Affordable ISO/AS Certification Toolkit for Small Manufacturing Shops

The small shop owner finds that the cost of consultants and specialized software for ISO 9001/AS9100 certification is just too high. This points to a real need for a more affordable, do-it-yourself option. The product would be a comprehensive package with step-by-step guidance, pre-written QMS documents like a Quality Manual, procedures for document control, corrective actions, and internal audits, as well as self-audit checklists specifically designed for small machining and manufacturing businesses. The goal is to help these small businesses get the necessary certifications to keep their big clients and compete for new contracts without breaking the bank. This could save them thousands compared to hiring consultants or setting up costly ERP systems.

Origin Reddit Post

r/machinists

One man / small shops and ISO?

Posted by u/newuser173406/13/2025
One man & small shop owners, how difficult was it to get your shop ISO9001 and AS9100d certified ? I currently have a long term costumer who will soon require all suppliers to have a qual

Top Comments

u/Downtown-Tomato2552
ISO certification is not the monster it used to be. It is far more "do what you say you do" than it was 15 or 20 years ago. Create your QMS and quality policy, scope, interested parties and
u/newuser1734
It has to be certified
u/Claytonics
Look this up. Martin Hinsch ISO 9001:2015 for Everyday Operations
u/newuser1734
I’ve heard of it and it looks promising but from what I’ve heard it is very expensive. That + the consultant costs + auditing might be a lot for my small shop. I currently handle most of my d
u/Claytonics
Document the processes and do what you say. Minimum viable implementation for your customer.
u/bscookbook
Look Into ProShop Erp, It is an upfront cost and Monthly cost but they offer a flying start package that handles all the documentation and systems for iso9001 and As9102. From my experience i
u/coldbrewdrew273
The hardest part is really just maintaining the system, if you go the consultant route core business solutions is great. It’s not terrible to set up, it’s a lot of procedures and paperwork. I
u/PickleJuiceMartini
Yikes. Okay. Hiring a (hate to say this) consultant will expedite the process. A small shop will be busy doing actual productive work. Taking a current employee and having them responsible
u/Dependent-Yak1341
Biggest thing I can come up with is that you dont have the people to handle this for you, so itll be pretty involved for you or whoever you delegate to. I work for one of the biggest medical
u/PickleJuiceMartini
Do you need to be ISO compliant or certified? Not a machinist yet I’ve been in engineering sourcing. Certification requires a third party certification company which costs money. If certific
u/dagobertamp
You can have a QMS and not have ISO Certification. Ensure your QMS is ISO Compliant. Are they asking for a QMS or ISO specifically?
u/Wheelisbroke
We’re not a large shop. We constantly get requests for ISO certification. We’re on top of our QC. So far we’ve been able to just hand over spreadsheets of regular checks without all the crazy
u/newuser1734
IS09001 specifically
u/Sonoran_Dog70
My shop has been ISO/AS for about 20yrs. It’s a constantly evolving process. After getting certified there are yearly audits, they always find something that needs work. You spend a lot of t

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