What is PPAP (Product Part Approval Process)?
PPAP is a stringent technique that assures suppliers’ parts are consistently produced, following a well-structured process flow diagram. It is made up of 18 potential steps that aim to provide consistent high quality in part production, completed across our projects as a plastic extrusion manufacturer or injection moulder. While PPAP is made up of 18 potential steps, not all of them must be completed.
As an injection moulding manufacturer operating across 10+ sectors, some of them regulated, completing a PPAP is essential for many of our clients before full-scale manufacturing can start. This approval procedure is typically implemented when new components are manufactured, or when parts are manufactured using new or significantly updated manufacturing methods.
In a future post, we’ll take a deeper look at the 18 potential steps. This week, we’ll take a quick look at the tiers those actions fall under and the documents that are required for each one.
Process Flow Diagram: PPAP involves creating a process flow diagram to map out the production processes. This visual representation helps in understanding and improving the manufacturing process.
Qualified Laboratory Documentation: Ensuring the accuracy of test results is essential. PPAP includes requirements for qualified laboratory documentation to maintain high standards.
Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA): DFMEA is a vital component of PPAP. It assesses potential design failures and their effects, allowing for necessary improvements.
Control Plan: PPAP requires a comprehensive control plan to ensure that production processes are consistently controlled and monitored to meet specification requirements.
Sample Production Parts: The submission includes sample production parts to demonstrate the quality and consistency of the manufactured components.
Customer Specific Requirements: Adhering to customer specific requirements is a fundamental aspect of PPAP. These requirements must be meticulously documented and met.
Master Sample: A master sample is often included in PPAP submissions to serve as a reference point for product quality and characteristics.
Specification Requirements: Detailed specification requirements are a key focus of PPAP, ensuring that products meet the necessary standards.
Effects Analysis (PFMEA): In addition to DFMEA, PPAP also involves a Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) to identify and mitigate potential production process failures.
What are the 5 levels of PPAP?
The five levels of PPAP submission are:
• Level 1 – Part Submission Warrant (PSW) only
• Level 2 – PSW with product samples and limited supporting data
• Level 3 – PSW with product samples and complete supporting data
• Level 4 – PSW and other requirements as defined by the customer, meeting customer specific requirements
• Level 5 – PSW with product samples and complete supporting data available for review at the supplier’s manufacturing location
Each level requires a part submission warrant (PSW), however as the levels rise, the PSW must be accompanied by increasingly detailed supporting elements and data.
Information must be included in a part submission warrant
Because each level of the PPAP requires a PSW, it’s worth looking into the information you’ll need to supply, including details about the component in question and qualified laboratory documentation. This comprises everything from the part name, which differs from the part name on the design by being more human, allowing the supplier and customer to differentiate more easily.
It also includes engineering action details such as change dates, change descriptions, and change level. Within the part information is also a summary of any regulatory specifications, from a safety or governmental standpoint, associated with this sort of part. This is obviously significant because these criteria must be included, or at the very least linked to, in order to meet regulatory standards.
The component information section continues by listing any specific tools required and the level of checking equipment used to inspect the item, as well as the customer and organisation part numbers to facilitate identification, the purchase order number, and the weight of the object.
Materials reporting
If there is anything utilised in the part that may have a harmful effect on humans in the immediate or future, substance of concern information must be supplied. The international material data system (IMDS) format must be indicated here, as well as how IMDS or IMDS-like data will be delivered. The IMDS ID must also be included in this area.
Reason for submission
There are numerous reasons why a part may be submitted for PPAP, and it is obviously critical to indicate the reason appropriately so that the process can proceed correctly. The majority of options are displayed as check boxes, however customers can additionally specify ‘other’ if they want something more unique.
Submission level
As previously stated, a PPAP can be classified into one of five levels. Each level necessitates a different amount of supporting material and has its own rationale. In a later article, we’ll go through each level in greater detail.
Submission results
What are the outcomes of the PPAP? Have the supplier’s results for dimensions measurements, material and function testing, appearance criteria, and statistical process packages been included? It is also mentioned here whether the results meet any and all design requirements. If not, have any issues been raised?
Declaration and explanations or comments
These two sections are where the supplier confirms that the PPAP was completed and can elaborate on any explanations or comments about the process.
Status
Finally, you have the status. This is when the customer signs off on the PPAP if they are pleased that the process has been completed to specification, or does not if they are not. The Part Warrant Disposition can be accepted, rejected, or indicated if other.
READY TO START?
To get your components or sub-assemblies manufactured by us, you can call our team on 01543 462 561 or send an email enquiry to [email protected]. Our team of experts will be in contact within hours to help you with your project.
We can advise on the design of your product to suit the manufacturing processes required. We can organise tooling for you and manage the project for you so that you receive conforming parts at a competitive price. And we’ll keep doing that for you for as many years as you need us to.
