Manufacturers of quality critical components must develop appropriate systems to ensure they meet their customers’ detailed requirements. Close collaboration with suppliers can help achieve these goals by developing structured processes and a shared commitment to overall product quality. Implementing Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) supports controlled and monitored manufacturing processes for collective success.
What Is APQP?
APQP is a framework for promoting product reliability and quality throughout manufacturing, spanning from product development to production. The methodology is a structured approach to process and product design to meet customer specifications, achieve quality requirements, and identify and reduce potential risks. Because of its broad scope, APQP engages cross-functional team throughout the organization.
The methodology is instrumental in manufacturing to support effective process control, production readiness and product launch success. APQP provides the foundation for establishing process control techniques, monitoring and validation. It’s also vital in conducting preproduction assessments, pilot runs and testing.
In quality assurance programs, APQP is pivotal in establishing quality objectives, such as specific performance metrics that production processes must meet. The framework also supports ongoing improvement by including measures like regular audits and feedback loops in its methodology.
For project managers, APQP guidelines assist with efficient planning and scheduling by addressing development timelines, resource allocation requirements, progress tracking and project reporting needs.
A Brief APQP History
This framework first appeared in automotive manufacturing when major industry players recognized the need to make automotive suppliers true partners in the pursuit of quality. Industry groups were early adopters, and the guidelines underwent standardization to support better compliance.
APQP has gained traction in other industries and remains a constant in automotive manufacturing. Today, the protocols are core tools of excellence for trade groups like the Automotive Industry Action Group and support certification under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) also considers the framework critical to meeting IATF 16949:2016 standards.
Objectives of APQP
There are three primary objectives of APQP — ensuring higher product quality, meeting or exceeding customer expectations, and minimizing risks in product development and production. A successful implementation can help manufacturers and their suppliers boost customer loyalty and retention and create a competitive advantage.
APQP Process Steps
While the underlying aspects of APQP vary from one organization to another, the framework encompasses five steps overall.
1. Plan and Define Program
Planning and defining are the first steps when manufacturers consider launching a new product or revamping a current one. In this initial phase, organizations using APQP start by thoroughly assessing customer requirements and expectations. This process involves gathering and analyzing customer data, such as size, performance and function requirements. Teams can then begin thinking about the impact of these needs, and they can define:
- Goals for reliability and quality.
- Special design considerations.
- Construction materials required.
- Initial project and process workflows.
- Level of management support needed.
- Potential risks with project plans.
2. Product Design and Development
If the manufacturer designs the product in-house, product design and development is phase two. This step involves:
- Conduct a design Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), a method for identifying and addressing potential issues.
- Carry out a manufacturing feasibility and management commitment study.
- Review and verify product design.
- Create engineering drawings and specifications.
- Define material specifications and identify precise resources needed, such as tooling, testing and equipment requirements.
- Develop a prototype control plan.
3. Process Design and Development
In this third phase of APQP, the focus turns to manufacturing process planning. Methodical, well-documented processes provide a step-by-step blueprint for the organization’s workforce to support quality, protocol compliance and product conformance. This phase also helps ensure processes that meet financial stakeholder needs for cost control.
Crucial activities at this stage include:
- Conduct a process FMEA.
- Review measurement systems analysis and process and product quality solutions.
- Create a defined process flowchart.
- Determine the layout of the floor plan for production.
- Establish packaging specifications and standards.
- Conduct an initial process capability study.
- Coordinate training and staffing strategies with management.
- Document workflow steps.
4. Product and Process Validation
After designing and developing the manufacturing processes required, testing is next. This stage is critical for validating decisions made during previous steps so organizations can take proactive corrective actions to eliminate issues or minimize risks. Typical steps occurring during this phase include:
- Engage in the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP).
- Audit manufacturing processes.
- Test prototypes.
- Verify product conformance based on pilot or test runs.
- Sign off on quality planning based on samples and documentation about process reliability and capability.
5. Feedback, Assessment and Corrective Action
The final APQP stage occurs when manufacturers ramp up to full-scale, serialized production for the new or redesigned product. Key objectives for this phase include continuous improvement — better manufacturing processes with fewer variations, improved product quality, and higher customer satisfaction and service.
During this phase, manufacturers implement tools like feedback loops and assessments. Stakeholder insights and objective analyses help organizations understand where they’re succeeding, which can become future best practices. This data can also reveal where manufacturers have opportunities to improve. They can then transform this information into corrective action plans.
APQP Benefits
The APQP framework offers numerous organizational benefits for manufacturers, including:
- Enhanced product quality: This methodology helps produce fewer non-conforming parts with higher reliability.
- Improved cost efficiency: APQP naturally leads to earlier discovery of potential issues or errors in product or process design and manufacturing. Identifying these problems before full-scale production enables organizations to minimize waste and optimize resources.
- Better communication: These standards empower cross-functional and cross-organizational collaboration and help align suppliers with customer expectations. APQP also clearly details who is responsible for what and when, improving communication between everyone involved.
- Enhanced risk management: This methodology encourages manufacturers to consider possible risks during the initial planning stages, which allows organizations to prioritize and address them before proceeding with development and production. APQP also enables organizations to create contingency plans for potential risks.
APQP Best Practices
Following best APQP implementation and adoption practices will help increase the chances of meaningful impact for manufacturers in today’s most demanding industries.
Involve Suppliers From the Beginning
Success depends on effective collaboration with suppliers, so involving them from the start is essential. A comprehensive supplier development program will help prepare them for compliance. This approach enhances supply chain management and helps promote early buy-in. Additionally, it gives manufacturers the confidence that their supply ecosystem is built on similar quality values, commitments and compliance.
Invest in Continuous Training and Development
One of the most straightforward ways to effectively support positive outcomes from APQP is continuous training and development. Create comprehensive training for teams to ensure everyone understands the program’s purpose and importance and their role in its implementation, execution and success. Defined knowledge-sharing also helps boost workforce morale and adoption. When each team member understands the value of their contribution and how to provide it, they’re more willing to embrace new approaches.
Address Common Implementation Obstacles
Two common obstacles often arise when implementing APQP — resource limitations and resistance to change.
Securing approval from the C-suite is essential in getting the resources needed for program execution. Ensuring senior leadership fully understands the organizational value and vision behind APQP will help create the positive influence required.
Incremental implementation is a viable solution to overcoming resistance to change. Start slowly and introduce new steps only when adoption and confidence in new responsibilities or systems increase.
Work With an Expert
A supply chain management and technical support expert can offer the insights and experience manufacturers need to implement APQP. Partnering with a professional allows organizations to leverage proven expertise for evaluating supplier readiness and capability. Experts also have the skills and proven processes required to develop suppliers into APQP-ready partners, so manufacturers can focus on strategic in-house program implementation instead.
Optimize Supply Chain Quality and Performance With APQP and NTS Unitek
At Unitek Technical Services, we specialize in partnering with our customers to improve the quality and performance of their supply chains. Our team has over 45 years of experience successfully developing suppliers for proven quality frameworks like APQP to help achieve these goals and identify and manage risks earlier in the manufacturing and production cycles.
Take the next step toward better sourcing and higher product quality — call 703-961-9901 or contact us online to talk to an expert.