PPAP
Frequently Asked Questions
The Production Part Approval Process or PPAP is an industry-standard guideline for the
Automotive supply chain and is governed by the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG).
The PPAP process has been designed to ensure that all suppliers meet the quality
requirements of automotive parts, as defined by customers.
- To provide evidence that all customer engineering design and specification requirements are properly understood by the suppliers.
- To demonstrate that the manufacturing process has the potential to produce a product that consistently meets all the requirements during an actual production run at the quoted production rate.
- Helps in managing engineering changes and ensures the conformance of the product to customers' requirements.
- Establish controlled manufacturing processes to maintain consistent quality.
- Helps to maintain design integrity.
- Identify issues early and easy to take effective corrective actions.
- Reduce warranty charges and reduce the cost of poor quality.
- Helps to manage supplier changes.
- Prevents the use of unapproved and non-conforming parts.
- Easy monitoring of suppliers’ quality to ensure continuous improvement.
- A new part is introduced.
- There are engineering changes on the existing part.
- New tool is developed, or existing tool is transferred, replaced, or refurbished.
- Tool has been inactive for more than one year.
- There is a change in construction material.
- Sub-supplier or material source change
- Changes are part of the production process.
- Parts produced at a new or additional location.
- Correction to previous discrepancy
The time required to complete a Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) can vary depending on
several factors. PPAP is a standardized method in the automotive industry to ensure that the
production process can consistently meet all the required specifications. The duration of completing
a PPAP depends on factors such as the complexity of the product, the number of parts involved, the
readiness of the documentation, and the collaboration between the supplier and the customer.
Typically, a PPAP involves several stages, each stage may have its own time requirements, and the
overall process can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Moreover, the timeframe
might also be influenced by external factors, such as the availability of resources, the efficiency of
communication between parties, and any unforeseen obstacles that may arise during the process. It
is essential for all relevant stakeholders to establish clear timelines and maintain effective
communication to ensure a smooth and timely completion of the PPAP process.
Many companies have outsourced their PPAP process to experts such as ComplianceXL, who can
deliver dedicated PPAP teams working as an extended arm to clients.