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Production Part Approval
Process (PPAP)
@ AEHQ / SAUGUST 31,2014 /
CORE AUTOMOTIVE KNOWLEDGE & PRINCIPLES (HTTP: AUTOMOTIVEENGINEERINGHQ.COM/<
LEAVE A COMMENT (HTTP://WWW.AUTOMOTIVEENGINEERINGHQ.COM/PRODUCTION-PART-APPRO\Whenever you have a detailed process with many steps, missing just one step
can have disastrous results on the end product. Consider when you bake a cake;
you must add all the ingredients in the correct order, blend them thoroughly,
prepare the pans, bake at the correct temperature and for the appropriate
amount of time and then allow them to cool before removing them from the
pans and covering them with frosting. If you forget to add the flour the cake will
have no substance or if you forget the baking powder or eggs then the cake will
not have the right consistency and will not rise. You cannot frost the cake before
it cooks or even before it cools or the frosting will not stay on the cake. Finally, if
the temperature of the over
too high the cake will burn. Each of these cooking
mistakes can result in a very unappetizing cake. Manufacturing a car is similar to
baking a cake, but there are multiple different layers of complexity. The PPAP
process is a product development template to ensure that at every level of the
vehicle from the smallest component to all the way to the final vehicle the
processes, materials and production have been qualified and are ready for start
of production.
The history behind the process
The PPAP process was not always used to develop automobiles, these quality
processes were developed to gain back the manufacturing edge that America
lost to Japan in the 1980s. Prior to the 1980s American manufacturing plants
dominated the worldwide market for automobiles but they lost that dominance
when the Japanese entered the market with a higher quality product. American
manufacturers had to rethink how to compete with the Japanese and developed
numerous processes that allowed them to regain their competitiveness in the
automotive market.
The PPAP process was developed by a consortium of industry engineers within
the Automotive Industry Action Grou (AIAG
https://www.aiag.org/scriptcontent/index.cfm), The AIAG was found in 1982 in
Southfield, Michigan and was comprised of representative engineers from all the
major manufacturers of automobiles in North America. The initial goal was to
provide recommendations to improve quality but the group expanded and grew
to include key ~— processes and ~—= automotive _standards
(http:/Awww.automotiveengineeringha.com/ts16949/) used within the industry.
Numerous processes and initi
/es were introduced to support that goal in the
early years of the group's existence. In 1993 the Supplier Quality Task Forcedeveloped and launched the APOP
(http://wwwautomotiveengineeringha.com/apap-process/) manual and
complementary processes to assist in the process validation. The goal of the
PPAP process is to ensure that all designs and specifications are understood by
the supplier and that the production process and produce products that
consistently meet these requirements when running at rate. From its inception,
the PPAP process has been widely used in the automotive industry worldwide.
The PPAP process impacts all engineers within the automotive industry from the
design engineers who must complete the drawings and specifications for the
vehicle to the production engineers who must design robust processes with the
proper quality controls in place. Quality engineers are included in the PPAP
process as well and are responsible for several elements of the process plus in
many organizations the quality engineer complete the PPAP document and
submits the entire package to the customer for approval and signoff.
(http://www.automotiveengineeringhg.com/wp-
content/uploads/2014/08/Production-Part-
Approval-Test-gauge.jpg)The elements of the
PPAP process
Designing and producing an automobile is not an easy endeavor so it's not
surprising that the PPAP process is fairly complex. This detailed process is
comprised of nineteen key elements that must be completed to ensure the
production process will produce a quality product.
Design DocumentationDesign documentation will include both a copy of the customer and the
supplier's drawings _(http-//edpstuffblogspot.com/2010/O7/basics-of-
engineering-drawing.html) in addition to a copy of a representative purchase
order. The design engineer's role for this portion of the PPAP is to verify that the
two drawings match and that all critical characteristics are agreed upon. A copy
of the purchase order is needed to ensure that the correct part is being ordered
and that it is the correct revision. Verifying that the product expectations match
early in the development process makes sure that there are no mistakes later in
the process that result in wasted time or money developing the wrong product.
Engineering Change Documentation
There are times when the PPAP is being completed due to a request for a change
toa product. When this occurs the documentation requesting and approving the
change must be included in the PPAP package. This documentation could include
a purchase order from the customer or an engineering change notice
(htt he
but it must be approved by the customer engineering department.
/www.automotiveengineeri m/engineering-change-management/)
Engineering Approval
Engineering approval refers to testing that is done in the field to validate that
the product meets specification. During the development process pre-PPAP
samples are ordered for on-site testing, these samples must be production
intent and ship with a waiver so that testing can be done. When testing is done
the test engineers will complete an approval form and that will be included in the
PPAP documentation.
DFMEA
The DEMEA or Design Failure Mode _Effect___Analysis
(http.//www.automotiveengineeringha.com/fmea-process/) is included in the
PPAP at the completion of all design activities. The DFMEA is a living document
during the development process which means that throughout design,
development and testing as issues are identified they are included in the DFMEA
and corrective actions are documented.(http://www.automoti ineeringha. -
content/uploads/2014/08/Gausian-bell-curves-on-
tablet.jpg)Process Flow Diagram
The process flow diagram _(http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pfd-process-
flow-diagram-d_465.html) outlines the entire process for assembling the
component or final assembly. It includes incoming material, assembly, test,
rework and shipping.
PFMEA
The PEMEA _(http://www.dmaictools.com/dmaic-analyze/pfmea) is the
production version of the FMEA and looks at all areas in the production and test
process to ide!
any potential quality control issues. The PFMEA is also a
living document and will be updated even after the product is release for
production allowing it to be updated with any potential issues that came up
during high volume assembly.Control Plan
The control plan (http://controlplan.org/) is based on outputs from the PFMEA.
include the specific steps required to ensure that quality issues
and
identified in the PFMEA will not be present in the final product. The control plan
highlights inline tests and quality inspections that are put in place and includes
incoming and outgoing quality processes.
Measurement System Analysis Studies
Measurement system analysis studies will typically include things like Gage
Repeatabilit & Reproducibilit (htt
measure/grr) studies on measurement equipment that is used during assembly
hwww.dmaictools.com/dmaic:
or quality contro! checks. Additionally, calibration schedules for all equipment
are included to ensure that repeated use does not diminish their accuracy.
Dimensional Results
When the production line has completed the production validation, samples
from these builds are used to complete dimensional inspections. Every
ballooned dimension on the drawings is measured on the final assembly to make
sure that it falls within specification. These results are then compiled in a
spreadsheet or report and included in the PPAP documentation.
Records of Material/Performance Tests
One of the largest sections of the PPAP report includes all of the product
validation and certification tested that was completed on the product. These
reports will demonstrate that the product meets all specifications outlined on
the drawings and any customer specific requirements that may be required.
Examples of automotive testing include: AKLV, USCAR and Honda, Nissan and
Toyota specifications.
Initial Sample Inspection Report
The initial sample report is completed prior to building the first prototypes. This
report will verify that the incoming parts meet specification and are ready for
prototype assembly. All GD&T (http:/www.automotiveengineeringha.com/gdt-
geometric-dimensioning-tolerancing/) specs are checked and made sure that
nothing is out of tolerance.Initial Process Studies
Initial process studies will be done on all the production processes and will
include statistical process control charts on the critical characteristics of the
product. These studies demonstrate that the critical processes are stable and
are ready to begin the process validation builds.
Qualified Laboratory Documentation
Qualified laboratory documentation includes all of the i
any lab that was involved in completing validation testing. These could be in-
house test labs or off-site contract test facilities but they all must be included in
the PPAP report.
Appearance Approval Report
The Appearance Approval Inspection (AAI) is a report that verifies that the
customer has inspected the final product and it meets all the required
appearance specifications for the design. The report includes color, textures as
well as fit (gaps between parts), etc.
(http://www.automoti ineeringha.
content/uploads/2014/08/coordinate-measuring-
machine.jpg)Sample Production Parts
Sample production parts are sent to the customer for approval and these are
typically stored at either the customer or suppliers site after the development is
complete. A picture of the production parts is included in the PPAP
documentation along with the location where the parts are stored.Master Sample
A master sample is a final sample of the product that is inspected and signed off
by the customer. This part is used to train operators and give a ‘golden’ sample
on visual or noise for comparison purposes.
Checking Aids
Checking aids are used by production and is a detailed list of all the tools used to
inspect, test, or measure parts during the assembly process. This aid will list the
part, describe the tool and have the calibration schedule for the tool.
Customer Specific Requirements
This section of the PPAP requirements is where each customer lists their own
specific requirements for the PPAP process. Some customers will ask to see
shipping labels others may require additional documentation or development
checklists that are required in their internal processes.
Part Submission Warrant
The final document that is included in the PPAP package is the part submission
warrant ___(http://www.ppapdocuments.com/ppap-documents/part-submission-
warrant-psw/) (PSW). This form is a summary of the entire PPAP submission and
specifies the drawing numbers and revisions, test results, material declarations
numbers and any deviations that are covered by the PPAP submission. When the
customer receives and reviews the PPAP he will sign the PSW form to indicate
that the PPAP is approved and will return a signed copy of the PSW to the
supplier.
The PPAP process is a detailed and lengthy process but allows automotive
engineers to ensure that all areas of the design and production processes have
been reviewed thoroughly to ensure that only high quality product will be
allowed to ship to the end customer.
For additional information:
http:/www.sl-
america.com/Docs/Supplier%20|nfo/Supplier%20PPAP%20Manual.pdf
(http:/www.sl--om/Docs/Supplier%201nfo/Supplier%20PPAP%20Manual.pdf
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