The Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) handbook is an industry standard that outlines the process to demonstrate engineering design and product specifications are met by the supplier’s manufacturing process. Through PPAP, suppliers and customers agree upon the requirements needed to obtain approval of supplier manufactured parts. Applicable to all parts and commodities, PPAP principles help reduce delays and non-conformances during part approval by providing a consistent approval process.
What specific challenge(s) does this address?
- Provides understanding of information required to obtain part approval and standardizes the part approval process
- How to obtain approval of parts/processes after part design changes and/or process changes
- Ensures part submissions are submitted with proper information and enough data to sustain product conformance
- Provides a record of part conformance at launch (allows for measurement of drift from origin)
- Details pertinent design records to ensure traceability of part design status at origin
- Controls product and process change process, providing an approval outlet for all changes to ensure conformance to the next level assembly/process
What are the benefits of PPAP?
- Consistent part approval process
- Assurance parts conform to customer requirements
- Evidence of process stability
- Controls product and process change process, providing an approval outlet for all changes to ensure conformance to the next level assembly/process
What is IMDS in PPAP?
IMDS aids the customer in the supply network to verify the contents of their purchased parts before and during the part approval process. The Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) requires IMDS submission for each part number before PPAP approval can be granted to the supplier.
PPAP is listed in the following OEM Customer Specific Requirements (and is listed in many of the tiered suppliers' Customer Specific Requirements (CSRs)):
- Stellantis
- Ford Motor Company
- General Motors