Demystifying AAR Certification: Understanding the Basics for Rail Industry Professionals

Railroad safety should be a priority for every professional. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is a key organization for supporting not just safety but innovation and decarbonization for railroads throughout North America.

AAR certification is a way to ensure that your parts, fittings, and vehicles meet the highest standards of safety, often higher than those required by the government. These standards ensure both compliance and safety and are essentially a requirement for manufacturers and suppliers; while not required legally, few customers will purchase parts that are not certified.

What is AAR Certification and Why Does it Matter?

The AAR sets standards for a variety of parts and supplies to maintain safety and reliability. Certified parts not only help keep your employees, customers, and the environment safer, but improve reliability, reduce downtime, and lower the risk of expensive leaks.

The Association of American Railroads has a variety of members, which include the U.S., Canadian, and Mexican governments, most major freight providers, and the passenger services Amtrak and Metra. This allows for a standard of safety to be maintained throughout the continent, including for cross-border services. AAR certification is, thus, important for all rail carriers that want to collaborate and work in the North American sector.

AAR certification is also highly prestigious and increases your chance of being able to sell your product.

The Foundation of AAR Standards

The AAR designs standards that meet or exceed regulatory requirements and are designed to be ahead of the curve, using the highest standards possible with current technology.

This helps customers know that the parts they buy will function properly and safely, and will last longer with proper maintenance. There are two AAR quality assurance management frameworks:

1. ISO 9001. This is a globally recognized standard for quality management. It's not specific to railroads but rather is a standard AAR encourages companies to use to ensure that their quality management systems are up to par.
2. M-1003. This is AAR's specific standard for railroad products, services, and materials. Thus, it is more specific and stringent and provides specific information for the railroad industry.

Meeting both of these frameworks will help ensure that you are ready to provide AAR-certified products. It will also ensure improved customer satisfaction, reduce returns and recalls, and ultimately save money.

AAR Certification Step-By-Step Process

Each component must go through the multi-step AAR certification process to gain approval. However, once a facility is certified, the process becomes easier.

Here are the key steps:

1. Determining eligibility and scope. To gain AAR approval, companies must meet the criteria for supplying and marketing their products specifically within North America. The AAR focuses on certifying businesses that operate in this market rather than those primarily serving other regions.
2. Obtain the relevant AAR publications. Obtain the necessary AAR publications by identifying which ones apply to your needs. You can contact the appropriate AAR Committee Manager if you need help. Once determined, the publications are available for purchase online in digital format through AAR.
3. Submit your design drawings and fees to the appropriate AAR Committee Manager for review, a process that typically takes four to ten weeks. Additionally, you have the option to present product designs at AAR's semi-annual meetings.
4. Conduct the required testing as outlined in the AAR standards. In most cases, testing must be performed with an official observer present, at your expense. However, these tests generally align with those you would conduct as part of your own quality assurance process.
5. Obtain facility approval. Technical inspection is required for all major components of the facility producing your product. Costs are covered by you, and the inspector will help you identify any issues that might impact quality and consistency. You will also need to obtain QA approval, typically meeting M-1003.
6. Request conditional approval. New components are typically approved for two years with a sales limit and you have to send in sales and service reports. This helps identify problems that show up after production starts and mitigate the risk and scale of any recalls needed. If performance is satisfactory for the two years, you can then request full certification.

The timeline varies depending on the complexity of the component, availability of inspectors, etc. Design review, as mentioned, typically takes four to ten weeks. Assume that the full process will take several months and plan accordingly. If timing works out, you can sometimes save time by presenting designs at the semi-annual meeting and getting more immediate feedback.  Delays may be caused if you need to change your design (requiring resubmission) or your facility (requiring a second inspection).

What Are the Most Common AAR Certification Issues?

Failing to get your component certified is very expensive. Your goal should be to get it approved the first time without revisions. The most common reasons applications are denied include:

• A component may not meet a requirement, particularly for complex parts with multiple subcomponents. A design that appears sound on paper may not perform as expected in testing.
• Overlooking a quality assurance issue can lead to inconsistencies during the conditional approval period.
• Misinterpreting the standard may result in designing a component with incorrect specifications.
• Failure to meet certification standards across the business, including facility inspections, can impact approval.
• Not meeting the criteria to qualify as a North American supplier may prevent certification.

Most of these issues can be prevented by thoroughly understanding the requirements. Carefully study the standards and have them reviewed multiple times by different team members to minimize the risk of misinterpretation.

How to Maintain AAR Certification

Even a fully approved product or facility can lose AAR certification. Ongoing compliance audits and quality control testing are required to meet the standards, maintain certification, and address feedback from inspectors or test observers.

Failure to comply can lead to certification revocation, penalties, and potential loss of customers. Neglecting quality control also increases the risk of product recalls, legal action, and liability in the event of an accident.

The Benefits of AAR Certification

While the primary advantage of AAR certification is enhanced safety, there are several additional benefits to consider:

• Greater Customer Trust – Certification demonstrates a commitment to quality and compliance, strengthening credibility with customers.
• Increased Revenue – Many rail operators require suppliers to be AAR-certified. Certification provides access to a broader market and new business opportunities.
• Reduced Liability – Compliance with AAR standards minimizes the risk of product recalls and legal exposure in the event of an accident.
• Lower Long-Term Costs – Certified components are designed for reliability, efficiency, and durability, reducing maintenance and replacement expenses over time.

Get Certified and Strengthen Your Position

AAR certification strengthens your business's position in the North American rail industry. It ensures that your products will be safe and reliable and helps customers know they can trust you, even if you are releasing a new product.

While the process has some common pitfalls, especially misunderstanding or misreading standards, the process is clear and easy to follow and once complete ensures that you are producing components, supplies, and materials your customers can trust.

If you need guidance gaining and maintaining AAR certification, contact McKenzie Valve. We have been producing AAR-certified tank car valves and other components for years and are highly familiar with the process. We are willing to act as a consultant to help you navigate it, avoid pitfalls, and improve the safety and quality of your products.