CEMILAC Approval for Aerospace Forgings: Process and Requirements

CEMILAC (Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification) is India’s airworthiness certification authority for military aircraft and airborne stores, operating under DRDO and headquartered in Bengaluru. Forgings used in military aircraft, helicopters, engines and airborne systems must come from sources acceptable to the airworthiness authority. For forging suppliers, CEMILAC-related approval involves demonstrating a robust quality system, special process control, material traceability and the ability to support type certification documentation.

At a Glance: Airworthiness Approval Path for Forging Suppliers

What CEMILAC Does

CEMILAC certifies the airworthiness of military aircraft and airborne stores designed, developed or produced in India. Regional centres for military airworthiness (RCMAs) support certification work at major aerospace production centres. For components such as forgings, the airworthiness chain requires that materials and processes are controlled and documented to support the certified design.

Why Forging Suppliers Need Airworthiness Readiness

Forgings in landing gear, engine discs and shafts, airframe fittings and transmission parts are flight-critical. The airworthiness authority, and the aircraft or engine house buying the forging, need confidence that:

• The forging route is fixed and controlled
• Material comes from approved sources with full pedigree
• Heat treatment and NDT are qualified special processes
• Any change in process, material source or facility is controlled and approved

Requirements Forging Suppliers Should Prepare For

Quality Management System

AS9100D is the expected baseline for aerospace suppliers. It demonstrates configuration control, risk management and special process control.

Process Freeze

Airworthiness-critical forgings typically require a frozen process: forging sequence, temperatures, reduction, heat treatment cycles and inspection plan documented and not changed without approval.

Special Processes

Heat treatment with pyrometry control (AMS 2750 or equivalent), and NDT by qualified personnel with written procedures.

First Article and Qualification Testing

Full dimensional inspection, mechanical testing, macro-etch for grain flow, and NDT on qualification parts.

Traceability and Records

Complete records from raw material to finished part, retained for the required period.

Working with Aircraft and Engine Houses

In practice, forging suppliers usually work through the design or production agency — for example an aircraft, helicopter or engine manufacturer — which manages airworthiness certification with CEMILAC. The supplier supports that process with process documentation, test results and audit access.

How Vinir Engineering Supports Airworthiness Programmes

• AS9100D across all four manufacturing units
• Forging, heat treatment, machining and NDT in-house under one quality system
• NABL-accredited in-house test lab
• AS9102 first article inspection and full traceability
• Experience supplying aerospace and defence programmes in India
• Located in Bangalore, close to India’s aerospace design and certification ecosystem

Frequently Asked Questions