Quality at Northern Manufacturing is not a department — it is embedded in every process, from incoming material verification to final documentation. When software controls physical fabrication and your components enter regulated service environments, a certificate of conformance is not enough. We provide Objective Quality Evidence (OQE) that supports your compliance systems, reduces risk, and protects your business.
Quality Management System
Our ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system governs every fabrication process. This includes document control, traceability, corrective action, and continuous improvement — the framework that ensures consistency across every job, every shift, and every welder.
Key elements of our quality system:
- Document control — work instructions, welding procedures, and inspection plans are controlled and current
- Material traceability — heat number tracking from incoming raw material through finished components, with certified Mill Test Reports (MTRs)
- Process control — qualified welding procedures (WPS/PQR) per ASME BPVC Section IX, with controlled parameters for each material grade
- Corrective action — formal NCR process for nonconformances, with root cause analysis and preventive action
Our Certifications
ISO 9001:2015 — Our quality management system is certified to the international standard for quality management. This certification is maintained through regular third-party surveillance audits and covers all fabrication operations.
ASME — We fabricate pressure vessels and components in accordance with ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Our welding procedures are qualified per ASME BPVC Section IX for the stainless steel and specialty alloy grades we run.
AWS Qualified — Northern Manufacturing is an AWS Certified Welding Fabricator. Our welders hold qualifications per AWS D1.6 (Structural Welding Code — Stainless Steel) and ASME BPVC Section IX.
Inspection Capabilities
Our inspection capabilities support both in-process verification and final acceptance:
- Radiographic Testing (RT) — volumetric examination of weld joints for internal discontinuities
- Ultrasonic Testing (UT) — thickness verification and flaw detection in base materials and welds
- Magnetic Particle Testing (MT) — surface and near-surface flaw detection on ferromagnetic materials
- Dye Penetrant Testing (PT) — surface flaw detection on non-ferromagnetic stainless steels and alloys
- Visual Inspection (VT) — trained inspectors examine weld quality, fit-up, and surface condition per AWS and ASME acceptance criteria
- Positive Material Identification (PMI) — handheld XRF analyzers verify elemental composition of incoming materials and finished weldments
Advanced Verification Technologies
We invest in measurement technology that goes beyond traditional inspection:
- Leica Absolute Tracker AT960 + AS1-XL — large-volume 3D metrology for verifying dimensional accuracy on complex assemblies
- FARO laser projectors — CAD-based laser outlines projected onto work surfaces to guide precise placement during assembly
- Servo-Robot WiKi-Scan — non-contact 3D weld scanning that captures fillet size, leg length, throat, and undercut with quantitative, archivable data
Material Traceability
Every piece of stainless steel and specialty alloy that enters our facility is PMI-verified and heat-number tracked. This traceability follows the material through every fabrication step:
- Incoming material verification against MTRs
- In-process PMI at critical weld joints
- Final PMI verification on completed assemblies
- Full documentation packages with MTRs, PMI certificates, weld maps, and dimensional reports