Try it while you read
Open the free APQP Project Plan tool and click Load sample: it reproduces the case study below.
The five phases
| Phase | Key deliverables |
|---|---|
| 1 Plan and define | Customer input, design goals, reliability and quality goals, preliminary BOM and process flow, special characteristics |
| 2 Product design | DFMEA, design reviews, prototype control plan, drawings and specifications, gauge and equipment requirements |
| 3 Process design | Process flow, floor plan, PFMEA, pre-launch control plan, work instructions, MSA plan, packaging |
| 4 Validation | Significant production run, MSA, initial process studies, production validation testing, production control plan, PPAP |
| 5 Feedback | Reduced variation, customer satisfaction, delivery and service, lessons learned |
Key point
Step by step
- Enter SOP and project length in the APQP plan. The phases are scheduled backwards.
- Adapt the deliverables to the customer-specific requirements and your design responsibility.
- Track the status weekly; overdue deliverables show up in the verdict.
- Hold gate reviews with a clear go / no-go and documented open points.
- Close with PPAP using the PPAP checklist and verify capacity with a run at rate.
Example: 14 months to SOP
A supplier is nominated for a bracket with SOP in 14 months and no design responsibility. Phase 2 deliverables are reduced to drawing review and feasibility; phase 3 gets most of the time for tooling and PFMEA. The plan shows that the tool must be ready 4 months before SOP to leave time for the significant production run, capability studies and PPAP.
Common mistakes
- Planning forward from today instead of backwards from SOP.
- PFMEA written after the process is built.
- No buffer between tool approval and PPAP.
Frequently asked questions
What are the five APQP phases?
Plan and define the program; product design and development; process design and development; product and process validation; feedback, assessment and corrective action.
Is APQP required by IATF 16949?
IATF 16949 requires a product realization process with planning, design and development and approval (clause 8.1 and 8.3); most automotive customers specify APQP or an equivalent method in their customer-specific requirements.
How does APQP relate to PPAP?
PPAP is the output of phase 4, product and process validation. A complete APQP makes the PPAP a formality.