“I very much enjoy my role as a Nadcap Auditor – it’s exciting and challenging,” says Tim Krumholz

Tim Krumholz had nearly 40 years’ experience solving supplier quality problems within the aerospace industry before becoming an a Nadcap^® Auditor in 2019. As a certified quality engineer specializing in measurement and inspection, his background was ideal for a role that allows him to continue engaging within the technical field he loves.

“I was the Subject Matter Expert for Rockwell Collins for many years. We provided avionics and information systems to the aerospace industry,” he says. “As a supplier quality engineer, I resolved measurement concerns between my company and its suppliers, often helping them to develop robust measurement processes and untangle drawing issues.”

Freedom in the role

As an independent contractor, Tim enjoys the freedom of setting his own schedule and working when he wants. He lives in Michigan, U.S., and travels extensively across Europe and the U.S., giving him an opportunity to engage with industry leaders and keep abreast of developments.

These days, Tim visits aerospace suppliers to audit their measurement systems against criteria established by the Nadcap Measurement and Inspection (M&I) Task Group, comprised of OEM measurement specialists. In fact, Tim was a member of the M&I Task Group himself for about eight years, as well as Vice Chair of the Nadcap Aerospace Quality Task Group.

“As a result, I have a good understanding of why audit criteria exist and the behavior that the OEMs are trying to drive,” he says. “Being an Auditor within the Nadcap program means I can help auditees understand the thinking behind the criteria. That can turn an audit question from a burden to a learning point and even an opportunity for their business.”

Typical day

Tim arrives for an audit typically at 8am or 9am and works through to 3pm or 4pm. Lunch is usually brought in, which he sees as a good opportunity to get to know the people he is auditing. He spends three to five hours observing their measurement systems in use and watching what processes are followed. He then ends the day with an audit wrap-up to review any issues which have emerged. This is the time when he can discuss the potential audit findings.

Preparing for the audit

Tim understands that companies can find the audit process unfamiliar. He advises people that the best way to prepare is to gain a good understanding of the audit criteria and conduct their own practice audits beforehand. “Although I usually audit people on my own, I get tremendous back-up from my staff engineer at PRI. He’s a great guy. He’s always interested in my concerns or suggestions.”

Would Tim recommend PRI to other would-be auditors?

Tim is immensely proud of being a Nadcap Auditor, particularly as his work to prevent errors in the measurement of aerospace parts will further the safety of aircraft. “Auditing is not for everyone, but if the role suits you then this is a great place to work,” he says. “I very much enjoy my role as a Nadcap Auditor – it’s exciting and challenging. You meet interesting people, learn about interesting products, and get stuck into some interesting technical challenges.”