A nonconformity is a documented instance where something in your system fails to meet a defined requirement. The requirement can come from a standard, specification, drawing, procedure, work instruction, contract, or internal policy that has been baselined and is under change control.
Core characteristics of a nonconformity
- There is a clear requirement: The expectation is written, controlled, and traceable (for example, drawing tolerance, torque spec, SOP step, inspection method).
- There is objective evidence of not meeting it: Data, records, or observations show the requirement was not satisfied.
- It is recorded and traceable: The issue is logged with enough detail to tie it back to the requirement, the affected material or process, and the detection point.
- It can apply to product, process, or system: It may be a nonconforming part, a process not followed, or a quality system element that does not meet a standard like ISO 9001 or AS9100.
What a nonconformity is not
- Not just a general problem: An annoyance, risk, or inefficiency is only a nonconformity if it violates a defined requirement.
- Not a guarantee of regulatory impact: A nonconformity is a data point. How serious it is depends on product risk, regulatory context, and how it is managed.
- Not automatically a CAPA: Many sites triage nonconformities; only some escalate to corrective or preventive actions based on risk, recurrence, and impact.
Typical examples in regulated manufacturing
- Product nonconformity: A machined feature is outside drawing tolerance but passed to the next operation.
- Process nonconformity: An operator skips a required in-process inspection step documented in the work instruction.
- Documentation nonconformity: A batch record is incomplete, illegible, or not filled out as required by procedure.
- System nonconformity: An internal audit finds that calibration intervals defined in the quality system are not being followed.
Dependencies and site-specific nuances
- Requirement clarity: Ambiguous specifications or inconsistent procedures make it hard to decide if an issue is truly a nonconformity or a requirement gap.
- System maturity: Plants with fragmented MES/ERP/QMS often struggle to tie nonconformities to material, equipment, and process history, which affects how confidently they can classify and trend them.
- Regulatory and customer context: In aerospace, medical devices, and similar environments, the same deviation may be treated very differently depending on customer contracts and regulatory filings.
Across brownfield, mixed-system environments, the practical test is: Can you point to a controlled requirement, show objective evidence it was not met, and trace the impact? If yes, it is typically considered a nonconformity and should be processed through the site’s defined nonconformance or deviation handling workflow.