall not be called on the drawing or applicable alternative documentation.
The Currently Approved Chemical Conversion Coating Chemicals are defined in Table 1.
Airbus Defence and Space Airbus Defence and Space Airbus Defence and Airbus Defence and
Currently Approved Approved In-House Space Approved Space Approved
Chemicals. Process. External Process External Supplier
Table 1
Airbus Defence and Space Currently Approved Chemical Conversion Coating Chemicals.
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any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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3 REFERENCES
The following publications form parts of this document to the extent specified herein and are referred to in
the text as ADn or RDn as applicable. Unless an issue is quoted for a document, the current issue is
deemed to apply. When an issue is quoted, that issue and no other must be used.
AD3. ISO 9227 Corrosion test in artificial atmosphere, Salt Spray Tests.
AD4. Interim Def Stan 81-75 Barrier materials Aluminium Foil Laminate, Flexible, Heat
Sealable and Water Vapour Resistant.
AD8. ISO 3892 Determination of coatings mass per unit area – Gravimetric
Method.
The publications listed below were used in the preparation of this document, and contain background
information relating to the subjects addressed.
Batch: The manufacturer’s reference to a single process lot. It shall consist of all
parts of the same alloy, with approximately the same form and size, treated
the same day under the same conditions e.g. all items on jigging going
through the process at the same time (i.e. bath composition, process
parameters etc.).
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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C of C: Certificate of Conformity.
MPS: (Airbus Defence and Space) Material (or Mechanical Part) Procurement
Specification.
Route card: The method of controlling work through a process, also variously called
‘Manufacturing Card’, ‘Shop Order Pack’, ‘Traveller’ or ‘Drawing’.
Process Instruction: Document that describes the detailed process, parameter, detailed steps,
etc., which have to be successfully qualified against this Airbus Defence and
Space requirement specification.
Process Step: Partial stage of (surface coating process) process chain with a defined
function, such as alkaline etching, rinsing etc.
Product relevant alloy: All alloys that are treated with the (surface coating) process in the specific
shop.
Rinsed process: Process that requires a rinsing step with water after (surface coating process)
application before drying.
Non- rinsed process: Locally applied process where the product is allowed to dry in place without
water rinsing.
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any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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4 LIMITATIONS
a) Unsuitable substrates.
Non-Aluminium Materials:
Chemical Conversion solutions are acidic and are liable to have a corrosive action on most metals
other than aluminium. Items manufactured from copper base alloys shall not be allowed to contact
with the solution. These areas shall be suitably masked and may only be processed by brushing or
swabbing.
Chemical Conversion Coatings shall not be applied to parts to be subsequently welded.
b) Parts with features that may trap treatment solutions shall be subject to additional rinsing
operations to ensure removal of treatment solution.
d) Size.
The size of the part may have an input into the choice of method used.
e) Masking.
Masking shall be specified on the drawing if required and shall be removed after the application of
the Chemical Conversion Coating. Any masking used shall be of a type that leaves no residue or
contamination when removed.
j) Electrical Properties.
Chemical Conversion Coating has low electrical resistance. Note: The actual conductivity will
decrease with increase in Chemical Conversion Coating thickness.
If an electrical contact area is defined, this must be strictly adhered to.
k) Surface Finish.
When the appearance is a critical factor and the surface is not going to be painted, colourless
Chemical Conversion Coatings shall be used. This shall be stated on the drawing.
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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l) Outgassing.
The processing solutions shall not contain dye, which may outgas in a vacuum or at elevated
temperature.
n) End Use.
I. Strong Oxidisers.
The process shall not be used on parts which come into contact with oxidant fuels or High
Test Peroxide (HTP).
5 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
5.1 Facilities
a) All facilities shall be Airbus Defence and Space approved as part of a technical audit before any
parts can be processed (see Section 6.1). Once qualified, all chemicals and parameters become
fixed.
b) All installations shall comply with the general and cleanliness requirements as defined in the
Process Instruction.
c) When processing in accordance with this Airbus Defence and Space Process Requirement
Specification, all installations shall be continuously operated within the parameters defined in the
Process Instruction.
This shall be ensured by permanent control of:
I. The facilities (installation and equipment) and the products used.
II. Conformance of the application process conditions to the requirements of this document and
the Process instruction.
e) Where the immersion process is being used, the tanks shall be made from the appropriate
materials. The tanks shall be made from a material that is not degraded by, nor is degrading to, the
Chemical Conversion Coating solutions: Stainless Steel, Rigid PVC, Neoprene, Polypropylene,
Glass Reinforced Polymer or Polythene. It shall be capable of being controlled at a temperature
between the standard operating temperatures for that part of the process by heating (electrical or
by steam means) and by thermostatic control to prevent overheating. (Dependant on the
processing solutions used, overheating can result in the formation of toxic fumes).
5.2 Preparation
a) The process must be performed after finishing all machining, welding, forming, brazing, plating and
heat treatment operations.
b) Parts shall be inspected prior to treatment for any signs of damage, debris or corrosion. This shall
be assessed and dispositioned before processing commences.
c) All parts shall be cleaned to ensure they are free from oil, grease, marking inks and any other
surface contaminants.
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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d) The surface shall be free of precipitation or smut from alloying elements or pre-processes. This
shall be indicated by the bright and uniform appearance of the surface.
e) The jigging and supporting of the parts shall not cause damage to the parts during processing.
Care must be taken to ensure that the jig arrangement does not allow entrapment of the solution
(e.g. in bonded assemblies) as this may cause damage or staining at a subsequent stage. The
jigging, or support wire if used, shall be compatible with the process. If the jigging, or wire, causes
marks on the component, then permission shall be sought from Airbus Defence and Space prior to
continuing.
f) If an electrical contact area(s) is defined, e.g. on the drawing, this must be strictly adhered to.
g) Parts/areas that do not require Chemical Conversion Coating shall be masked accordingly.
Masking, where required, shall be specified on the drawing.
b) Alkaline Clean.
The component shall be immersed in a mild alkaline cleaner, of a type, for a time and at a
temperature approved by Airbus Defence and Space. This shall be followed by a Demineralised
Water wash.
c) Abrasion using moist Pumice powder, abrasive pads or non-metallic abrasive paper (very fine
ScotchBrite or paper with grit 320).
d) Abrasive Blasting using a process approved by Airbus Defence and Space. The surface shall
exhibit an even matt appearance after completion of this operation.
Note: small local areas (less than 25mm square) may be cleaned using glass fibre erasers.
e) Acid Etch.
With exceptions, the component shall be immersed in an acid etch solution of a type, for a time
and at a temperature approved by Airbus Defence and Space. This shall be followed by a
Demineralised Water wash.
Components may remain in the solution for a period to be specified on the Route Card, but shall
not exceed the duration approved by Airbus Defence and Space.
a) Prior to the application of the Chemical Conversion Coating, components manufactured from
7000 series aluminium or alloys containing 6% or more of Copper or 2% or more of Silicon or 2%
or more of Zinc, whether detailed on the drawing or not, shall be handled in accordance with the
following:
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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b) Components with no protection shall not be handled with bare hands, clean lint free gloves shall
be worn.
c) Avoid contact of the alloys with other metallic materials, especially iron, steel and copper. Contact
with other aluminium alloys is permitted.
d) For storage periods of up to 48 hours, components shall be, as a minimum, treated with
dewatering oil to a specification as agreed with Airbus Defence and Space.
e) Shelves where components are stored, if made from metallic materials other than aluminium,
shall be faced with aluminium alloy or non-metallic material. Wood, if used, must be faced with
Polythene Sheet. The use of Halogenated Plastics (i.e. PVC) or Rubbers is forbidden.
f) Components shall not be stored where water or chemicals can be deposited onto the
components; components must be protected using dewatering oil or dewatering oil and dry
bagged.
g) For storage periods of between 48 hours and 3 months, components shall be treated with
dewatering oil, to a specification as agreed with Airbus Defence and Space, and then bagged in a
barrier material, which is impervious to water vapour, conforming to AD4 Type 1 or Type 3 or a
material as agreed with Airbus Defence and Space. The bag shall be sealed after either being
evacuated or thoroughly flushed with dry nitrogen. The bagged item shall be stored in a container
in a temperature controlled area to avoid condensation building up on the bagged items.
5.3 Processing
a) The process defined by this Airbus Defence and Space Process Requirement Specification shall
provide a Chemical Conversion Coating capable of meeting the properties as defined by Table 2 in
Section 5.5.
If the coating is specified as Type II Class 3 to AD2, use for protection against corrosion with lower
contact resistance, then the electrical property in Table 2 must be achieved.
If the coating is specified as Type 1A to AD2, used for maximum protection against corrosion
painted or unpainted, then the coating is required to survive a neutral salt spray for 168 hours when
tested in accordance with AD3.
b) The supplier shall have an issue controlled PID for the process defined by this Airbus Defence and
Space Process Requirement Specification. This shall be reviewed and approved by Airbus Defence
and Space as part of the supplier approval and qualification process.
c) All materials used for the process defined by this Airbus Defence and Space Process Requirement
Specification shall be REACh compliant wherever possible.
d) All materials used for the process defined by this Airbus Defence and Space Process Requirement
Specification shall not cause contamination which could have detrimental effects on the quality of
the product.
e) Parameters used for the process defined by this Airbus Defence and Space Process Requirement
Specification shall be recorded on route cards.
f) During the application of the process, the parts shall not be subject to any tensile, flexure, torsion or
other stress.
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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h) The immersion method is the preferred method of coating. The brushing or swabbing methods are
intended principally for local application, or where parts are too large for immersion or where the
part contains inappropriate materials.
Components shall be immersed in a Chemical Conversion Coating solution of a type, for a time and
at a temperature approved by Airbus Defence and Space. Where required, components or bath
chemicals shall be agitated and remain in the solution for the required time or until the specified
coating appearance is obtained, but shall not exceed the time approved by Airbus Defence and
Space.
Where the Chemical Conversion Coating is applied by brushing or swabbing, the solution shall be
of a type and applied for a time and at a temperature approved by Airbus Defence and Space. The
maximum area qualified for the application of this process is 432 cm2. The solution shall be applied
for the required time or until the specified coating thickness has been applied, but shall not exceed
the time approved by Airbus Defence and Space.
5.3.2 Drying
d) Oven drying may be used at a suitable temperature and time duration as described on the Route
Card, the Drawing or the Purchase Order and as agreed with Airbus Defence and Space. The
drying temperature shall not be detrimental to the final properties of the Chemical Conversion
Coating or to the component.
e) Locally processed small areas may be dried with a suitable warm air drier.
5.4 Post-Processing
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any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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Note: If the Chemical Conversion Coating needs to be removed from 7000 series Aluminium or
alloys containing 6% or more of Copper or 2% or more of Silicon or 2% or more of Zinc, the
immersion solutions used shall be suitable for these alloys. Again, the parts shall be immersed in a
solution of a type, for a time and at a temperature approved by Airbus Defence and Space.
5.5 Properties
The properties of the Chemical Conversion Coating shall be in accordance with this Airbus Defence
and Space Process Requirement Specification and applicable Engineering Drawing and shall be
inspected and verified using the tests defined and the results recorded in Table 2 ‘Properties required
from the Surface Chemical Conversion Coating Process’.
Failure of any of the coupon samples or production parts to meet the requirements of these tests shall
be cause for rejection of the associated production lot.
The coating, when processed in accordance with this specification, shall be capable of meeting the type
approval corrosion resistance requirements specified in AD7, where the coating may be any Chemical
Conversion Coating and the requirements of which are defined in Section 5.5.1.1.
5.5.1 Visual
Variations in colour from one area to another, due to different surface textures of the metal part prior
to surface conversion, are permissible and are not a cause for rejection unless the part is required for
cosmetic purposes (this must be stated on the purchase order or drawing).
The Chemical Conversion Coating may not be visible to the unaided eye. It is permissible to view the
coating using a variety of non-destructive methods. The method used shall be approved by Airbus
Defence and Space.
When examined with the unaided eye, the coating shall be free from areas of powdery or loose
coating, free from breaks, voids, scratches, gouges, cracks, pits, major undulations and any other
significant flaws or defects which will be detrimental to the protective properties of the coating. The
surface shall also be free from residuals of corrosive processing agents. In case of doubt, a binocular
inspection of up to 7x magnification may be carried out by the Materials Laboratory or Materials and
Processes department. In this event, the parts must be shipped with an accompanying Request for
Deviation (RFD).
5.5.1.1 Corrosion Resistance of Conversion Coating Exposed to a Salt Spray Environment Test
The test shall be carried out in triplicate in accordance with AD3. It shall be performed on test panels
manufactured from a 2000 series aluminium or the alloy to be coated or as agreed with Airbus
Defence and Space, with the panels measuring at least 50mm x 100mm. The test shall commence at
least 24 hours after application of the coating. After exposure to the salt-fog for a minimum of 168
hours the test panels shall be visually inspected for the presence of corrosion products.
No corrosion product shall be visible on the Chemical Conversion Coating on the test panels after
exposure. Areas within 6mm from edges of specimens and holding points, used during processing or
testing, shall be excluded from the assessment.
A drop test shall be performed on a witness sample processed during each batch run of Chemical
Conversion Coating. This shall be as specified by the coating manufacturer.
Note: The Drop Test is only applicable to the SurTec 650 Chemical Conversion Coating.
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any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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The weight /unit area of Chemical Conversion Coating layer shall be between 0.1 g/m2 and 0.5g/m2.
This shall be tested in accordance with the requirements of AD8.
No removal of the Chemical Conversion Coating or change of the surface aspect shall be observed by
the unaided eye when wiped using a clean lint free cloth moistened with IPA.
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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Visual. Inspected by unaided eye under Shall be continuous, smooth and of uniform
constant light conditions. appearance. Shall be free from breaks,
Magnification of up to x7 may be scratches, gouges, cracks, pits, major
used. undulation, powdery or un-adhered areas or
any other significant defect and free from
residuals of corrosive processing agents.
Colour variation due to differing texture caused
pre-processing is not a cause for rejection.
Some conversion coatings may be difficult to
observe.
Wipe Test. Using a clean lint free cloth No removal or change of the surface aspect
dampened with IPA. shall be observed by the unaided eye.
Table 2.
Properties Required from the Surface Chemical Conversion Coating Process.
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any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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6 QUALITY REQUIREMENTS
6.1 Approval
Airbus Defence and Space is the qualification approval authority for the processes specified by this
Airbus Defence and Space Process Requirement Specification.
The process qualification is given and maintained only on condition that the qualified workshop
complies with the application and inspection documents formally approved by the Airbus Defence and
Space qualification body at the time of qualification.
Any qualification needs the approval or re-qualification according to Airbus Defence and Space
qualification body decision.
Airbus Defence and Space reserves the right to audit the use of a qualified process to check conformity
with the agreements.
The approval process shall consider, as a minimum, the following items prior to granting approval:
b) All installations shall comply with the general and cleanliness requirements as defined in the
Process Instruction.
c) The bath shall be clean and free of any contaminants such as parts fallen off racks, oily
residuals etc.
d) Agitation of the bath, if applicable, shall be working to ensure the content is homogenous.
e) The bath composition shall be in limit as specified in the Process Instruction (PID or route
card), at a frequency established (or as agreed) by Airbus Defence and Space to ensure that
the process always remains within the required operating limits, the solutions shall be analysed,
using suitable chemical methods, and adjusted accordingly or discarded.
f) In the case of pre-mixed products, they shall be used within the lifetime specified by the
supplier.
g) After specific events such as re-adjustment of re-filling of baths or starting of a pre-mix product,
appropriate performance of the process shall be ensured by additional quality tests.
i) Documentation of the processing activities (including traceability and records). All records of
test and inspection results shall be stored adequately under the control of the quality assurance
department of the facility, Airbus Defence and Space or external supplier as applicable.
j) If one of the requirements is not fulfilled, then the process shall be stopped and appropriate
corrective action shall be taken to ensure that the quality assurance requirements will be met.
m) Training of Personnel, who shall all be trained to a level commensurate with the fulfilment of
this requirement.
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any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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n) The requirements of the manufacturer’s instructions or Airbus Defence and Space Quality
Assurance Department shall be met, if necessary by adjusting the composition with suitable
additions.
Prior to granting approval to a processing facility, a qualification program shall be agreed with Airbus
Defence and Space for each Process and each type of substrate to be processed at a given facility.
This shall consist, as a minimum, of a demonstration of compliance with all of the requirements of
Section 5.5 plus Airbus Defence and Space required Environmental Testing.
Satisfactory completion of this testing will signify to Airbus Defence and Space that the organisation
performing the process can adequately satisfy the requirements of this specification.
Test pieces, described in Section 6.3 or as defined by Airbus Defence and Space, shall be processed
and assessed.
The Qualification Test Report shall document the qualification tests performed and its results and
shall be submitted to and approved by Airbus Defence and Space. It shall be written in the English
language.
The Qualification Test Report shall make reference to this Airbus Defence and Space Process
Requirement Specification and include, at least, the following information:
c) All details regarding surface preparation (for example; alkaline degreasing, acid pickling etc.).
d) Detailed process parameters (for example: bath composition, temperatures, times, etc.) must
be recorded in a traceable manner, if not in the report itself.
f) Equipment, test method, test parameters and test conditions used etc.
g) Detailed report of the test results. This report shall present all of the test values. For the visual
inspection, the facility to be qualified shall supply pictures of treated samples (especially after
corrosion tests such as, when applicable, salt spray exposure).
h) Any incident that may have affected the results and any deviation from this Airbus Defence
and Space Process Requirement Specification.
i) Any failure during qualification testing shall be examined and its implications assessed.
Additional tests and detailed failure analysis shall be undertaken as Airbus Defence and
Space requires and the final results of the qualification exercise issued as a report which shall
clearly demonstrate:
II. Complete, detailed explanation of failures and anomalies during the qualification.
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any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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6.2.3 Re-Qualification
Airbus Defence and Space shall require re-qualification of the process when:
a) Major changes in equipment, materials or process techniques or a site move have been made.
c) Excessive rejection rates occur. Re-qualification shall be based on the successful re-test of
established critical factors as determined by Airbus Defence and Space. Re-qualification tests
shall be the same as qualification tests, except that the number of tests and/or samples may be
reduced, at the option of Airbus Defence and Space, as necessary to re-establish the original
level of confidence in the process.
a) The requirement for test pieces will be as agreed with Airbus Defence and Space and shall be
specified on the route card.
b) A periodic test to verify the process shall be carried out by means of a salt spray test as defined by
Section 5.5.1.1.
a) One witness plate shall be added to each batch of parts being processed to verify success of the
process. They shall be representative of the substrate to be treated (alloy and heat treatment) and
shall have minimum dimensions of 100mm x 50mm x 1mm or as agreed with Airbus Defence and
Space. Where convenient or expedient, actual production items or specially manufactured test
pieces may be used. Records of testing shall be retained and be available on request for review by
Airbus Defence and Space.
b) The frequency of the salt spray test shall be as agreed with Airbus Defence and Space via the audit
process.
c) If stripping and re-treating of production items is necessary, the process control samples, if
available, shall also be stripped and re-treating. If only part of the batch requires re-work, then test
pieces should be representative of both treatments.
a) Controls shall be in place to ensure the repeatability of the process. Records of sampling
frequency, analysis and bath corrections shall be retained by the facility. These records shall be
made available to Airbus Defence and Space upon request.
b) All bath chemicals shall be checked periodically for concentration and pH or properties suggested
by the manufacturer. Out of tolerance solutions shall be replenished, purified or discarded as
applicable.
The results of this check shall be recorded. The pH shall be tested daily for the surface conversion
coating tanks.
c) The chemical baths shall be visually checked daily to ensure agitation, correct fill level and overall
good condition.
d) If the process is not used for a period of 12 weeks, then a sample shall be processed before any
flight hardware. The sample shall be used to verify the acceptance criteria for the product by test as
specified in Section 5.5.
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any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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e) As a default, the preparation and maintenance of the processing solutions shall be in accordance
with the following:
The processing bath shall be made up in accordance with the solution manufacturer’s instructions and
Airbus Defence and Space approved methods. Where tap water is used to make up the bath, it shall
-1 -1
have a maximum conductivity of 10mSm (100ȝScm ). If this not achieved, then De-Mineralised
water shall be used.
Note, a newly commissioned bath must be left to age for a minimum of 24 hours before use.
The processing solution shall be analysed as necessary by a suitably equipped laboratory to ensure
that the properties listed below are correct or are adjusted in accordance with the suppliers data
sheet.
The solution shall be maintained in accordance with the solution manufacturer’s instructions and
Airbus Defence and Space approved methods.
Approved applicator pens and Touch-N-Prep pens require no maintenance other than to confirm that
the lid has been applied properly from any previous use and that the shelf life is in date.
Chemical Conversion Coatings may be removed on one occasion provided that any critical dimension
surfaces are not compromised. Before any further reworks can be undertaken, authorisation from
Airbus Defence and Space is required, which may result in an IRB/NRB. Any rework must be stated on
the incoming Certificate of Conformance supplied to Airbus Defence and Space.
See Section 5.4(b).
6.7.1 Definition
A Non-Conformance is a condition of any hardware article in which one or more characteristics do not
conform to the requirements of the drawings, specifications or procedures.
Non-Conformances that the sub-contractor raises during manufacture shall be classed as either Major
or Minor and shall be documented and dispositioned either ‘Scrap’, ‘Rework’, ‘Repair’ or ‘Accept as
Is’.
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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The Airbus Defence and Space Design Authority shall be informed of any Non-Conformances that
are in the category ‘Rework’, ‘Repair’ or ‘Accept as Is’ for final approval.
The system shall provide for a disciplined approach to the identification and segregation of
non-conforming items, the recording, reporting, review, disposition and analysis of
causes of non-conformances, and the definition and implementation of remedial and
corrective actions.
Special attention shall be paid to
s Remedial actions:
- Disposition actions (see Section 6.7.5)
- Containment actions: non-spreading of deviations to other products
s Corrective actions:
- Analysis of root causes to avoid recurrence for other products (e.g.
implementation of
Why’s, causal diagram, etc.) including human factors;
s Action related to risk prevention, the analysis of risks of non-conformance and lessons
learned.
Note: Suppliers are asked to communicate swiftly and efficiently (within 48 hours) with Airbus
Defence and Space.
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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as originally planned.
s Repair: the item is recoverable such that it fulfils the intended usage
requirements, although it does not conform to the originally specified
requirements.
o Qualified or standard repair procedure: repair procedures which have
been approved by Airbus Defence and Space in advance for defined
applications.
Specific repair procedure: repair procedures which are prepared for
o
the specific non-conformance and are approved by Airbus Defence and
Space.
All repair procedures shall include the checks needed to verify the result of the repair.
After verifying that the non-conformance exists, this shall be reported and submitted to Airbus
Defence and Space for approval.
The description of the non-conformance shall be clear, unambiguous and sufficiently
detailed so that it can be understood by personnel not involved in its detection.
The non-conformance reference shall be entered in relevant quality and manufacturing
records related to the non-conforming item.
The non-conformance reference, together with key data, shall be entered in the non-conformance
records.
Authorisation to deviate from the Airbus Defence and Space drawing, specification or
purchase order may be granted in advance of manufacture if the deviation is identified at
the request for quotation review and notified with the purchase order acknowledgement,
by means of a request for deviation (RFD). The RFD/NCR must be sent to the Airbus
Defence and Space buyer for formal approval at the earliest available opportunity subject to
operational constraints, but not exceeding five (5) working days.
When the RFD is approved, the recording requirements and identification of the parts are the
same as for an approved waiver.
Any item which deviates from the requirements of the drawing or purchase order in any
respect shall be considered ‘non-conforming’. Items shall not be salvaged or reclaimed
unless authorised by a request for waiver (RFW) or NCR approved by Airbus Defence and
Space Quality Assurance.
Non-conforming parts may be submitted for waiver on a request for waiver application form,
or alternatively a non-conformance report, in the supplier's own format, provided that this
has been accepted by Airbus Defence and Space Quality Assurance. Applications for the
consideration of a waiver/NCR must be sent to the Airbus Defence and Space buyer for
formal approval at the earliest available opportunity subject to operational constraints, but
not exceeding five (5) working days.
When a waiver is approved by Airbus Defence and Space, the non-conforming parts shall be
clearly identified with the waiver number, which shall be recorded on release documentation
when being delivered to Airbus Defence and Space. A copy of the final approved waiver shall
accompany the release documentation.
Any non-conforming product found at Airbus Defence and Space must give rise to an
occurrence report (NCR/OR) in order to evaluate if acceptable in use as is. In opposite case,
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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the material will be returned to supplier for modification as per Airbus Defence and Space
disposition or for replacement.
For rejected products, the supplier shall be required to complete a Corrective Action
Report (CAR) when deemed necessary by Airbus Defence and Space Direct Material
Quality and to forward it to said department within fourteen (14) calendar days, or by
another mutually agreed date depending on the complexity of the issue.
For any non-conforming product found at Airbus Defence and Space at incoming inspection
and accepted for use as is, the supplier shall be required to complete a CAR as indicated above.
The Airbus Defence and Space requirements relating to Quality Data Records Retention Time are
defined by the following:
The supplier shall establish and maintain procedures for identification, collection, indexing,
filing, storage, maintenance and disposal of quality records corresponding to Airbus
Defence and Space purchase orders in accordance with
• AD5 – Quality Management Systems.
• AD6 – Quality Management System Requirements.
Retention times for these records shall be as follows:
• Manufacturing, inspection and test results, raw material test results and constituent
analysis reports, records: minimum period of fifteen (15) years unless otherwise specified;
• Records associated with product design and certification: fifteen (15) years minimum.
The supplier shall consult Airbus Defence and Space Direct Material Quality Department
if such records cannot be retained as required. In the event of termination of the contract
or insolvency, all quality records applicable to the purchase order / contract must be
returned to Airbus Defence and Space Direct Material Quality.
6.9 Changes
The Airbus Defence and Space requirements relating to Product, Process, Facilities, etc. changes are
defined by the following:
The supplier shall implement a configuration system to manage any change including activities
of lower-tier suppliers, as defined in AD5 – Quality Management Systems.
The supplier shall qualify or validated all process that will be
considered as a reference status. The following changes are
considered major changes to be taken into account:
b. Manufacturing process changes, including the operator (where applicable – if the process
d. Assembly process changes, including the operator (where applicable – if the process
is operator- dependant)
e. Packaging changes
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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The Airbus Defence and Space requirements relating to Source Inspection are defined by the following:
When required by Airbus Defence and Space, source inspection (MIP) (e.g. visual inspection
of parts, review of intermediate assembly, final inspection before delivery) may be carried
out by an Airbus Defence and Space representative as per the purchase order / contract.
Relevant quality records shall be made available during the inspection (according to the
step defined), including, but not limited to:
Note: Airbus Defence and Space source inspection shall not replace any of the supplier's
own inspections.
All equipment used for Chemical conversion Coatings to the requirements of this Airbus Defence
and Space Process Requirement Specification shall be subject to Airbus Defence and Space
approval and conform to the following requirements
b) When the equipment is used for other than measurement purposes, it shall be subject
to a regular programme of maintenance, unless the procedure used to set up such
equipment immediately prior to use verifies the suitability of said equipment. The
procedures shall be available for Airbus Defence and Space to view if required.
Not Applicable to this Airbus Defence and Space Process Requirement Specification.
7 DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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When requested by Airbus Defence and Space, the supplier shall reference on a Certificate of Test (C
of T) the actual results as described in Section 5.5. These shall be referenced on the Certificate of
Conformance (C of C).
7.2 Documentation
The supplier shall provide a C of C certifying that the material conforms to the requirements of this
Airbus Defence and Space Process Requirement Specification.
With each batch of parts processed, the process route card or route card number with issue shall be
stored by the supplier (If relevant, the tank numbers shall also be provided for traceability).
7.3 Surveillance
Airbus Defence and Space Quality shall maintain surveillance to ensure compliance with all of the
requirements of this specification.
8.1 Handling
a) The freshly formed Chemical Conversion Coating is quite soft and care must be taken not to damage
it during rinsing and drying.
Finished parts must never be handled using bare hands. Lint free cotton gloves are recommended but
nylon gloves are acceptable if worn for less than one hour. Dirty or damaged gloves must not be used
(gloves made from natural or synthetic rubber shall only be used if a health and/or safety hazard is
incurred by not using them during processes or treatments which the part undergoes). Note: during
processing of the part, gloves and handling shall be according to the procedure for the process in
accordance with health and safety requirements.
b) Prior to the application of the Chemical Conversion Coating, components manufactured from 7000
series aluminium or alloys containing 6% or more of Copper or 2% or more of Silicon or 2% or more of
Zinc, whether detailed on the drawing or not, shall be handled in accordance with Section 5.2.2.
8.2 Packaging
a) Packaging is the last operation before delivery to Airbus Defence and Space.
b) All processed items shall be suitably packaged to maintain their unique batch history and to prevent
damage (shock etc.), deterioration or contamination (moisture, dust, powder etc.) during storage and
transit.
c) The Chemical Conversion Coated surface shall only be packaged such that it is in contact with Acid
free White Tissue paper. This shall be wrapped in such a manner that will prevent damage to the
surface treatment and to the component. For small items such as Washers, Panel Inserts etc. a
number of items, as practicable, may be packaged in a single wrapping of the acid free tissue paper.
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
Ref. : ADSS-SP-1000771137
Requirement Specification Issue : 01
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8.3 Storage
a) Prior to the application of the Chemical Conversion Coating, components manufactured from 7000
series Aluminium or alloys containing 6% or more of Copper or 2% or more of Silicon or 2% or more
of Zinc, shall be stored in accordance with the requirements of Section 5.2.2.
b) The product shall be stored in clean, dry, room (ambient) temperature conditions in order to prevent
damage, deterioration and contamination.
c) The shelf life of the processed parts shall be indefinite provided they are stored correctly with acid free
tissue paper in contact with the Chemical Conversion Coating to prevent damage to the surface
coating. For small items such as Washers, Panel Inserts etc. a number of items, as practicable, may
be stored in a single wrapping of the acid free tissue paper.
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.
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MAJOR 0050
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: SUPERCEDED:
ISSUE
PARA REF DETAILS OF CHANGE DATE
ECN/O FROM TO
First issue. Supersedes: PS2068, S-3-1-003 & S-4-1-007. 24/06/2020 0050 Draft 1
Date:
David Drzyzga Digitally signed by David Drzyzga
Date: 2020.07.22 10:12:26 +01'00'
Alice Murfin
Digitally signed
by Alice Murfin
Date: 2020.07.22
Ali Hussain and Space, ou=TOQST4,
email=ali.hussain@airbus.com, c=US
Date: 2020.07.29 13:00:53 +01'00'
19:01:31 +01'00'
Name: D. DRZYZGA A. MURFIN A. CLARK ALI HUSSAIN
DISCIPLINE: COSHH DISCIPLINE: P/A DISCIPLINE: (Technical, Specialist, DISCIPLINE:: : (Technical, Specialist,
Equipment/Process Expert Equipment/Process Expert
(When Applicable) Digitally signed by Craig Bridges
DN: cn=Craig Bridges, o=Quality,
Sign: ou=TOQST5,
email=craig.bridges@airbus.com,
c=GB
Date: Date: 2020.07.24 09:33:12 +01'00'
Specification Review Board : APPROVED By: David Drzyzga (Design)/A. Murfin Digitally signed by David
Formal Issue: CONFIGURATION RESP NAME : Tracey Hagland DATE : SIGNATURE: Digitally signed by CSFHAGLANT
DN: c=GB, o=Astrium, ou=UK, cn=CSFHAGLANT
Date: 2020.08.24 11:27:16 +01'00'
Distribution List
T. Hagland C. Bridges
A. Murfin
D. Drzyzga
A. Hussain
A. Clark
J. Keys
P. Martin
Airbus Defence and Space Limited owns the copyright of this document which is supplied in confidence and which shall not be used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied and shall not in whole or in part be reproduced, copied, or communicated to any
person without written permission from the owner.