Non-conformance report: a filled-in example.

What is a non-conformance report?

A non-conformance report (NCR) is the record a shop makes when a part, material or process output doesn't meet a specified requirement. It identifies the parts, states the requirement and the actual result, and records what was done with the parts and who decided.

In a machine shop, "requirement" means a dimension, GD&T callout or note on the drawing, a material or finish spec, or a PO clause. NCRs come from in-process, final, first article (FAI) and receiving inspection, and from customer returns.

In a quality system, the NCR is the evidence for two clauses. AS9100D clause 8.7 (control of nonconforming outputs) covers identifying, segregating and dispositioning the parts. Clause 10.2 (nonconformity and corrective action) covers finding and removing the cause. ISO 13485:2016 splits the same ground into 8.3 (control of nonconforming product), 8.5.2 (corrective action) and 8.5.3 (preventive action). An NCR that only says "bore oversize, scrapped" satisfies neither clause well.

What fields does every NCR need?

Every NCR needs four groups of fields: identification, the nonconformity itself, the disposition with its approvals, and the cause and corrective action. Customer forms and software differ in layout, but an auditor or SQE expects to find all of these:

AS9100D 8.7.2 asks for records of the nonconformity, the actions taken, any concessions, and the authority that decided. The table covers those, plus what 10.2 needs.

What does a filled-in NCR look like?

Here's a complete NCR for a fictional part. A shop is running a partial FAI on a manifold block after the customer released drawing Rev D. Rev D tightened a bearing bore from Ø.502 ±.001 to Ø.5000 +.0005/-.0000. The CMM reports the bore at .5025 on the first article. Everything else conforms.

NONCONFORMANCE REPORT                                  NCR-0412
Example Machine Co.                        Opened: 10/21/2026  by: R. Diaz (Insp.)

IDENTIFICATION
Part number:    7720-114        Rev: D        Name: Block, manifold
Customer:       Example Aero Customer, Inc.   PO: 55-02217 line 1
Job / lot:      J-26-0881 / L2610-03          Lot qty: 40
Material:       Aluminum 6061-T6
Where found:    First article inspection (partial FAI, Rev C to Rev D)
                Op 30, finish bore, VMC #4.  FAIR: FAI-7720-114-D-01

NONCONFORMITY
Balloon:        23 (sheet 1, zone C4)
Requirement:    Bore Ø.5000 +.0005/-.0000  (limits .5000 / .5005)
Actual:         Ø.5025  (CMM program 7720-114-D-OP30, run 10/21)
                .0020 over the upper limit
Qty:            Inspected 6 / Nonconforming 3 / Suspect 0

CONTAINMENT (10/21)
- Op 30 stopped on VMC #4. Job on hold. Tag HOLD-0412 on cart.
- 6 parts machined before the FAI result; all 6 checked on CMM:
    S/N 001 (FAI piece) .5025   S/N 002 .5021   S/N 003 .5019
    S/N 004 .5003   S/N 005 .5002   S/N 006 .5004
- S/N 001-003 red-tagged, moved to MRB cage. S/N 004-006 conform.
- Remaining 34 blanks not yet at Op 30. None shipped.

DISPOSITION                                       MRB 10/22/2026
S/N 001-003:  SCRAP
  Why not use-as-is: bore is a bearing fit per drawing note 6;
    .002 over changes the fit. Not offered to customer.
  Why not rework: material already removed; cannot restore size.
  Why not repair: sleeving needs customer engineering approval
    and a new process; 3 blanks cost less than the approval cycle.
  Scrap verified: bores crushed, parts marked SCRAP NCR-0412 (T. Wu)
S/N 004-006:  Accept, conforming. Release from hold.
MRB: T. Wu (Quality Mgr) 10/22   K. Patel (Mfg Eng) 10/22
Customer approval: not required (no use-as-is or repair)

ROOT CAUSE
Op 30 setup sheet still showed the Rev C bore, Ø.502 ±.001.
The operator set the boring head to .5020 per the sheet, which
was correct for Rev C. Why was the sheet still Rev C? The setup
sheet is a separate file, and the ECN checklist did not require
setup sheets to be updated with the drawing.
Human factors: no error by the operator; the document was wrong.

CORRECTIVE ACTION                               CAR-0107, owner K. Patel
1. Op 30 setup sheet revised to Rev D (done 10/22).
2. ECN checklist: every setup sheet and in-process inspection
   sheet for the part must be revised and approved before a new
   drawing revision is released to the floor (due 11/05).
3. Extent of cause: check setup sheets for all parts revised in
   the last 12 months against current drawing revs (due 11/15).

CORRECTION OF THE FAIR
FAI-7720-114-D-01: balloon 23 recorded as .5025, NCR-0412 in
Form 3 col. 11, Form 1 field 19 = Yes.
Partial FAI FAI-7720-114-D-02 on balloon 23, S/N 007 after
setup sheet fix: .5002. Conforms.

EFFECTIVENESS CHECK
Due: after the next 3 drawing revisions released through the
new ECN checklist. Result: ________   Closed by: ____  Date: ____

What makes it a good NCR:

• Requirement and actual sit side by side, tied to balloon 23. Anyone can see the size of the miss without opening the drawing, and the FAIR row and the NCR point at the same feature.
• Containment counts every part. Six made, six measured, three bad, the rest not yet at the operation, none shipped. "Suspect 0" is a statement someone checked.
• The disposition says why the other options were rejected. An auditor reading "scrap" wants to know nobody quietly shipped the other two.
• The root cause is a system cause, not "operator error". The operator did what the sheet said. The fix is in the ECN process, not a retraining note.
• Correction and corrective action are separate. Fixing one setup sheet is the correction. Changing the ECN checklist is the corrective action. Checking other parts is the extent-of-cause review.

Some customers would rather you hold the FAIR until a conforming piece exists, and submit the first one only with their agreement. Others want the failed FAIR on record. Read the customer's FAIR requirements, or ask the SQE.

What are the NCR dispositions, and who can approve each one?

The five standard dispositions are use-as-is, rework, repair, scrap and return to supplier. Rework and scrap are usually inside the shop's own authority. Use-as-is and repair accept a part that doesn't meet the drawing, so AS9100D puts them behind design authority approval.

Three details auditors check:

• Who signed use-as-is. AS9100D 8.7.1 says use-as-is and repair dispositions need approval from an authorized representative of the organization responsible for design, or a person with delegated authority from it. It also needs customer authorization if the nonconformity departs from contract requirements. With no design authority of your own, an MRB signature alone isn't enough; the NCR needs the customer's deviation or waiver number.
• How scrap is controlled. AS9100D 8.7.1 expects scrap to be conspicuously and permanently marked, or positively controlled, until it's physically made unusable. A red tag on an open bin doesn't count.
• Whether anything shipped. If suspect parts were delivered, AS9100D 8.7.1 expects timely reporting to the customer. The containment section should say either way.

In ISO 13485 shops, the equivalent of use-as-is is acceptance by concession. ISO 13485:2016 clause 8.3 expects a justification, an approval, the identity of whoever authorized it, and any applicable regulatory requirements met.

What is an MRB, and does a small shop need one?

A material review board (MRB) is the group that reviews nonconforming parts and decides the disposition. It's usually quality plus manufacturing or engineering, sometimes purchasing. A 20-person shop doesn't need a standing committee. It needs a written rule for who can sign which disposition.

A workable small-shop rule: the inspector opens the NCR and contains the parts. The quality manager plus one manufacturing person disposition rework, scrap and return to supplier. Use-as-is and repair go to the customer. Put it in your procedure with names or roles; an auditor will check the signatures against it.

What is the difference between correction, corrective action and preventive action?

A correction fixes the nonconformity you found. A corrective action removes its cause so it doesn't happen again. A preventive action removes the cause of a problem that hasn't happened yet. ISO 9000:2015 defines all three, and NCRs that blur them are an easy audit finding.

Checking other recently revised parts is an extent-of-cause review: AS9100D 10.2.1 asks whether similar nonconformities exist or could occur. And not every NCR needs a full corrective action. A one-off tool breakage may only need a correction. Record that evaluation on the NCR ("no CAR: isolated insert failure") so the auditor sees a decision, not a gap.

How do you write the root cause and corrective action?

Write the root cause as something in the process you can change, with the evidence. Write the corrective action as a change to that process, with an owner, a due date and an effectiveness check.

• Ask why until the answer is a process. "Bore oversize" → "boring head set to .502" → "setup sheet said .502" → "setup sheet still Rev C" → "ECN process doesn't cover setup sheets". The last answer is the one to fix.
• Consider human factors, don't stop at them. AS9100D 10.2.1 asks for root cause analysis that includes human factors, as applicable. Ask why a person could make the error (unclear instructions, a look-alike gauge), not "operator error".
• Check effectiveness later, not at closure. "Setup sheet revised" proves the action was done. "No revision mismatches on the next three ECNs" proves it worked.
• Flow it down. When a supplier or outside processor caused the nonconformity, AS9100D 10.2.1 expects corrective action requirements flowed to them. That's a SCAR (supplier corrective action request) with your NCR number on it.

When does an NCR become an 8D or CAPA?

An NCR becomes an 8D or a CAPA when the nonconformity needs a structured root cause investigation: it recurred, it escaped to the customer, it's on a key characteristic, or the customer asked for one. The NCR stays the record of the parts. The 8D or CAPA is the record of the investigation.

8D (eight disciplines) is a team problem-solving format many aerospace and automotive customers ask for with a corrective action request. ASQ describes steps D1 to D8, with an optional D0 for planning: team, problem description, containment, root cause, permanent fix, implementation and validation, preventing recurrence, recognition. An NCR like the example already holds D2 (requirement, actual, balloon number) and D3 (containment), which is most of the hard evidence.

CAPA (corrective and preventive action) is the usual name in medical device shops, where ISO 13485:2016 clauses 8.5.2 and 8.5.3 each require a documented procedure. Put each number on the other record.

How does an NCR connect to the AS9102 first article report?

An NCR connects to the AS9102 first article inspection report (FAIR) in two places. On Form 3, the failed characteristic's row carries the actual value and the NCR number. On Form 1, field 19 is answered Yes.

• Form 3 column 11 (nonconformance number). Record the measured value in the results column, even out of tolerance, and the NCR number in column 11. Never adjust the result. See AS9102 Form 3 explained.
• Form 1 field 19. In the AS9102 Rev C numbering, field 19 asks whether the FAIR contains documented nonconformances. Answer Yes when any Form 3 row carries an NCR, even if it was later dispositioned use-as-is. Public Rev C sources agree on this numbering, but some field details are still being confirmed against the standard itself, so check your customer's form. More in AS9102 Form 1, field by field.
• The partial FAI. Once the cause is corrected, a partial FAI re-verifies the characteristics that failed. In the example, that's balloon 23 on a new piece. See full vs partial FAI.

An out-of-tolerance result with an empty nonconformance column is reason 8 in why FAI reports get rejected, and a common audit finding in the AS9100 audit checklist for FAI records.

Is there a non-conformance report template?

Yes. The blank below follows the same fields as the example. Paste it into Word or a spreadsheet, put your shop's name on it, and match the approvals section to your own nonconformance procedure.

NONCONFORMANCE REPORT                        NCR-______
Opened: ________   by: ______________

Part no: ________  Rev: ___  Name: ______________________
Customer: ______________  PO / line: ___________________
Job / lot: _____________  Lot qty: ____  S/N: __________
Where found: [ ] FAI  [ ] In-process  [ ] Final
             [ ] Receiving  [ ] Customer    Op/machine: ____
FAIR no. (if FAI): ______________

Balloon / char. no: ____  Drawing sheet/zone: ____
Requirement: ____________________________________________
Actual: _________________  Gauge / CMM program: _________
Qty inspected: ____  Nonconforming: ____  Suspect: ____

Containment (what stopped, where suspect parts are, shipped?):
_________________________________________________________

Disposition (per S/N):  [ ] Use-as-is  [ ] Repair  [ ] Rework
                        [ ] Scrap  [ ] Return to supplier
Justification: __________________________________________
Customer / design authority approval no. (use-as-is, repair):
_______________
MRB: ____________ date ____   ____________ date ____
Verification (re-inspection / scrap marked): ____________

Root cause (and how found; human factors considered):
_________________________________________________________
Corrective action / CAR no. / "no CAR" reason:
_________________________________________________________
Owner: ________  Due: ______
Effectiveness check: ____________  Closed by: ____ Date: ____

For the FAI side, the free AS9102 Excel templates include Form 3; check their field layout against the form your customer requires.

Where does software help with NCRs?

Software helps most by keeping the NCR attached to the result that failed, so nobody retypes the requirement or loses the link to the FAIR. In Deburr, NCRs live in the same tool as the first article report. An NCR opened from a failed Form 3 result is linked to that characteristic and its balloon, and the NCR number appears on that row. The copilot can draft the NCR description from the recorded result. A person reviews it, decides the disposition and signs. It won't find your root cause or get the customer's approval for you.

Related: FAI report rejected? 12 reasons · AS9100 audit checklist: FAI records · AS9102 Form 1 explained · AS9102 Form 3 explained

FAQ

What is the difference between an NCR and a corrective action request?

An NCR records one nonconformity: what was wrong, on which parts, and what was done with them. A corrective action request (CAR, or SCAR when it goes to a supplier) asks someone to find and remove the cause so it does not happen again. Every nonconformity needs an NCR. Not every NCR needs a full corrective action; the shop decides based on risk and recurrence, and records that decision.

Who can approve a use-as-is disposition in aerospace?

Under AS9100D clause 8.7.1, use-as-is and repair dispositions need approval from an authorized representative of the organization responsible for design, or someone with delegated authority from it, and customer authorization when the nonconformity departs from contract requirements. For a build-to-print job shop the design authority is usually the customer, so in practice use-as-is and repair go to the customer, often on their deviation or waiver form.

Is rework the same as repair?

No. Rework brings the part fully back to the drawing, for example re-cutting an undersize bore to size. Repair makes the part usable without fully meeting the drawing, for example sleeving an oversize bore. AS9100D puts repair, like use-as-is, behind design authority approval. Rework only needs to be re-inspected to the original requirement, unless the customer says otherwise.

Do I answer Yes to AS9102 Form 1 field 19 if the NCR was dispositioned use-as-is?

Yes. Rev C Form 1 field 19 asks whether the FAIR contains documented nonconformances. A characteristic that failed and was accepted use-as-is is still a documented nonconformance, so the answer stays Yes and Form 3 column 11 carries the NCR number. Customer guidance differs for a deviation approved before the part was made, so ask your customer.

Sources

1. AS9100D reference: 8.7 Control of nonconforming outputs and 10.2 Nonconformity and corrective action, PSPI QMS
2. ISO 13485:2016 reference: 8.3, 8.5.2, 8.5.3, PSPI QMS
3. Correction, corrective action and preventive action (ISO 9000:2015 definitions), Quality Gurus
4. Material Review Board (MRB), Quality Gurus
5. What are the Eight Disciplines (8D)?, ASQ
6. AS9102C Form 1 details (field 19), Paradygm
7. FAIR Form 3 (field 11, nonconformance number), Net-Inspect Help Center