Improved quality of product delivery and customer serviceĪPQP provides a structure for planning, defining, and completing necessary activities to produce products that are on-target for customer needs and expectations.An improved manufacturing process through reduction in process variations.Mainstays in this phase include reducing process variations, identifying issues, and starting corrective actions to support continual improvement, as well as collecting and assessing customer feedback and data related to process efficiency and quality planning effectiveness. The full-scale production launch occurs in this phase, with emphasis on evaluating and improving processes. Reconciling needed adjustments before moving to the next phaseĪPQP Phase 5: Launch, Assessments, and Continual Improvement.Testing product output to confirm the effectiveness of the deployed manufacturing approach.Confirming capability and reliability of the manufacturing process and product quality acceptance criteria.This is the test phase for validating the manufacturing process and the final product. Product finishing and packaging requirementsĪPQP Phase 4: Validating the Process and the Product.Operational process quality specifications.A completed process failure mode and effect analysis to identify and deal with risks.The process must be able to produce the quantities needed to meet expected consumer demand while maintaining efficiency.Įxamples of outcomes in this phase include: The goal is to design and develop the production process while keeping product specifications, product quality, and production costs in mind. This phase focuses on planning the manufacturing process that will produce the new or improved product. Established control plans for product prototype creationĪPQP Phase 3: Designing and Developing the Process for Product Manufacture.Completed design failure mode and effect analysis to assess failure probabilities.Defined material specifications and equipment requirements.Completed design review and verification.Resulting outcomes from work in this phase include: This is also where a product feasibility assessment comes into play. APQP Phase 2: Product Design and DevelopmentĬompleting product design is the focus of this phase. The output of this work includes product design, reliability, and quality goals. The quality program needed to create the product as specified can then be defined. Planning activities include gathering necessary data to define what the customer wants and then using the information to hash out product characteristics. In this APQP phase, planning is directed at understanding the customer’s needs and product expectations. When customer demands require the introduction of a new product or an overhaul of an existing one, preliminary planning becomes front and center, even before discussions of product design or redesign. APQP Phase 1: Planning and Program Definition Let’s examine each of these phases in more detail. Production Launch, Assessment, and Improvement.Product Planning and Quality Program Definition.The aim is to create a product quality plan for developing and manufacturing products that meet customer requirements. 5 Phases of APQP: The Nuts and BoltsĪccording to the American Society for Quality, Automotive Division, APQP is a structured process that includes critical tasks from concept approval through production. Since then, APQP has gained momentum and has sparked interest among manufacturers in many industries. Guidelines were established in the early ’90s to ensure APQP protocols were followed in a standardized format. Because supply chains are important in automotive manufacturing, the intent was to make sure supplier partners met customer quality requirements for each component supplied. General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler all had an APQP deployment and saw the need to come together to create a common core of product quality-planning principles for suppliers. History of APQPĭuring the late ’80s, APQP programs were in use by major players in the automotive industry. In turn, risk management leads to greater quality control and business success. Following the APQP process can help minimize these risks. Production processes often have inherent risks, such as process failures. Having a clear understanding of what customers want, need, and expect in a product and then planning accordingly will ensure customer product expectations are met in every way.Įven if you have a quality management system in place, APQP is worth the effort, especially if you are in the business of manufacturing new or improved products. Listening to the voice of the customer is what Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) is all about.
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