QM Bench

Advanced product quality planning

APQP and product launch

Plan the five APQP phases back from SOP, track every deliverable, prove capacity with a run at rate and submit the PPAP. Free, in your browser, with PDF reports.

Tools

APQP Project PlanAPQP phases and deliverables scheduled back from SOP, with Gantt.Run at Rate CalculatorDemonstrated capacity vs. customer demand from a production trial.FMEA WorksheetSeverity, occurrence and detection ratings with RPN, priority ranking and CSV export.Control PlanAIAG-style control plan, drafted from the FMEA, with CSV and PDF export.Gage R&R (MSA)Crossed study with ANOVA: repeatability, reproducibility, %GRR, % tolerance and ndc.Process Capability & Control ChartsCp, Cpk, Pp, Ppk, PPM and confidence intervals with X-bar/R, X-bar/S or I-MR charts and all 8 Nelson rules.PPAP Checklist & PSW18 PPAP elements by level 1–5, status, PSW as PDF.

The five APQP phases

  1. 1 Plan and defineGoals, preliminary BOM and flow
  2. 2 Product designDFMEA, drawings, prototype
  3. 3 Process designPFMEA, flow, control plan
  4. 4 ValidationRun at rate, MSA, Ppk, PPAP
  5. 5 FeedbackLessons learned, reduced variation

Guides

What is APQP? The 5 phases explained

Advanced product quality planning explained: the five phases, the deliverables of each phase, gates, the role of FMEA, control plan, MSA and PPAP, and how long it takes.

APQP vs VDA MLA (Maturity Level Assurance)

AIAG APQP and the VDA Maturity Level Assurance (MLA) for new parts compared: phases vs maturity levels, measurement criteria, traffic lights and when customers ask for which.

Product launch: 10 mistakes that cause problems after SOP

The most common reasons new products run into quality problems after start of production, and how APQP, FMEA, MSA, run at rate and PPAP prevent them.