APQP / PPAP

Advanced Product Quality Planning (from AIAG) (APQP / PPAP) provides the framework for the development and manufacturing of a product for a vehicle. The approach describes gathering customer input, developing the product; develop the process from which the product will be built at volume; validate the product and the processes; finally launch the product – production.

APQP / PPAP

Voice of Customer/Requirements

The voice of the customer drives our product development endeavor. This is an understanding of the scope of the work and requirements are generated. The scope is refined to the level to which a strategy or approach to meet these customer demands can be identified and planned. This often entails the use of decision matrices (example: Pugh Matrix) and tools such as Quality Function Deployment (QFD).

Product Development

The product is iteratively and incrementally developed in the product development portion of the process. This consists of building models and prototypes of varying degrees of complexity and fidelity to the proposed final product. During each build, the product is explored, something is learned and alterations and refinements are made to the design. A tool known as the Design Failure Mode Effects Analysis (DFMEA) will help us to learn from the product as progress is made.

Process Development

In parallel with the development of the product comes the development of the processes that will ultimately produce the product at volume (Design for Manufacture and Assembly). This is often referred to as concurrent engineering. This shortens the product development cycle as well as limiting or greatly reducing rework. This work will entail setting up the manufacturing line, developing control plans, work instructions, poke yoke, DFMEA, process capability and much more.

Process/Product Validation

The validation of the product and the process helps ascertain the abilities of both the product and the manufacturing processes to meet the expectation or defined project and business goals. This phase includes trial production runs, run at rate runs, Measurement System Evaluation, Production Part Approval, and much more.

Launch

Quality management is the practices the organization employs to meet the customer quality expectation. There are techniques and tools used to deliver a cost effective quality product. This includes quality control, quality assurance, quality improvement, and quality planning. Product reliability is the quality of the product over time, and Total Quality Management is a comprehensive approach to continuous quality improvement.

APQP – Advance Product Quality Planning – an approach to automotive product development and manufacturing which includes tools and techniques in addition to processes for designing and manufacturing a quality product at automotive production volumes.

    1. https://www.aiag.org/
    2. https://www.sae.org/
    3. https://vda-qmc.de/en/software-processes/automotive-spice/
    4. https://www.assemblymag.com/
    5. https://www.ai-online.com/
    6. https://tmc.trucking.org/

Project Management for Automotive Engineers

Spamcast 380 – Kim Robertson, The Big Picture of Configuration Management

https://spamcast.libsyn.com/category/Configuration+Management

SPaMCAST 346 – Configuration Management, An Interview With Jon M Quigley

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0yNV2BTLZh5KNkUxf1hzZF

SPaMCAST 477 – Silence: A Powerful Tool, Muddling Through, Monolithic Monolith

https://podtail.se/podcast/software-process-and-measurement-cast/spamcast-477-silence-a-powerful-tool-muddling-thro/

Spamcast 380 – Kim Robertson, The Big Picture of Configuration Management

https://spamcast.libsyn.com/category/Configuration+Management

SPaMCAST 346 – Configuration Management, An Interview With Jon M Quigley

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0yNV2BTLZh5KNkUxf1hzZF

Peterman Design Firm- Conscious Management, An Interview With Jon M Quigley

https://www.petermanfirm.com/blog/podcast/interview-with-jon-quigley-of-value-transformation-on-conscious-management/

Control Plan Gaps: What Most Quality Professionals Overlook

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PPAP Risk Management: Why Most PPAP Approvals Still Fail at Production Launch

PPAP Risk Management: Why Most PPAP Approvals Still Fail at Production Launch I recently reviewed a visual guide titled “How to Create PPAP – Complete Practical Master Guide.“ Like many PPAP references circulating online, it does an excellent job explaining the documentation requirements, submission levels, and elements of the Production Part Approval Process. What it […]

Executive Decisions and Product Launch Failure: When Success Becomes a Blind Spot

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Product Development Writing: Why Engineers Must Think Beyond Engineering

Product Development Writing — Engineering Beyond Engineering I never intended to become a writer. I intended to become a product development professional. Like many engineers, I initially believed technical competence and creativity would largely determine success. Certainly, strong engineering capability matters. But over time, reality exposes a far more complicated truth: Products rarely fail solely […]

Inspection Fallout: Why More Inspectors Do Not Fix Broken Processes

The reflex response after a defect escape is often predictable: add more inspectors. More containment. More gate reviews. More signoffs. More checklists. The organization feels pressure to “do something,” and inspection fallout becomes the preferred reaction because it is visible, immediate, and politically safer than confronting systemic process weakness. The problem is that inspection fallout […]

Relaxation in Moderation: The Discipline Behind Sustainable Success

Relaxation in Moderation and Sustainable Success Relaxation is important. Recovery matters. Rest is necessary. But “relaxation in moderation” is an idea that deserves more scrutiny than most people give it. In modern culture, relaxation is often marketed as a permanent or desired end state: avoid stress, minimize discomfort, seek convenience, optimize ease, remove friction. Yet […]

Product Launch Delays: Configuration Management Matters

Product Launch Delays Continue to Impact Automotive and Technology Programs A recent Gartner study noted that nearly half of product launches experience delays of at least one month. That statistic should surprise nobody working in modern vehicle development, software-defined systems, or complex manufacturing programs. The causes of Product Launch Delays are often deeper than scheduling […]

How to Use AI in Business Processes for Faster Quoting, Smarter Design, and Improved Manufacturing Quality

How to Use AI in Business Processes for Faster Quoting, Smarter Design, and Improved Manufacturing Quality Artificial intelligence is no longer experimental—it is becoming essential for companies looking to improve speed, accuracy, and decision-making. The real opportunity lies in applying AI business processes across the value chain, particularly in quoting, design exploration, material substitution, and […]

Why Most Testing Strategies Fail: The Real Problem Isn’t Testing

Why Most Testing Strategies Fail: The Real Problem Isn’t Testing This post is borne out of a LinkedIn post.  If you’re responsible for testing, here’s a simple question: 👉 Do you actually know what’s going on? Not what’s reported.Not what’s assumed.What’s really happening? Because in most organizations, what looks like a testing strategy failure isn’t […]

The Fates and Project Management: What Ancient Myth Teaches Modern Leaders

The Fates and Project Management: Understanding Control and Uncertainty In Greek mythology, the Fates—Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos—govern the thread of life. This powerful metaphor offers a compelling way to understand Fates project management in today’s unpredictable project environments. Despite detailed plans and structured methodologies, projects rarely unfold exactly as intended. Like the Fates, project managers […]

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