# NADCAP Heat Treat Audit Preparation for a Small Heat Treating Shop > Source: https://netray.co/resources/nadcap-heat-treat-audit-preparation-small-shop > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Knowledge Base ## Short answer Preparing a small heat treating shop for a NADCAP audit: AMS 2750 pyrometry, TUS and SAT records, AC7102 checklist items and the paperwork auditors pull first. ## Category ai-automation ## Content **Intro:** A small heat treating shop prepares for a NADCAP audit by closing gaps against the heat treating audit checklist, AC7102, and the pyrometry requirements of AMS 2750, then proving by records that every load was processed to the customer's specification. Auditors pull a handful of recent jobs and trace each from the purchase order through furnace records to the certificate. If any link is missing, you receive a finding. This guide lists the records auditors ask for first, the pyrometry traps that cause most findings and how to keep the evidence audit-ready all year. **Sections:** #### What Auditors Trace **Body:** NADCAP auditors usually start with a job and walk backward. They pick a completed order and ask for the PO and flowed-down requirements, the contract review, the traveler, the furnace and load records, the instrument calibration status, the test results and the certificate. The point is to confirm that the specification actually called out (for example AMS 2759 for steel parts or AMS 2770 for aluminum) is the specification you processed to, with the right furnace class and instrument type for it. **Bullets:** - Contract review records showing spec, revision and customer flow-downs were evaluated - Traveler or work order with furnace, cycle, load configuration and operator sign-off - Chart or digital recording tied to the load and the control and recording instruments - Hardness or other required test results with the test lot and equipment used - Certificate that matches what the PO and spec require, with correct revision references #### AMS 2750 Pyrometry: Where Most Findings Come From **Body:** AMS 2750 sets requirements for furnace classes, instrumentation types, system accuracy tests (SAT), temperature uniformity surveys (TUS) and thermocouple use. Shops get findings for overdue SATs or TUS, thermocouples used beyond their allowed use limit, calibration standards without traceable certificates, or furnaces used for a spec that requires a tighter class than the one surveyed. The fix is a pyrometry calendar that is checked before each load, not just before the audit. **Bullets:** - Track furnace class and instrumentation type against each customer spec requirement - Schedule SAT and TUS intervals by furnace and instrument type, with due-date alerts - Log thermocouple usage and replace by use count or schedule - Keep calibration certificates and test instrument traceability current #### Contract Review and Flow-Down Control **Body:** A common finding is that the shop processed a part correctly but cannot show it reviewed the requirement before starting. The PO may cite a spec revision, require a particular hardness test, demand witness sampling or flow down customer-specific processing requirements. Capture these into a contract review checklist that is signed before the job is released, and make the traveler pull the requirements automatically rather than relying on someone copying them. #### Keeping Evidence Audit-Ready All Year **Body:** Shops that dread audits usually keep evidence in three places: paper travelers, a pyrometry spreadsheet and a folder of PDFs. The audit becomes a scavenger hunt. A cleaner pattern is a single job record that links PO, spec, traveler, furnace record and certificate, plus a calendar that blocks release of a load if a furnace's SAT or TUS is overdue. Whether that is an ERP, a quality system or a purpose-built heat treat package, the discipline matters more than the tool. Run a mock audit twice a year by picking five random jobs and tracing them. #### Where AI Fits and Its Limits **Body:** A language model running over your own records can answer questions such as 'which furnaces have a SAT due in the next 30 days' or 'show every job on AMS 2759/3 in the last year without a recorded hardness result'. It can also compare a certificate draft against the PO requirements and flag mismatches. It cannot certify a load or replace the person who signs the certificate. Keep it read-only and on-prem if customer drawings and specs are controlled. #### When Outside Help Is the Better Choice **Body:** If you have never held NADCAP accreditation, a consultant or an experienced quality manager walking your shop through a gap assessment against AC7102 is usually worth more than software. Fix the process first; then decide what evidence to automate. **Cta:** If your audit evidence lives in travelers, spreadsheets and PDFs, Netray can show a private search-and-check assistant over your own records without sending them outside your network. **Faq:** #### What is the NADCAP checklist for heat treating? **Answer:** The NADCAP heat treating audit uses checklist AC7102 along with job audits against customer specifications. It covers quality system elements, pyrometry per AMS 2750, personnel, process control, equipment, test methods and documentation. Verify the current checklist revision with PRI before your audit, since requirements are updated. #### What is the difference between SAT and TUS in AMS 2750? **Answer:** A system accuracy test compares a furnace's control or recording instrument system against a calibrated test instrument to verify the reading accuracy. A temperature uniformity survey maps temperature variation across the usable work zone with multiple thermocouples. Both have intervals tied to furnace class and instrument type. #### Can a small shop get NADCAP heat treat accreditation? **Answer:** Yes, accreditation is based on meeting the checklist and passing the audit, not on shop size. Small shops often need to formalize pyrometry, contract review and records first. Many pursue it because primes require NADCAP-accredited suppliers for aerospace heat treating. ## Related Slugs - lot-traceability-electronics-manufacturing - spc-integration-erp-quality - on-prem-ai-defense-contractors - itar-compliant-ai-tools-manufacturing ## Search terms NADCAP heat treat audit preparation, AMS 2750 SAT TUS requirements, AC7102 checklist, NADCAP heat treating small shop, pyrometry compliance software, heat treat audit findings --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json