SECTION 3.2 - ADVANCED PRODUCT QUALITY PLANNING (APQP) revision 4

 

PURPOSE:

To define the Advanced Product Quality Planning requirements.

 

SCOPE:

Applies to the development of all Level 1 commodities and the processes employed to produce them (see Purchasing Section Commodity definitions).

 

EXPLANATION:

Reference the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) manual titled Advance Product Quality Planning and Control Plan – APQP for explanations of product quality planning. This AIAG standard is considered an extension of this document.

 

SUPPLIER RESPONSIBILITIES:
    1. The Supplier is responsible for obtaining the latest revision of the APQP standard from the AIAG. The supplier is responsible for knowing this standard and applying it during product quality planning of all components.
    2. Process Flow Charts, Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA), and Control Plans are required for NSK Steering Systems America’s review and approval prior to PPAP submission. As "living documents", these documents should be reviewed jointly between the supplier and NSK Steering Systems America for completeness and to assure they reflect the current design level.
    3. The Supplier should make these documents available for review at the feasibility and/ or kick-off meetings on the purchased material, product, or service.
    4. Multiple (i.e., "prototype", "pre-launch", and "production") Control Plans may be required for NSK Steering Systems America’s review at appropriate stages of the APQP process.
    5. Special Product and Process Characteristics: Significant and/ or Critical Characteristics will be identified on NSK Steering Systems America’s drawings with an "S", "SR", "F", or "HI".  In some cases, other (usually customer specified) identifiers may be used for special characteristics ("sc", "cc", etc.).  It is the responsibility of the Supplier to include, identify, and properly control these items on the Control Plan(s) and related documents.

      6. S:  Safety Characteristics that could affect safe vehicle operation.

      SR:  Safety Regulation Characteristics that could affect compliance with government standards.

      F:  Functional Characteristics that could affect performance requirements, fit function, or ease of assembly either at NSK Steering Systems America or NSK Steering Systems America’s customer.

      HI:  High Impact Characteristics that severely affect the operation of the process or subsequent operations.  Non-conformances in these characteristics are related to improper manufacturing and/or assembly operations that may result in subsequent operations being precluded or mis-performed. 

       

    6. Gages/ Testing Equipment Requirements: It is the responsibility of the Supplier to provide details of all gages, testing equipment, and measurement techniques that will be used to evaluate components to NSK Steering Systems America. This includes, but is not limited to, drawings and details of special gages, holding fixtures, or CMM setups. Whenever practical, duplicate gauging or holding fixtures should be produced for use at NSSA.  This will facilitate the coordination of measurement techniques between NSK Steering Systems America and the Supplier. Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA’s) are required for all gauges used to measure special characteristics (i.e.,S, SR,  F, and HI designated characteristics).

 

 

OTHER:

The AIAG APQP standard, latest revision, is an extension to this document. This standard is to be followed for any procedure or part thereof not specifically addressed by this document.