Apqp

Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP)

When to use

Use this skill when:

• A new product or part is being launched and a structured quality plan is needed
• Managing an APQP project and tracking deliverables across phases
• Conducting an APQP gate review to assess launch readiness
• A customer requests an APQP status report or phase completion confirmation
• Auditing whether a supplier's APQP process is adequate

Prerequisites

• Customer requirements, specifications, and drawings (or RFQ package)
• Programme timing (SOP date, PPAP submission date, prototype gates)
• Nominated APQP team (cross-functional: engineering, quality, purchasing, manufacturing, logistics)
• Customer APQP template if OEM-specific format required

Workflow

Overview — The 5 APQP Phases

Phase 1          Phase 2          Phase 3          Phase 4          Phase 5
Plan & Define → Product Design → Process Design → Product & Process → Feedback &
                & Development   & Development      Validation         Corrective Action
     ↓               ↓               ↓                ↓                  ↓
  Program         Prototype       Pre-launch         PPAP              SOP +
  approval         build           build           submission          Production

All phases run with concurrent engineering — phases overlap and teams work in parallel.

Phase 1 — Plan and Define Program

Objective: Understand customer requirements and define what the product must do.

Key deliverables:

Gate 1 pass criteria:

• Customer requirements documented and agreed
• Feasibility confirmed (technical and commercial)
• Team chartered and timing plan approved
• Special characteristics list preliminary but complete

Phase 2 — Product Design and Development

Objective: Translate customer requirements into a product design with verified characteristics.

Key deliverables:

Gate 2 pass criteria:

• DFMEA complete with all H-AP actions closed
• DVP complete and test execution started
• Prototype build results acceptable
• All special characteristics identified and confirmed
• No outstanding major design concerns

Phase 3 — Process Design and Development

Objective: Design and verify the manufacturing process.

Key deliverables:

Gate 3 pass criteria:

• PFMEA complete, H-AP actions closed or formally accepted
• Pre-launch Control Plan approved
• Process instructions complete for all operations
• Tooling and equipment installed and qualified
• No unresolved open issues blocking pre-launch build

Phase 4 — Product and Process Validation

Objective: Validate the production process and prepare for PPAP submission.

Key deliverables:

Gate 4 pass criteria (= PPAP approval):

• Significant production run completed (minimum 300 consecutive parts per AIAG PPAP 4th ed §4.0, unless the customer specifies otherwise in writing)
• Dimensional results 100% conforming
• Cpk ≥ 1.67 on all special characteristics (or customer-approved deviation)
• %GRR < 30% for all MSA studies
• PPAP submitted and customer approval received
• No open concerns from validation testing

Phase 5 — Feedback, Assessment and Corrective Action

Objective: Continuous improvement after SOP — close the loop on any issues found in production.

Key activities:

Phase 5 is ongoing. There is no defined end gate — it runs for the life of the programme.

APQP timing — rule of thumb

Automotive OEM programmes vary — always confirm with the customer's APQP coordinator.

Validation criteria

At each gate review, verify:

• All deliverables for the phase are complete (not "in progress")
• No open H-AP items in DFMEA or PFMEA without approved actions
• No outstanding design or process concerns without a documented resolution plan
• Team sign-off obtained from all functions (quality, engineering, manufacturing, purchasing)
• Customer confirmation received before advancing to next phase

Gate reviews are STOP gates — do not advance until all criteria are met.

Common mistakes

• Starting Phase 2 before customer requirements are fully understood and documented (Phase 1 incomplete)
• PFMEA created after process is already running — it must drive process design, not document it
• Production trial run shorter than 300 consecutive parts without written customer authorisation — the PPAP samples must come from this run; a shorter run requires an explicit customer waiver
• Capability studies run on off-tool or pre-production parts — must be from production tooling
• Prototype Control Plan used for PPAP submission — production control plan must be separate
• MSA studies done after PPAP submission — must be complete before PSW is signed
• Phase 5 never started — APQP is treated as "done" at SOP rather than as a continuous loop
• Lessons learned not captured — same problems recur on next programme

Output Format

At the start of each use, ask the user:

"How would you like to receive the output? A — Structured Markdown (formatted tables and sections, ready to copy) B — Plain tables (simplified structure for Excel or Word) C — Narrative report (flowing text for a formal document or email)

Default: A."

Adapt all output sections to the chosen format. If the platform or session context already defines a format preference, skip this question.

Changelog