Stellantis-FCA PPAP audit is the basic quality tool used by the Supplier Quality Engineer to evaluate the organization’s production processes. The rules for the application of this activity are specified in the SQ.00010 standard.
The knowledge of the organization regarding Stellantis-FCA PPAP Audit regulates the point. 7.2.3 from the IATF standard regarding the competence of the internal auditor. In order to meet this requirement, reference should be made to standard 07740, which specifies that the organization for qualified processes should carry out the process audit internally at a frequency of once every twelve months.
Another point that indicates the need for knowledge about the PPAP audit by the organization is a point. 7.2.4. from the IATF standard, referring to the second-party auditor competency. Additionally, Stellantis-FCA informs, as the customer specific requirements (CSR), that the organization in order to evaluate its sub-suppliers, must perform an audit at the sub-supplier’s location using a PPAP audit form carried out in accordance with SQ.00010.
This requirement applies to 8.4.1.2. – Supplier selection process.
At least three PPAP audits should be carried out during the launch phase
The first of these is referred to as the “Supplier Readiness Evaluation” (SRE) and it is carried out before the Process Verification phase. The second audit is carried out before the Pre-Series phase and is referred to as the “Process Evaluation”.
It is worth agreeing with the client’s representative, that during the audit will be produced parts dedicated for customer PPAP defined as Plant Evaluation “ex-Benestare”, thanks to which the organization can meet two customer requirements during one visit. Additionally, during this client’s visit, the first PDR step (Production Demonstration Run) can be carried out, i.e. the production capacity assessment, which is carried out for 3 hours or for a given number of components produced (usually 300).
The third PPAP audit is performed before the Production Release phase and should be performed jointly with the second PDR step carried out in accordance with the SQ.00008 standard.
The additional audit can be performed for verification of final tooling which is present in final customer location defined as Off-Tool Off-Process. In case the supplier’s production process has open points after the Production Release phase, the customer’s representative plans subsequent visits, which are already carried out in the current production.
It is worth mentioning that in the absence of progress in activities closing by the organization, the client’s representative can issue a quality complaint defined in the SQP system as “Quality Planning” according to the 08018 standard – Quality monitoring of direct materials supplies at manufacturing plants and Mopar P&S warehouses.
A good practice of the organization while conducting the PPAP audit is the direct participation of the Project Manager, which is usually located outside the definitive production plant
Thanks to this proactive approach, the organization and the client’s representative can directly address open points to him, and the Project Manager itself has the ability to thoroughly familiarize with the client’s requirements during a visit on production line.
In particular, this role is very important during carrying out the first audit when sourcing documents are verified, which have to be approved by the organization. The most important of them are: Additional Quality Requirements (AQR), Statement of Requirements (SoR) and Manufacturing Feasibility Assessment (MFA).
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