Credentials to Ask a Metal Stamping Shop For
A credential is a claim by a third party about a site and a scope on a date. This page lists the credentials buyers ask stamping shops for, by sector, says what each one proves and what it does not, and links the detail pages.
What each sector usually asks for
The customer decides what a program needs, so treat this as a starting list and put the real list in the RFQ. The four columns follow the order in which a stamping program meets them: the material the coil is bought to, the quality system, the documents per part and the rules of the market where the part is sold.
| Sector | Material and product standards | Quality system | Tests and documents | Market rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive | Coil to ASTM A1008 or A1011, EN 10130; general tolerances DIN 6930-2 | IATF 16949, VDA 6.3 audit, customer-specific requirements | PPAP, ballooned dimensional report, gauge R&R study, control plan | ELV and IMDS data, REACH and RoHS declarations, conflict minerals data |
| Electronics, terminals, EMI shields | Copper alloy strip to ASTM B152, B36 or B103 | ISO 9001 | First-piece and last-piece records, dimensional report | RoHS and REACH declarations, conflict minerals data |
| Motors and laminations | Non-oriented electrical steel, EN 10106 or ASTM A683 | IATF 16949 for automotive motors, otherwise ISO 9001 | Burr and stacking records, dimensional report | RoHS declaration |
| Appliances and HVAC | Coated steel to ASTM A653, stainless to ASTM A240 or A666 | ISO 9001, ISO 14001 on some programs | Dimensional report, material certificates | REACH declaration |
| Medical devices | Stainless to ASTM A240 or A666, aluminum to ASTM B209 | ISO 13485 (a buyer requirement, ask the shop what it holds) | Certificate of conformance, lot traceability | REACH declaration; biocompatibility stays with the device maker |
| Civil aerospace | Strip to the AMS specification on the print, ASTM B209 | AS9100, Nadcap for special processes | First article inspection on the AS9102 forms | Export control: one caveat, confirm with your own compliance team |
What a credential proves and what it does not
A certificate is evidence about a system, not about your part. Read each one for the legal name, the site address, the scope wording, the issuing body and the expiry date.
| Credential | What it shows | What it does not show |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 certificate | A management system for the scope and site named on it was audited by an accredited body | That any part is good, that the shop can hold your tolerance or that the scope covers your process |
| IATF 16949 certificate | An automotive management system with the core tools, audited by an IATF-recognized body for a named site and scope | That your part is approved. Part approval is PPAP, per part number, and it is separate |
| VDA 6.3 audit result | How a customer auditor graded a process on the audit date | A certificate. It is an audit report owned by whoever ordered it, so ask what the shop may share |
| AS9100 and Nadcap | Aerospace quality system, and approval of named special processes such as heat treat or plating | That a press shop is approved for a special process it subcontracts |
| ISO 13485 certificate | A medical device quality management system for the named scope | Any FDA registration or device clearance, which belong to the device maker |
| Material certificate | Heat or coil data from the producer, to the specification named | That the part made from the coil was handled and traced correctly in the press shop |
We do not hold or issue certificates
Stamping Vendor is a matching service. It does not hold an ISO, IATF, AS9100 or any other certificate and it does not certify shops. For every shop in a match, ask for the original certificate and check it in the database named for that scheme.
Put the credentials you need in the RFQ, next to the print. A shop that does not hold one can say so before you spend time on drawings, and a shop that does can send the file the same week.
As of October 2026, ISO 9001:2026 has been published, with certification bodies reporting a transition period to 30 September 2029, and IATF is revising IATF 16949 with publication planned for mid-2027. Both change what a new certificate reads like, not whether a current one is valid. The detail is on the pages below.
How the pages in this library fit together
Start with the credential your customer names, then check the certificate, then read the market rules that apply to where the part is imported.
- IATF 16949 stamping supplierWhat the standard covers at a stamping plant, what the certificate scope says and what it leaves to PPAP.
- Check an IATF or ISO certificateWhere to look the certificate up, the five fields to compare and what a missing record means.
- VDA 6.3 process auditThe seven process elements, the grades and what a press shop prepares.
- Ballooned drawing and dimensional reportThe document behind PPAP dimensional results and first article reports.
- ASTM A240 and A666 stainless, copper alloy strip, ASTM B209 aluminumThe coil standards a print names and what the mill certificate must show.
- Tier 2 to Tier 1, audit documents, calibration, 8D repliesWhat a shop builds before a customer audit, and what the customer reads in the files.
- Aerospace: AS9100 and Nadcap, medical: ISO 13485What aerospace and medical buyers ask a press shop for and how to check it.
- Gauge R&R, ASTM A684 spring steel, EN 10106 electrical steelMeasurement system evidence and two more coil standards.
- Market rulesSection 232 duties and melt-and-pour proof for stamped parts entering the United States, and REACH and RoHS declarations for the European Union.
Sources
- IATF Global Oversight: IATF 16949:2016 and Rules 6th edition, effective 1 January 2025
- IATF Stakeholder Communique SC-2026-005, IATF 16949 second edition status (30 July 2026)
- VDA QMC: Volume 6 Part 3, Process Audit, edition 2023
- ISO: how to verify an accredited certification
- LRQA: ISO 9001:2026 is live, transition timeline (certification body notice)
Last reviewed October 19, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Which credential does a metal stamping shop need for automotive work?
Most automotive customers ask for IATF 16949 at the site that makes the part, plus PPAP approval per part number. Some customers accept ISO 9001 for non-safety parts or lower tiers. The customer sets the requirement, so ask the end customer or buyer for the written rule before you shortlist shops.
Does Stamping Vendor certify or audit stamping shops?
No. Stamping Vendor is a matching service and holds no certificates. For each shop in a match, ask for the original certificate and check it in the database of the scheme that issued it.
Is ISO 9001 enough to quote medical or aerospace stampings?
Usually not on its own. Medical buyers commonly ask for ISO 13485 and aerospace buyers for AS9100, and some special processes need Nadcap approval. The buyer or the end customer decides, so put the requirement in the RFQ.
Keep reading
- PPAP and IATF 16949 for stamped automotive parts
- Stamping shop evaluation checklist
- PPAP for small stamping suppliers
- For stamping shops: register your presses and dies
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