DK Lock, First Domestic Company to Obtain NADCAP Certification for Aviation Fittings

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] DK Lock announced on the 20th that it has become the first domestic fitting company to obtain NADCAP (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) certification in the aerospace fitting field from PRI (Performance Review Institute).

NADCAP, overseen by PRI, a subsidiary of SAE International (Society of Automotive Engineers), is a certification for products and special processes of aerospace and defense industry suppliers. After about seven years of preparation, DK Lock finally passed the PRI auditor’s certification review in July of this year.

To acquire the certification, DK Lock has continuously collaborated technically with KAI (Korea Aerospace Industries) and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology. This achievement is based on the aerospace fitting development experience accumulated through regional core industry fostering (R&D) projects by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Gyeongsangnam-do, the Gyeongnam National Innovation Cluster project, and the World Class 300 (R&D) project by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

Global aerospace companies such as Boeing in the United States and Airbus in France mandate NADCAP certification for their suppliers to maintain advanced technology and top-quality standards reliably. In Korea, only about 50 companies across 24 fields have obtained NADCAP certification, making it a significant entry barrier.

Aerospace fittings are parts required according to the detailed system performance and shapes needed for aircraft operation. They are mainly used in piping systems such as fuel systems, hydraulic systems, life support and ejection systems, and other systems. Until now, Korea has largely depended on foreign-made fittings.

A DK Lock official stated, “Aerospace fittings require special materials combined with advanced precision machining technology and quality control capabilities to supply products.” He added, “Along with the AS9100 system established in 2016, this will serve as a cornerstone for our full-scale entry into the aerospace and defense industries.”

The company signed an MOU for aerospace material localization with KAI in November 2020. After acquiring KAI QPL (Qualified Product List) certification, it developed 18 types of aerospace fitting parts and supplied them to the Korean fighter jet KF-21 Boramae prototype, with plans to continue deliveries until 2032.

Furthermore, the company plans to expand its business scope not only to other models such as KAI’s fixed-wing aircraft T-50 (trainer) and rotary-wing aircraft KUH (utility helicopter) currently under development but also through localization of module manufacturing. The derivative effects are expected to grow even larger.

Meanwhile, the domestic aerospace materials market is valued at 1.12 trillion KRW, and the aerospace fitting demand generated by KAI is projected to be between 70 billion and 100 billion KRW over the next decade. KAI is accelerating its efforts to achieve a 50% localization rate of aircraft materials by 2030 to reduce costs and shorten delivery times, drawing attention to the outcomes that will be produced in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.