Last Updated on April 3, 2024 by Ossian Muscad
When it comes to product development, Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) is a critical process that should not be overlooked. APQP is a structured approach used to design and develop the product and process to meet customer needs and expectations. To ensure that your products are developed efficiently and meet customer requirements, you need an APQP checklist. This article will define APQP and explain how to create an APQP checklist.
What is APQP?
Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) is a structured approach that is used to design and develop the product and process to meet customer needs and expectations. The goal of APQP is to produce a product that meets the customer’s quality requirements. A cross-functional team (CFT) is typically responsible for APQP. The team includes representatives from all departments involved in the product development process, such as engineering, manufacturing, quality, and purchasing. The APQP process consists of five phases:
- Phase One: Plan
- Phase Two: Product Design and Development
- Phase Three: Process Design and Development
- Phase Four: Product and Process Validation
- Phase Five: Feedback, Corrective Action, and Continuous Improvement
Each phase of the APQP process has a corresponding checklist. The checklist ensures that all tasks are completed and that the product meets the customer’s quality requirements.
What is an APQP Checklist?
CFTs use an APQP checklist to achieve the objectives of each phase of the APQP process. The checklists ensure that all tasks are completed and that the product meets the customer’s quality requirements.
Sections of an APQP Checklist
An APQP checklist ensures that products are according to specifications before market release is outlined in the following sections:
Planning and Management
The Planning and Management section of an APQP checklist focuses on setting the foundation for the entire product development process. Items included in this section ensure that the project is properly initiated, planned, and monitored. Key items include:
- Establishment of the APQP team and definition of team roles.
- Development of a project plan, including timelines, milestones, and critical paths.
- Identification and evaluation of risks, with corresponding mitigation strategies.
- Setting of quality objectives and performance metrics.
- Allocation of resources, including budget, personnel, and technology.
Product and Process Development, Design, and Validation
This section is at the heart of the APQP process, encompassing the creation and testing of the product and its manufacturing process. It ensures that both the product and process align with customer requirements and quality standards. Major items include:
- Detailed design specifications for the product, including materials, dimensions, and functional requirements.
- Feasibility analysis and selection of manufacturing processes.
- Development and assessment of prototypes.
- Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) to anticipate potential points of failure.
- Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) to ensure the manufacturing process can consistently produce to design specifications.
- Validation testing of the product to verify it meets all design and functional requirements.
- Validation of the production process to confirm it is capable of producing the product within specification consistently under full production volume.
Communication and Collaboration
Effective communication and collaboration among all stakeholders are critical for the success of an APQP process. This section of the checklist ensures that information flows smoothly and efficiently between team members and external parties. Important items include:
- Regular scheduled meetings for the APQP team to review progress, discuss challenges, and plan corrective actions.
- Development of a communication plan that outlines protocols for sharing information within the team and with suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders.
- Establishment of collaborative tools and platforms for document sharing, project tracking, and communication.
- Suppliers are involved in the planning stages to ensure material availability and compliance with quality requirements.
- Customer engagement processes to gather feedback on product requirements, preferences, and satisfaction levels.
Your APQP checklist needs to be as comprehensive as possible. Depending on the product, this could include anything from customer surveys to environmental testing.
APQP Vs. PPAP: What’s the Difference?
Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) are critical components within the spectrum of quality control methodologies, heavily relied upon across varied industrial sectors. The key distinction between APQP and PPAP primarily hinges on their application phase within the product life cycle. APQP is strategically utilized during the product development stage, focusing on ensuring that the product aligns with the predefined quality requisites. Conversely, PPAP finds its utility during the production phase, serving as a validation tool to certify that the manufacturing outputs meet the customer’s specific requirements.
While both APQP and PPAP champion the cause of quality control, their deployment is sequentially staged across the product development process continuum. APQP serves as a front-runner, laying the groundwork in the product’s embryonic stages by outlining a structured framework aimed at embedding quality within the product design and development phases. This preemptive approach facilitates the identification and mitigation of potential quality issues early in the product life cycle. Following APQP’s lead, PPAP steps in during the culmination of the production phase. It acts as a checkpoint, providing empirical evidence that the production processes, techniques, and resultant products are in stringent conformity with the customer’s expectations and standards.
To summarize, while APQP and PPAP are both pivotal to upholding quality control standards, their divergence lies in the timing and focus of their application. APQP is anticipatory, focusing on incorporating quality into the product from its conceptual stages. In contrast, PPAP is confirmatory, ensuring that the final product has adhered to the intended quality and customer specifications before its market release. The symbiotic relationship between APQP and PPAP exemplifies a comprehensive approach to quality control, ensuring both the product’s developmental integrity and its eventual conformity to customer prerequisites.
How to Create an APQP Checklist
Creating an APQP checklist is essential to ensuring that your products are developed efficiently and meet customer requirements. The following steps will guide you through the process of creating an APQP checklist:
- Define the Product: The first step is to define the product. This includes specifying the customer requirements, such as performance, function, and aesthetics.
- Determine the Production Process: The next step is to determine the process. This includes specifying the manufacturing processes, such as injection molding, machining, and assembly.
- Identify the Critical Features: The next step is to identify the product’s critical features. This includes specifying the dimensions, tolerances, and material properties that are critical to the product’s function.
- Select the Sampling Plan: The next step is to select a sampling plan. This includes specifying the number of samples to be tested and the acceptance criteria.
- Design the Experiments: The next step is to design the experiments. This includes specifying the tests to be conducted, such as material testing, dimensional analysis, and functional testing.
- Run the Experiments: The next step is to run the experiments. This includes conducting the tests and evaluating the results.
- Analyze the Results: The final step is to analyze the results. This includes identifying areas of improvement and making changes to the product or process.
Creating an APQP checklist is essential to ensuring that your products are developed efficiently and meet customer requirements. By following the steps outlined above, you can create a comprehensive APQP checklist that will help you develop products that meet customer expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What are the main stages of APQP?
The main stages of APQP are Defining the Plan, Team Formation, Product Design and Development, Process Design and Development, Product and Process Validation, Feedback, Assessment, and Corrective Action. These stages ensure that quality is built into the product from its inception to its final delivery.
Q2: How long does the APQP process typically take?
The duration of the APQP process can vary widely depending on the complexity of the product, the experience of the team, and the specific requirements of the customer. Generally, it can take anywhere from a few months to over a year. Planning and timely execution are critical to maintaining efficiency throughout the APQP process.
Q3: Can APQP be used for services or only for products?
While APQP was originally developed with a focus on the automotive industry and product manufacturing, its principles can also be applied to service development. The structured approach to quality planning is adaptable and can be beneficial in ensuring that services meet or exceed customer expectations.
Q4: Is APQP only applicable in the automotive industry?
No, APQP is not limited to the automotive industry. Although it originated within the automotive sector, its comprehensive approach to quality planning and control has seen its adoption across various industries, including aerospace, consumer electronics, pharmaceuticals, and more, wherever quality is a paramount concern.
Q5: How does APQP integrate with other quality systems?
APQP integrates seamlessly with other quality systems, such as ISO 9001, Six Sigma, and Lean Manufacturing. Its framework complements these systems by focusing on defect prevention and quality assurance in the early stages of product development, which aligns with the principles of continuous improvement and customer satisfaction present in other quality systems.
Q6: What role does customer feedback play in the APQP process?
Customer feedback is a critical component of the APQP process. It ensures that the product development is aligned with customer needs and expectations. Feedback is solicited and utilized throughout various stages of APQP, from initial product concept to post-launch assessment, allowing for continuous improvement and refinement of the product based on actual customer experiences and satisfaction levels.
Create APQP Checklists Using DATAMYTE
DATAMYTE is a quality management platform with low-code capabilities. Our Digital Clipboard, in particular, is a low-code workflow automation software that features a workflow, checklist, and smart form builder. This tool lets you create dynamic, customized APQP checklists for your organization. You can easily design and execute APQP processes, assign tasks to team members, and track progress in real-time.
DATAMYTE also lets you conduct layered process audits, a high-frequency evaluation of critical process steps, focusing on areas with the highest failure risk or non-compliance. Conducting LPA with DATAMYTE lets you effectively identify and correct potential defects before they become major quality issues.
With DATAMYTE, you have an all-in-one solution for managing the APQP process, from design to validation and improvement. Start your free trial today and experience the power of low-code in quality management. Start using DATAMYTE to create efficient APQP checklists and improve your product development process! Book a demo now to learn more.
Conclusion
Implementing APQP throughout product development ensures that products meet customer expectations. Creating an APQP checklist is a key part of this process, as it helps to ensure that all aspects of the product development process are considered. So, take everything you’ve learned in this article and create a comprehensive APQP checklist for your next product development project. Your customers will thank you for it!
