Quality & Manufacturing Audits for Engineering, WELDING and Fabrication Companies 

Independent quality and manufacturing audits covering manufacturing process compliance, quality management, witness testing, documentation, traceability, equipment calibration and alignment with BS EN ISO standards. 

Ideal for engineering, welding, fabrication and manufacturing companies needing practical, industry‑focused audits that identify risks, strengthen compliance and drive measurable improvement. 

Quality & Manufacturing Audits that Strengthen Competence, Compliance & Confidence

ABOUT

At Philip Bralsford Consultancy & Training, we deliver specialist Quality & Manufacturing Audits that go beyond compliance — identifying root causes, strengthening systems and driving measurable improvement across metals, welding, fabrication and engineering materials industries.

Led by Philip Bralsford, Chartered Engineer (CEng), Chartered Metallurgist, Materials Engineer, Welding Specialist and Lead Auditor, our audits combine deep metallurgical, welding & materials understanding with decades of practical experience in manufacturing, welding, fabrication and certification environments.

We help organisations achieve technical assurance, operational integrity and audit‑ready performance.

Our Audit Expertise

We specialise in engineering‑level audits that translate complex requirements into clear, actionable outcomes:

• Metallurgy & Materials Engineering Audits – review of manufacturing processes, procedural & specification compliance.

• Fabrication & Welding Technology Audits – review of WPSs, WPQRs,  personnel competence, welding coordination, welding quality management, welder & welding operator qualifications & inspection processes.

• Quality Management Audits – assessment of quality systems, competences, documentation, corrective actions, continuous improvement, policies & procedures.

• Supplier & Subcontractor Audits – independent evaluation of technical capability and compliance with ISO quality standards and other metals and materials technical standards.

• Process & Product Audits – manufacturing processes, inspections, consistency, defect trends ,investigations and process validation.

• Witness Testing - our witness testing is precise, impartial and expertly executed, giving clients complete confidence in the integrity of their testing results.

We possess extensive quality management system & manufacturing audit experience which includes: BS EN 1090, ISO 3834, ISO 9001, ISO 14731, ISO 17025, ISO 19443 & CARES Scheme Appendices for reinforcing steels.

We also offer bespoke Audits to clients' own Quality / Manufacturing / Technical / Purchasing standards. 

Each audit is structured to deliver clear findings, practical recommendations and measurable improvement.

Audit Experience Summary — Philip Bralsford CEng MIMMM MWeldI DipMet MMetMBA

Our Lead Auditor Philip Bralsford is a Chartered Engineer, with extensive, high‑level audit experience across the metals, materials and manufacturing sectors. His audit portfolio spans technical, quality, metallurgical, welding and compliance audits, delivered both independently and as a 3rd‑party Certification Auditor conducting Audits in the UK and around the world.

Core Audit Expertise:

• 3rd‑party certification auditing for the Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels (CARES) and the Steel Construction Certification Scheme (SCCS), covering quality management systems, steel manufacture, welding and fabrication, structural components and safety‑critical manufacturing.

• Technical audits focused on metallurgy, materials engineering, heat treatment, forging, casting, welding technology and fabrication processes.

• Quality management system audits aligned with ISO 9001, ISO 17025, ISO 3834 and sector‑specific standards.

• Supplier audits assessing capability, compliance, product integrity and process control across complex supply chains.

• Process and special‑process audits including welding procedure qualification, inspection, testing, calibration, traceability and metallurgical control.

• Corrective‑action and improvement audits designed to strengthen systems, eliminate recurring issues, and raise organisational performance.

Industry Background Supporting Audit Work

Philip’s audit capability is grounded in decades of technical and operational working experience with:

• British Steel

• Sheffield Forgemasters

• Corus

His roles in research, product development, quality control and innovative problem‑solving provide a deep understanding of how metals‑industry processes behave in real‑world production environments — a perspective that strengthens every audit he delivers.

Audit Style & Value

Philip is recognised for:

• Clear, evidence‑based findings

• Practical, actionable recommendations

• Strong technical credibility with engineering teams

• A calm, professional audit presence that builds trust

• Reports that drive measurable improvement rather than box‑ticking

Why Clients Choose Us

• Technical depth – audits led by a Chartered Engineer with advanced qualifications in metallurgy, engineering materials and welding technology

• Industry experience – background spanning leading engineering companies including British Steel, Sheffield Forgemasters and Corus

• Outcome‑driven approach – findings translated into actionable improvement plans

• Independent assurance – trusted by certification bodies and engineering organisations alike

Our clients value audits that don’t just identify non‑conformances — they strengthen competence and confidence across teams.

Supporting Services

• Technical handbooks and self‑study courses in metallurgy, materials engineering and welding technology

• Training and mentoring for engineers, inspectors and quality professionals

• Strategic consultancy for process improvement and technical documentation

Industries Served

• Metals manufacturing & engineering

• Welding, fabrication and joining technology

• Construction and infrastructure

• Nuclear and other high‑integrity metals & materials industries and supply chains

• Certification and compliance bodies

CLIENT FEEDBACK

We have received excellent feedback on our Quality & Manufacturing Audits from our clients who have praised the quality and comprehensiveness of our Audits, as well as the expertise and professionalism of our Auditors. 

Many clients have also highlighted the actionable insights and practical recommendations provided, which have helped them improve their quality management systems and achieve certifications such as BS EN 1090, ISO 3834, ISO 14731, ISO 9001, ISO 17025 & CARES Scheme Appendices. 

Our clients in the Aerospace sector & the Oil & Gas sector commented:

"Philip Bralsford Consultancy & Training has been hired to carry out several individual Audits for the group (Doncasters PLC) where they have supplied us with a very good service throughout. The Audit reports are very in depth and has helped the Group improve its individual Quality systems and also due to the Auditor's in-depth knowledge of the business, gave valuable recommendation for improvements."

"As Technical Director of Balltec Ltd, I found that the technical expertise and advice offered by Philip Bralsford Consultancy & Training to be invaluable. Their experience in the manufacturing of large, high integrity forgings was particularly useful in dissecting detailed customer specifications, writing in house specifications and auditing potential suppliers."

Contact Us 

For a quotation, or for more information on our Quality & Manufacturing Audits, contact our Lead Auditor, Philip Bralsford CEng MIMMM MWeldI DipMet MMet MBA:

• • e-mail: philip@philipbralsford.co.uk

• • Office: +44 (0)114 235 6111 

  • Mobile: +44 (0)7963 099930