Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) & Production Part Approval Process (PPAP)

Course Summary

This one-day program equips automotive and manufacturing-quality professionals with a practical understanding of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP).

Participants learn how APQP provides a structured approach for translating customer requirements into product and process controls—from initial planning and product design through process development, validation, launch and continuous improvement.

Using a simulated product case, participants develop a timing plan, process flowchart, process instructions and control plan before carrying the outputs through the PPAP submission process. This case-based approach helps participants understand how individual quality-planning documents must connect rather than operate as independent templates.

Who Should Attend

• Quality Managers and Quality Team Leaders
• APQP and PPAP Coordinators
• Product and Process Quality Engineers
• Supplier Quality Engineers
• New Product Development teams
• Manufacturing and Process Engineers
• Design and Product-Development Engineers
• Project and Program Management teams
• Professionals involved in IATF 16949 implementation
• Internal and third-party automotive-quality auditors
• Professionals seeking a better understanding of quality planning

Business Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

• Understand and explain the five phases of APQP.
• Implement the APQP process for a new or modified product.
• Translate customer requirements into quality-planning activities.
• Develop a functional timing plan for product and process readiness.
• Create connected process flowcharts, process instructions and control plans.
• Improve coordination between design, manufacturing, quality and suppliers.
• Recognise the evidence required for production-part approval.
• Compile and review a PPAP submission systematically.
• Identify gaps and inconsistencies before customer submission.
• Strengthen product-launch readiness and reduce avoidable quality risks.