PPAP - Production Part Approval Process

The Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) is a process created in its time by the three major American automotive companies Chrysler, Ford and General Motors and adopted by all major world automotive companies, to ensure the approval of component suppliers and their manufacturing processes.
The purpose of the PPAP is to determine whether all requirements, both design and product, are respected and if the production process put in place by the supplier is able to maintain these standards during any series production.
The Production Part Approval Process is a standardized process for the management of the development and industrialization of automotive components between customers (OEM or Tier 1) and suppliers. It represents, the whole set of documents and conformity tests to be provided. The purpose is to ensure, provide evidence and demonstrate that the supplier has the ability to satisfy the requirements of production and quality through a strong program of development and validation of products and processes.
During the development and industrialisation phase, suppliers must produce 19 pieces of evidence that their parts and systems satisfy customer and legal requirements. In order for the process to be considered complete, all these aspects (those that are obviously valid) must be observed:

1. Drawings of the Sellable Product;


2. Project Change Documents (if any);


3. Approval of the Client's Engineering (if required);


4. Project FMEA;


5. Process Flow Diagrams;


6. Process FMEA;


7. Dimensional control;


8. Results of Performance and Materials Tests;


9. Initial Process Study;


10. Studies of Analysis of Measurement Systems (MSA);


11. Documentation of Laboratory Qualification;


12. Control Plan;


13. Part Submission Warrant (PSW);


14. Aesthetic Approval Report (AAR), if applicable;


15. List of Requirements for the Raw Material (only for PPAP of raw materials);


16. Product sample;


17. Master Sample;


18. Means of Control;


19. Documents of Conformity with the Specific Requirements of the Customer.

At Punto Netto we are able to provide specialized PPAP technicians to assist and support our supplier customers who need to implement or maintain an in-house PPAP scheme. At the same time, our team of PPAP qualified professionals can also be employed on a mission on behalf of our customers to verify with their suppliers the successful implementation or maintenance of the PPAP system as well.
In summary, Punto Netto can employ its technicians not only to carry out the PPAP activities for the suppliers of the FCA group, but also to support specific activities for all those customers (Tier 1) who want to keep their suppliers under control (Tier 2) in their PPAP implementation processes both in Italy and abroad. A further advantage is the possibility to provide specialists in PPAP both for the service supply in the medium and long term and for the activity on a single order.