As you may be aware, AIAG has been working on the new APQP and Control Plan manuals for quite some time. The automotive industry OEMs and their supply base have been eagerly awaiting the new manuals, which will soon become mandatory requirements and be added to the US OEM CSR documents. Ford, GM, and Stellantis have already announced that they will accept the usage of these new manuals as soon as they are released, making way for international OEMs and a host of large Tier 1 suppliers to follow suit.

There are significant changes in both the APQP and the new Control Plan manuals, as indications have suggested. They not only address the needs of the latest ICE and hybrid vehicles but also the new electric vehicles. These developments emphasize the importance of new product development and process control more than ever before.

Value-Add: An ever-growing number of companies must comply with Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) requirements. Even those that are not subject to a compliance mandate recognize the APQP process as a product development best practice that improves performance for new product introduction. To implement APQP effectively, companies must account for a series of key considerations that will determine the success of the initiative and ultimately the performance of future product launches.

Quality system requirements are intended to develop fundamentals that provide for continuous improvement, defect prevention, and the reduction of variation. APQP is at the heart of product development/project implementation and the prime element of successful project success, as it links the special characteristics identified in the project. It then integrates all of the prime tools of IATF 16949, such as FMEA, control plans, feasibility reviews, operator instructions, process flow diagrams, etc.