Advanced Product Quality Planning

APQP is essential to improving the way companies develop products and services. It is a standardized, universally accepted fundamental business strategy. This strategy is applicable to all types of organizations including manufacturing and service companies, schools, hospitals, and governmental agencies. The aim of APQP is to enable the organization to produce products and provide services focused on satisfying customer’s needs, wants, and expectations. Following this standardized approach promotes the integration of design, development and implementation activities with those of suppliers and customers. As a standardized methodology it is recognized as a strategy for meeting the ISO9001: 2015 (Quality Management System Standard) product realization clauses. The IATF16949:2016 (Automotive Industry Quality Management System Standard) goes one step further making APQP a specified requirement. The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) identifies and documents the process for APQP and the related manual is the standard for APQP.

This course provides a basic foundation for implementing and working with the APQP process. The course defines the process, identifies the phases and the key deliverables for each phase. The course is based upon the AIAG defined process and manual. Templates and process steps are explained. In addition to templates and deliverables the course identifies and explains basic Quality tools used in the APQP Process such as Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Robust Design. A highly interactive case study with appropriate student exercise activities is employed to demonstrate key concepts. Alternatively a company specific case can be employed for in-house seminars.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Define the need for Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and describe how APQP sets the stage for all subsequent business activities aimed at creating and producing products/services that consistently meet or exceed customer expectation
• Identify and the phases of the APQP process.
• List the key deliverables for each phase of the APQP process and identify how, at a high level to produce the deliverables.
• Identify when and how to use traditional Quality tools within the APQP process.
• Introduce the use of Project Management techniques to guide the process.
• More effectively fulfill their role(s) within their organization’s APQP efforts

Who Should Attend

Any job role that is traditionally involved with the APQP process such as:

• Product Engineers and Designers
• Program Managers
• Manufacturing and Process Development Engineers
• Quality Personnel
• Validation Engineers
• R&D Personnel
• Department Heads associated with above job roles
• Senior Management

Prerequisites

Participants should have a minimum of 6 months basic experience in product/process engineering and development activities, or participants expect a future assignment in this area.

You must complete all course contact hours and successfully pass the learning assessment to obtain CEUs.