Overview of Changes in APQP Version 3

Procurement Requirements

In the third edition, APQP has clarified the procurement requirements and emphasized the importance of a reliable and capable supply chain. An important change is the introduction of a purchasing checklist, such as the A-9 Sourcing Checklist or a similar list, to ensure supplier suitability. This checklist includes checking confirmation in the following areas:

• General questions: e.g. supplier's capacity plan, FMEA, sub-supplier development resources, manpower resource assurance, etc.
• Engineering Functions: such as the supplier's experience with drawing definitions, drawing and engineering software compatibility, IMDS and REACH compliance, etc.
• Manufacturing systems: e.g. supplier's fixtures at manufacturing sites, equipment maintenance, OEE, shipping and marking, MSA, challenge pieces, job standardization, etc.
• Quality system: e.g. supplier's third party certification, supplier's internal PPM and PPB performance, supplier's corrective and continuous improvement.
• Quality system: e.g. Gauge calibration, LPA tiered audit, management review, lessons learned library and PTC transfer characteristic management on the supplier side.
• Commercial: e.g. project management, human resources, financial rating, warehouse system and FIFO, purchase agreement evaluation and capacity and investment planning.
• Technology: e.g. equipment, process technology, customer portal capability and cyber security systems.

In addition, the third edition introduces section 0.5.1, which provides guidelines for assessing high-risk suppliers. These high-risk suppliers may include new suppliers, new locations or sites (e.g., greenfield or brownfield), and situations where there are poor quality history issues, safety and regulatory requirements, component failures with FMEA ratings of 8+ severity, poor historical launch performance, new technology, or no ISO 9001 or IATF 16949 certification.

For situations involving high-risk suppliers, the organization must take a number of steps, including APQP kick-off meetings, regular APQP meetings, implementing a risk mitigation plan with the supplier, and reporting the status of the high-risk supplier and the risk mitigation plan during the organization's own APQP meetings with the customer.

Change Management Requirements

The third edition clarifies the change management priorities for the APQP to PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) approval phase. During the development phase of an APQP project, the focus of change is to improve the design and process on real-world conditions, including production issues and system optimization. Changes must be saved, shared, and used to ensure that pre-change evaluations and post-change validations can be traced back to the company's experience base.

The definition of a change includes any modification that may affect the form, fit, or function of a part or material.

The organization must define any additional characteristics beyond the special characteristics specified on the part drawing or digital model, especially customer-use features and customer interface features.

Form Definition: for features that uniquely describe the shape, size, dimensions, mass, composition, and other physical attributes of the part.

Fit Definition: the ability to physically interface or interconnect with or become an integral part of another item or assembly.

Function Definition: its expected performance to requirements both intended and/or documented. Function includes appearance items (e.g., color, gloss, texture) and secondary functions (i.e.,not identified as primary function of the part.). Example: providing physical support for other parts in an assembly.

It is important to note that organization must determine any additional characteristics required for form, fit and function beyond those specified as special characteristics on the part drawing or math model. Applies especially to customer-used features and customer interface features.

Change management also requires the establishment of change management processes and procedures, ensuring that changes are documented and tracked. The purpose of change management is to ensure that changes are justified, feasible and effective, and to minimize the impact on product quality and deliverability.

APQP outputs are the basis for PPAP approval.

Any changes to APQP outputs must be communicated to affected stakeholders in a timely manner and approved in writing.

Change to an APQP Output: refers to any changes that occurs after the output was reviewed and approved by the customer. The organization must communicate, as soon as possible, the change and follow the customer's process for reapproval of the APQP output.

Once defined and agreed upon between the customer and the organization, approved dsignated special key characteristics may not be changed or eliminated unless approved by the customer.

Error-proofing in design and processes must be documented, or traceable in the case of eletronic records, in the appropriate APQP and PPAP records.

To obtain PPAP approval, the requirements of PPAP Section 3 must be followed.

In the A-8 Change Management Checklist, the following areas are clearly checked:

• Are change management processes and procedures in place, including management of sub-tiers.
• Whether sufficient resources are available to manage the change management process.
• Whether the change has been communicated and approved by the customer and internally.
• Are affected suppliers notified of the change.
• Have bank builds been considered; were quality documents (e.g., FMEA, control plan, and Standardized Work) updated;
• Whether a Production Trial Run (PTR) was conducted based on the risk and whether the sample size was reasonable;
• Whether parts were contained/stored and clearly identified before and after PTR build.

Understanding and adopting the changes in APQP Version 3 is critical to ensuring that the product development process is compliant with the latest industry standards and requirements. These changes are designed to improve the quality and reliability of the new product development process and to promote supply chain reliability and capability. By effectively implementing APQP, organizations can better plan, manage, and control the product development process to deliver high quality products and meet customer needs and expectations.

All parties involved are encouraged to understand and adopt the changes in APQP Version 3 to ensure that their company maintains a competitive edge in the new product development process and achieves sustained business success.

Technical Support from DQS HK

• According to IATF 16949 standard, APQP is one of the core tools commonly used in automotive quality management systems.
• After the publication of APQP 3rd Edition and Control Plan 1st Edition, DQS Academy will provide open training courses to help customers understand the new documents.

About DQS

• DQS was the first IATF-approved certification body to provide certification services for ISO/TS 16949, which has now been replaced by IATF 16949 certification.
• DQS Academy also provides professional IATF 16949 Internal Auditor and Core Tool training courses.