Arrow Grinding is a third generation, family-owned company that specializes in precision grinding services and close-tolerance part manufacturing. They maintain a full range of precision grinding services and complete machining capabilities in their 43,000 square foot facility. They have ground virtually every material from aluminum to zirconium, and have provided services to multiple industries.
SITUATION
In 2020, before the pandemic shut down, Arrow Grinding was determined to attain AS9100D certification to better serve their customers and expand into new markets. Their existing quality management system had some effective elements but was not certified to any standard and was not regularly reviewed and updated.
“Throughout the process, Insyte was able to provide the necessary guidance and direction toward helping us to improve our quality and achieve AS9100D certification.” – John Goller, President
SOLUTION
To effectively upgrade their Quality Management System, Arrow Grinding chose to partner with Insyte Consulting to develop and implement the elements needed for an effective system and to meet the requirements of AS9100D.
A review of the existing quality management system was performed to determine how well the requirements of the AS9100D standard were addressed. This analysis was reviewed and discussed with management.
Based on the review, the appropriate documentation was developed and introduced to members of the organization. Management review meetings were initiated and used to communicate the progress of the system implementation, identify concerns and establish an appropriate overview of the system by management. The process was proceeding as planned when the pandemic disrupted the ability to conduct normal business practices. However, ownership and management maintained the desire and focus on achieving certification. Ultimately when operations returned to normal, the effort was restarted and despite some further delays their certification audit was completed and the company was recommended for certification in January of 2025.
RESULTS
The certification audit took place in January of 2025. There were several findings which were addressed by the organization using their corrective action system. These corrective actions were accepted, and Arrow Grinding received their certification in February of 2025.
