For many small to mid-sized machine shops, ISO 9001 certification can feel like a big question mark. You may hear customers asking about it, competitors advertising it, or consultants recommending it but is ISO 9001 actually worth the time, cost, and effort for a machine shop?

As a quality management consultant, I’ll walk you through what ISO 9001 is, where it comes from, who uses it, why organizations pursue it, the challenges it can present, and how certification including internal audits actually works. Along the way I’ll explain practical implications for small to mid sized machine shops, manufacturers, and engineering teams that are considering or preparing for ISO 9001 certification.