Tekna receives NADCAP accreditation for metal powder production under new AC7143 standard

Canadian materials manufacturer Tekna Advanced Materials has become the first company to receive NADCAP accreditation for the production of metallic powders. The certification confirms compliance with the new audit standard AC7143, which for the first time defines specific requirements for powder manufacturing processes. The formal audit was completed in August, and the accreditation has now been officially granted.

NADCAP (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) is an audit program governed by the aerospace industry to ensure that suppliers comply with technical and process requirements. Until now, NADCAP has primarily covered areas such as heat treatment, chemical processes, and nondestructive testing. With the introduction of the AC7143 standard, there is now a framework in place to harmonize quality, traceability, and process control in metal powder production.

Tekna played a key role in developing these criteria. Since 2023, the company has worked in collaboration with partners such as BAE Systems, Safran, and GKN Aerospace, as well as the Performance Review Institute (PRI), to define the audit requirements. These include, among others, material traceability, process monitoring, contamination control, and quality documentation.

“From day one, we saw this effort not just as an internal quality upgrade, but a contribution to the aerospace and defense supply chain globally,” said Claude Jean, CEO of Tekna. “By helping to shape the audit criteria, and then demonstrating compliance through our own processes, we believe we are offering reassurance to our customers that our powders meet the most rigorous standards possible.”

For aerospace customers, this certification ensures reliable quality assurance across the entire supply chain. Manufacturers can now rely on a standardized audit process instead of conducting their own inspections. With the NADCAP accreditation under AC7143, Tekna strengthens its position as a supplier for safety-critical applications and contributes to establishing a unified quality standard in additive manufacturing and powder metallurgy.