The purpose of the PPAP process is to ensure that component suppliers comply with the design specification and are able to operate consistently without affecting the customer line and improving quality systems. PPAP ensures that the first time you achieve quality and lower down the cost of quality.
Applicability
- The ppap will apply to the sites of internal and external suppliers of production materials, production parts and service parts.
general
The supplier shall obtain full approval of the product approval activity for the customer to:
- a new part or product (that is, a specific part, material or color not foreseen) correction or discrepancy on a previously supplied part, product modified by engineering change that affects the design records, specifications or materials, any situation required by the section 1.3
Process PPAP requirements
For production parts, the product for ppap should be taken from a significant production run. This production run shall be from one hour to eight hours of production, and with the specific production quantity totaling 300 consecutive parts, unless otherwise specified by the customer's quality representative.
PPAP requirement
The supplier will meet all specified requirements, for example design records, specifications, etc. Any result that is out of specification will cause the supplier not to support the parts, documentation and / or records.
- Note 1: For any product, part or component there will be only one design record in which design responsibility is specified.
Documents of any authorized engineering changes
The supplier shall have documents of any authorized engineering changes not recorded in the design, but incorporated into the product, part, or tool.
Engineering approval, when required
Where specified by the design record, the supplier shall have evidence of customer approval.
Failure mode and effect analysis (dfmea), if the supplier is responsible for the design. See the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis Reference Manual.
The supplier must have a dfmea developed in accordance with and in compliance with the requirements of qs-9000 third edition for parts or materials for which they are responsible for the design.
Process flow diagrams
The supplier must have a process flow diagram in a format specified by the supplier that clearly describes the steps and sequence of the production process, which appropriately meets the requirements of the needs specified by the customer (see the reference manual of the apqp and control plan).
Analysis of the effect and mode of the process failure (Process Amef)
(See the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis Reference Manual.)
The supplier must have a process signature developed in accordance with and in compliance with the requirements of QS-9000 third edition.
- Note: A particular process Amef can be applied to a manufacturing process or to a family of similar parts of materials.
Dimensional results
- The supplier shall provide evidence that the dimensional checks required by the design record and the control plan have been completed and the results indicate conformance with the specified requirements. The supplier shall have dimensional results for each unique manufacturing process. The supplier shall indicate the date of the design record, level change, and any authorized engineering change documents not incorporated into the design record for which the part was made. The supplier must identify one of the measured parts as a master sample. The supplier must record the change in level, part name and number on all auxiliary documents, for example;copies of these auxiliary materials must accompany the dimensional results according to the retention / admission table.
Performance test results log
The supplier shall have records and / or performance test results for specified tests on the design record or control plan.
Initial process studies
The initial capability level of the process shall be determined to verify if it is acceptable prior to submission for all special features designed by the customer or supplier.
The supplier shall carry out a measurement system analysis to understand how measurement error is affecting measurement studies, see the measurement system manual (MSA) for reference.
- The purpose of this requirement is to determine if the production process is acceptable to produce product that meets customer requirements. The initial process studies are focused on continuous variables and not on attributes, assembly errors, test failures, surface defects are examples of counting data, which are important to understand, but are not covered in this initial study. The index to estimate the capacity of the process should be an agreement between the customer and the supplier. The cpk and ppk will be described later. Initial process studies are short term and do not predict the effects of time and variation on people, materials, methods, equipment, measurement system and environment. Even for these short-term studies,It is important to collect and analyze the data in the order produced using control charts.For those characteristics that can be studied using x-bar charts and r charts, a short-term study may be based on a minimum of 25 subgroups containing at least 100 consecutive readings of parts of a significant production run. The initial data requirements may be replaced by long-term results of the same or similar processes with the concurrence of the client.The initial data requirements may be replaced by long-term results of the same or similar processes with the concurrence of the client.The initial data requirements may be replaced by long-term results of the same or similar processes with the concurrence of the client.
Quality indices
Initial process studies may be summarized with capacity or performance indices, if these are applicable.
- The results of the initial process studies are dependent on the purpose of the study, the normality of the data, the method of obtaining it, the sampling, the amount of data, the demonstration of statistical control, etc. Check the manual of spc.Cpk.- the capacity index for a stable process. The estimation of sigma is based on the variation of the process within the subgroups (r-bar / d ^ 2 or s-bar / c4).Ppk-. The performance index. The sigma estimate is based on total variation (all individual sample data using standard deviation "s").
Short term studies.
The purpose of initial process studies is to understand process variation, not exactly to calculate a specific value for an index. When historical data is available or there is sufficient data to make a control chart (at least 100 individual samples), the cpk can be calculated when the process is stable. For chronically unstable processes with parts out of specification and predictable models, ppk may be used. When insufficient data is available (<100 samples) contact the person responsible for the customer's part approval activity to develop a suitable plan.
Acceptance criteria for initial studies
The supplier will use the following acceptance criteria to evaluate results of initial process studies when these are considered stable:
| Results | Interpretation |
| Index value> 1.67 | The process meets the customer's requirements after approving, start production and follow the control plan. |
| 1.33 <(index value) <1.67 | Progress is stable, but requires some improvements, contact your client and review the results of the study, this will require changes in the control plan, if there is no improvement prior to the start of volume production. |
| Index value <1.33 | The process does not currently meet the acceptance criteria, contact your customer. |
- Note: cpk can only be used for stable processes.
Unstable processes
Depending on the nature of the instability, an unstable process might not meet the customer's requirements. The provider shall identify, evaluate and, where possible, eliminate special causes of prior variation of the PPAP submission.
The supplier shall notify the customer of any unstable processes that exist and shall present a corrective action plan to the customer prior to any submission.
Processes with one-sided specifications or non-normal distributions
The supplier shall determine with the customer an alternative acceptance criteria for processes with one-sided specifications or non-normal distributions.
- the above-mentioned acceptance criteria assume normality and two-sided specifications (target in center).
When this is not true, the use of analysis may result in unreliable information, these alternative acceptance criteria may require a different type of index or some methods of transforming the data.
The focus should be on understanding the reasons for non-normality and managing the variance.
Strategies When Acceptance Criteria Are Not Met
The supplier should contact the customer when the process cannot be improved. If the acceptance criteria cannot be met by the promised ppap submission date, the supplier shall submit to the customer the approval of a corrective action plan and a modified control plan normally providing for 100% inspection. Continue variance reduction efforts until a ppk or cpk of 1.33 or greater is achieved, or until full customer approval is received.
Measurement system analysis studies
Qualified lab documentation
The supplier shall have a laboratory field and documentation showing that the laboratories meet the requirements of QS-9000.
Control plan (see APQP reference manuals and control plan and QS-9000 third edition)
The supplier shall have a control plan that defines all controls used to control the process and that meets the requirements of QS-9000.
- control plans for “families” of similar parts are acceptable if the new parts have been reviewed in a common way. certain clients require that the control plan be approved, that is, signed by the client on the control plan, prior to the acceptation.
Submission Parts Warranty (psw)
In order to successfully complete all required measurements and tests, the supplier shall record the required submission parts warranty (psw) information.
A separate psw should be prepared for each customer part number unless otherwise agreed with the customer. If the production parts must be produced from more than one cavity, mold, tool or production process, for example lines or cells, the supplier must complete a dimensional evaluation on one part of each. Specific cavities, lines, molds, etc. They should then be identified in the line "mold / cavity / production process" on a psw.
The supplier shall verify that all test and measurement results show compliance with customer requirements and that all required documents are available. An official representative of the supplier must approve the psw and provide the date, title and telephone number.
- A customer part number guarantee can be used to summarize many changes provided that the changes are adequately documented, and the submission is in compliance with the time requirements of the customer's program. The psw can be submitted electronically in compliance with the requirements. of the client, if approved by the client.
Format is shown below:
Part weight (mass)
The supplier must record the weight of the part as shipped in the psw, measured and expressed in kilograms to four significant decimal places (0.0000) unless otherwise specified by the customer. The weight should not include shipping protectors, assembly aids, or packing material. To determine the part weight, the supplier must individually weigh ten randomly selected parts, calculate and report the average weight. At least one part must be measured for each cavity, tool, line or process to be used in the realization of the product.
- This weight is used only to analyze the weight of the vehicle only, and does not affect the approval process. Where there is no production or service requirement for at least ten parts, the supplier shall use the number required to calculate the average part weight.
Appearance approval report (aar)
A separate appearance approval report (aar) must be completed for part or series of parts for which a submission is required if the part / product has appearance requirements in the design records.
A satisfactory realization of all the required criteria, the supplier must record the required information in the aar. The completed and representative aar of the part / product must be submitted to the location specified by the customer to receive disposition. The aar (complete with part provision and client signature) must then accompany the psw at the time of last submission based on the level of submission required. Additional requirements can be recorded in specific customer requirements.
- AAR typically applies only to parts with color, grain, or surface appearance requirements. Certain customers do not require entries in all fields of the AAR. See appendix b for detailed instructions or completion of the aar.
Production parts sample.
The supplier must provide a sample of the product as required by the customer and as defined by the submission requirement.
See format:
Master or master sample.
The supplier must retain a master sample from the same period as the production part approval records, or
- a) until a new master sample is produced by the same customer part number for customer approval, or b) where a master sample is required by design records, control plan or inspection criteria, to be used as much as standard or reference.
The master sample must be identified as such, and must show the customer's approval date on the sample. The supplier must retain a master sample for each position or multi-cavity die, mold, tool or pattern, or production process unless otherwise specified by the customer.
- when the size of the part, the pure volume of the parts, etc. Makes storage of a master sample difficult, sample retention requirements can be modified or waived in writing by the customer responsible for product approval activity. The purpose of a master sample is to assist in defining the standard of production, especially where the information is ambiguous or insufficient in detail to fully replicate the part to its original accepted state.
Verification aids
If required by the customer, the supplier must submit with the submission of PPAP the verification assistance of any specific part or component assembly.
The supplier must certify that all aspects of the verification aids conform to the dimensional requirements of the part. The supplier must document all engineering design changes that have been incorporated into the verification aids up to the time of submission. The supplier must provide preventive maintenance for any verification aid for the life of the part.
Measurement system analysis studies, eg r & r studies, accuracy, bias, linearity, stability studies, should be conducted in compliance with customer requirements.
Specific customer requirements
The supplier must have records of compliance for all specific customer requirements.
- client notification and submission requirements client notification
The supplier must notify the person responsible for the approval activity, the client's product activity, for approval for a change in the process or in the design as indicated in the following table. The client can subsequently choose the submission for ppap approval.
See table:
| Request | Clarification or examples |
| Use of other optional construction or material that was used by the previously approved part | For example, another construction documented on a permit or included as a note in the design records that is not covered by any engineering change. |
| 2.- Production of new or modified tools (except typical wear tools), dies, molds, dies, etc., including auxiliary or additional tools. | This requirement only applies to tools which were made with only one form or function, it can be expected to influence the integrity of the final product, it is not intended to describe standard tools (new or repaired), as well as standard measuring devices, pilot programs (manual or power). |
| 3.-Production after restoration or recommendation of existing tools or equipment. | Restoration means the rebuilding or modification of a tool or machine to increase the capacity, function or change of an existing function, this is not intended to be confused with normal maintenance, repair or replacement of parts, etc., for which no change in operation can be expected and in subsequent repair methods have been established.
Rearrangement is defined as the activity in which there is a change in the sequence of the product / process flow that is documented in the process flow diagram. Minor adjustments to production equipment may require awareness of safety requirements such as installation of protective covers, elimination of potential hazards, etc., these changes can be made without customer approval unless the process flow has changed as result of this adjustment. |
| 4.- Production from tools and equipment transferred to a different plant location or to an additional plant location. | Tooling and / or production process equipment transferred between buildings or facilities at one or more locations. |
| 5.-Change of subcontractors for parts, non-equivalent materials or services (for example, heat treatment, silvering) that affect the assembly, form, function, durability or performance requirements. | Suppliers are responsible for the approval of subcontracted materials and services that affect assembly, form, function, durability, or customer performance requirements. |
| 6.-Product produced after the tool has been inactive for 1 month or more. | For product that has been produced after the tool has been inactive for 12 months or more, when the part or more, when the part has no active purchase order and the existing tool has been inactive for volume production for 12 months or plus. The only exception is when the part is low volume, however a customer may specify certain PPAP requirements for service parts. |
| 7.-Change in the product or process related to product components, manufactured internally or by a subcontractor that impacts the assembly, form, function, performance and / or durability of the product's life. Additionally, the supplier must comply with any requisition made by a subcontractor prior to submission to the client. | Any change that affects the customer's requirements in assembly, shape, performance, and / or durability requires notification to the customer.
Note: the assembly, form, function, performance, and / or durability should be part of the customer's specifications as agreed upon during the contract review. |
Customer submission
The supplier must submit the Ppap for approval prior to the first production shipment in the following situations unless the person responsible for the Product Approval activity has deviated this requirement, the supplier must review and update, as necessary, all points applicable in the PPAP file to reflect the production process, taking into account or not a formal submission requirement, the PPAP file must contain the name of the person responsible for the customer for the product approval activity granting the weiver and the date.
See the table:
| Request | Clarification or examples |
| 1.-A new part or product (it can be a specific part, material or color previously not provided to a specific customer). | Submission is required for a new product (initial release) or a previously approved product which has a new or revised part or product number assigned to it.
A new product, part or material added to a family may use appropriate documentation from a PPAP of a previously approved part entirely within the same product family. |
| 2.-Correction of a discrepancy in a previously submitted part. | Submission is required to correct any discrepancies in a previously submitted part.
A discrepancy can be related to:
|
| 3.-Engineering changes to design, specification or material records for part number (s) or product for production. | Submission is required on any engineering change to part or product design records, specifications or materials. |
