Your aerospace program requires Nadcap-accredited special processes — heat treatment, NDT, chemical processing, or welding — and you need a supplier in China. You search Google and get nothing useful. The PRI eAuditNet database lists certified companies, but it is not searchable by country or process in a way that gives you a quick answer. This page gives you the actual numbers, the breakdown by process type, and the exact steps to find and verify Nadcap-accredited suppliers in China.
Nadcap (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) is the global aerospace industry’s special process accreditation program, managed by PRI (Performance Review Institute), a non-profit organization. Unlike AS9100 (which certifies a quality management system), Nadcap certifies specific processes at specific facilities — heat treatment, non-destructive testing (NDT), chemical processing, welding, coatings, fasteners, and more.
Why it matters: Boeing, Airbus, GE Aviation, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, Safran, and most Tier 1 aerospace primes require Nadcap accreditation for any supplier performing special processes. Without Nadcap, you cannot supply aerospace — regardless of how good your machining is. In China, Nadcap accreditation is the single biggest bottleneck for aerospace supply chain entry.
As of the latest available data, China has approximately 86 companies with Nadcap accreditation across all process categories. This number has been growing — by 2021, the count reached 257 individual certifications (a company can hold multiple Nadcap certifications for different processes). Here is the breakdown by process category:
| Nadcap Process Category | Standard | China Count (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) | AC7114 | 56 | Largest category; includes UT, RT, PT, MT, ET |
| Heat Treatment | AS7102 | 50 | Includes vacuum HT, precipitation hardening, annealing |
| Chemical Processing | AS7108 | 44 | Anodize, passivation, plating, etching |
| Welding | AS7110 | ~30 | Fusion welding, resistance welding, brazing |
| Coatings | AS7109 | ~25 | Thermal spray, PVD, CVD |
| Materials Testing | AS7101 | ~20 | Mechanical testing, metallurgical testing |
| Composites | AS7118 | ~15 | CFRP, GFRP processing |
| Electronic / Fasteners | AS7119 / AC7113 | ~10 | Electronic assembly, fastener manufacturing |
| Machining | AC7102/7 | < 10 | Rare — most OEMs do not require Nadcap for machining itself |
Key insight: The 86 companies are not all CNC machine shops. Most are large state-owned aerospace enterprises (AVIC subsidiaries, COMAC suppliers, AECC members) or specialized process houses. Very few are standalone CNC shops with Nadcap. If you need a CNC supplier that also has Nadcap for heat treatment or NDT, the pool shrinks significantly.
Each Nadcap process category has its own audit criteria, standards, and renewal cycle. Here is what each one covers and why it matters for your CNC parts:
| Process | What It Covers | Why CNC Shops Need It | Common Standards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Treatment (HT) | Vacuum hardening, tempering, annealing, solution treating, aging | Titanium, Inconel, and 17-4PH parts require post-machining HT for mechanical properties | AMS 2770 (pyrometry), AMS 2759 (steel HT) |
| NDT | Ultrasonic (UT), radiographic (RT), penetrant (PT), magnetic particle (MT), eddy current (ET) | Aerospace drawings often call out 100% NDT on critical features; must be done by Nadcap-accredited facility | AC7114 (general), AC7114/3 (UT), AC7114/7 (PT) |
| Chemical Processing (CP) | Anodize (Type II, Type III), passivation, plating (Ni, Cr, Cd), chemical conversion coating | Surface treatment specs on aerospace drawings require Nadcap-accredited processors | AS7108, AMS 2472 (anodize), AMS 2700 (passivation) |
| Welding | Fusion (GTAW, GMAW), resistance, friction, brazing | If your part requires welding or brazing, the welder must be Nadcap-accredited | AS7110, AWS D17.1 (aerospace welding) |
The authoritative source is the PRI eAuditNet database (eauditnet.pri.org). Here is how to use it:
Most aerospace CNC parts from China are produced using a hybrid model: the CNC shop performs machining in-house, then subcontracts special processes to Nadcap-accredited facilities. This is the standard practice and is explicitly allowed by AS9100 and Nadcap rules — provided the CNC shop maintains control of the supply chain and the sub-tier processors are Nadcap-accredited.
| Model | How It Works | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full in-house | CNC shop has its own Nadcap accreditations for HT, NDT, CP | Single-source accountability; shorter lead times | Very rare in China; high overhead; only large AVIC subsidiaries |
| CNC + Nadcap sub-tier | CNC shop machines; sends parts to Nadcap-accredited heat treat / NDT / chemical processors | Flexible; access to specialized process houses; most common model | Requires strong sub-tier control and traceability; longer lead times |
| Process house only | Nadcap-accredited facility does only special processes (no CNC) | Deep process expertise; best for standalone HT/NDT/CP | Cannot deliver finished machined parts |
What this means for buyers: When a Chinese CNC supplier says “we have Nadcap,” ask: (1) Which process? (HT, NDT, CP, welding?) (2) Is it in-house or sub-tier? (3) Can you show the current Nadcap certificate with scope? If the CNC shop does not have Nadcap but subcontracts to Nadcap-accredited processors, that is perfectly acceptable — but you need to verify the sub-tier’s accreditation independently.
Nadcap-accredited facilities in China are concentrated in aerospace manufacturing hubs:
| Region | Key Cities | Concentration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest | Xi’an, Baoji, Chengdu | Highest | AVIC core manufacturing base; XAC (Xi’an Aircraft Corp); COMAC final assembly |
| East | Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou | High | COMAC supply chain; SAIC aerospace; foreign-invested aerospace JVs |
| Northeast | Shenyang, Harbin | Medium | SAC (Shenyang Aircraft Corp); HAH (Harbin Aircraft Industry) |
| South | Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Guangzhou | Low–Medium | Emerging precision machining cluster; fewer Nadcap facilities |
| Central | Changsha, Wuhan, Guiyang | Low | AECC (engine) facilities; some NDT and HT houses |
Practical implication: If you need a CNC supplier in China with Nadcap sub-tier support, your best options are in the Xi’an/Baoji corridor (northwest) or the Shanghai/Suzhou area (east). These regions have the highest density of both CNC precision shops and Nadcap-accredited special process houses, minimizing logistics and lead time.
| # | Check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Search eAuditNet for the company name and process category | Confirms Nadcap accreditation is current and in-scope |
| 2 | Verify the scope covers your specific process (alloy, method, part size) | A Nadcap HT cert for aluminum does not cover titanium |
| 3 | Check accreditation expiration date and audit cycle (6/12/18/24 months) | Expired accreditation = cannot ship aerospace parts |
| 4 | Request the most recent audit closure letter | Shows any open findings; Gold/Platinum status = clean record |
| 5 | If CNC + sub-tier model, verify the sub-tier’s Nadcap independently | The CNC shop’s claim is not enough — check the processor’s cert |
| 6 | Confirm AS9100 certification for the CNC shop itself | Nadcap covers special processes; AS9100 covers the QMS |
| 7 | Verify material traceability from raw stock through special process | Heat lot numbers must be tracked through HT, NDT, and CP steps |
Approximately 86 companies hold Nadcap accreditation across all process categories in China. The largest categories are NDT (56 companies), heat treatment (50), and chemical processing (44). Many companies hold multiple accreditations for different processes. The total number of individual Nadcap certifications (counting each process separately) is approximately 257. Note that most of these companies are large state-owned aerospace enterprises or specialized process houses — very few are standalone CNC machine shops.
Search the PRI eAuditNet database (eauditnet.pri.org) by company name and process category. Verify: (1) the company is listed, (2) the accreditation scope covers your specific process (alloy family, method, part size), (3) the accreditation has not expired, and (4) the audit cycle status (Gold/Platinum = clean record). Always request the current Nadcap certificate and the most recent audit closure letter directly from the supplier.
Not typically. Nadcap certifies special processes — heat treatment, NDT, chemical processing, welding, coatings. CNC machining itself is not a Nadcap-required process for most aerospace programs. However, the CNC shop must have AS9100 certification, and any special processes performed on the parts (by the shop or by sub-tier processors) must be Nadcap-accredited. Most Chinese CNC shops use a hybrid model: machining in-house + Nadcap-accredited sub-tiers for HT/NDT/CP.
AS9100 certifies a quality management system (QMS) — it says the organization has documented processes for quality, traceability, corrective action, etc. Nadcap certifies specific technical processes — it says the organization can perform heat treatment, NDT, or chemical processing to aerospace standards. You need both: AS9100 for the CNC shop’s QMS, and Nadcap for any special processes performed on aerospace parts.
The highest concentration is in the northwest (Xi’an, Baoji, Chengdu) — the traditional AVIC aerospace manufacturing base. The second cluster is in the east (Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou) — the COMAC supply chain and foreign-invested aerospace JVs. Northeast China (Shenyang, Harbin) has a medium concentration around SAC and HAH. For buyers sourcing CNC parts with Nadcap sub-tier support, the Xi’an and Shanghai regions offer the best combination of precision machining shops and Nadcap process houses.
Nadcap accreditation cycles range from 6 to 24 months, depending on audit performance. New accreditations typically start at 6 or 12 months. Suppliers with clean audits (no major findings) for two consecutive cycles earn 18-month accreditation. Gold-level status (two consecutive 18-month cycles with no major findings) earns the maximum 24-month cycle. If a supplier fails an audit or has unresolved major findings, the cycle drops back to 6 months or the accreditation can be suspended.
Yes. This is the standard practice in China. The CNC shop performs machining in-house and subcontracts special processes (heat treatment, NDT, chemical processing, etc.) to Nadcap-accredited facilities. This is explicitly allowed under AS9100 and Nadcap rules, provided: (1) the sub-tier processor holds current Nadcap accreditation for the specific process, (2) the CNC shop maintains material traceability through all sub-tier operations, and (3) the OEM buyer can verify the sub-tier’s Nadcap status independently.
We precision-machine aerospace parts in aluminum, titanium, Inconel, and stainless steel, then route to Nadcap-accredited sub-tier partners for heat treatment, NDT, and chemical processing. Full material traceability from raw stock through final delivery.
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