A special process is a manufacturing step whose result cannot be fully verified by inspecting or testing the finished part. You cannot see a hidden weld defect, the microstructure of a heat-treated shaft or the true adhesion of a coating without cutting or destroying the part. So quality has to be built in by keeping the process itself under control.
Typical special processes
- Welding and brazing
- Heat treating
- Plating, anodizing, passivation and other chemical processing
- Painting and organic coatings
- Adhesive bonding
- Composite manufacturing
- Nondestructive testing (NDT), shot peening, chemical milling
Your customer’s specification decides what counts as a special process for your parts.
Why it matters
- Defects hide. The part passes inspection and fails in service, under load.
- Customers check it separately. AS9100 requires special processes to be validated, and major primes require Nadcap accreditation from their suppliers.
- Records are the evidence. Since you cannot cut the part, procedures, parameters, qualifications and calibrations are the only proof.
- Fewer suppliers, better work. Shops that can run and document special processes win more and better-paid work.
Which gaps are in your records?
Knowing the list is easy. The real question is which gaps sit in your own records. They slip past when files are read by eye, and auditors look for them first. Upload your records to NTB SpecPro and see in minutes which points carry risk, why, and what to do next.
NTB SpecPro is a quality app built for special-process shops: welding, heat treating, coating, painting, bonding and composites, plus AS9100, Nadcap and ISO 3834 self-assessment. Final evaluation always stays with your authorized personnel.
General information only. Self-assessment does not replace an official audit; NTB SpecPro is not affiliated with PRI.
Nadcap® is a registered trademark of the Performance Review Institute.
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