Course overview
The considerable and worthwhile supplier effort put into the AS9145 APQP process and PPAP submission should guarantee ‘perfect product and OTIF performance’ for customers. Your APQP & PPAP process must, of course, be subject to internal audits to ensure ongoing effectiveness. However, the nagging fear remains – mission drift on the shop floor! Specifically, manufacturing methods aligned with the Control Plan may not continue to be adhered to, resulting in quality issues and loss of productivity. Clearly, a stringent ‘policing method’ must be deployed.
Layered Process Audits (LPA) are a system of audits performed by multiple levels of supervision and management to check whether the outputs (deliverables) of APQP are being properly followed, correct materials are being used, specified tools and equipment are employed and competent & qualified personnel are involved. LPA also monitor key process characteristics (e.g. Cpk & ppm) and verify process perfomance on an ongoing basis.
The main focus of the 1-day LPA session is practicality. Consequently, the majority of the time is given over to individual/team exercises to understand the LPA principles and practices, the preparation of bespoke audit questionnaires and workshops to test student skills in evaluating working practices and objective evidence.
If required, the course may be augmented by an optional on-site supervised LPA (including one-on-one coaching)
Students are requested to bring along documents relating to one of their organization’s own products –
engineering drawing
work instruction
They will be using these documents during several of the workshops.
Course details
APQP overview and system status
APQP & PPAP – sequenced phases – perfect product
Check your own documentation (Engineering Drawings/Specifications, Process Layout Charts, Control Plans, Work Instructions, etc.)
Individual exercise – where is your organization now?
APQP System Audit – Methodology
Sources of APQP System Audit questions
Example – creating audit checklist questions for the Process Flow Diagram (PFD)
Team exercise – creating audit checklist questions
Full set of specimen APQP system audit questions
Conducting an APQP System Audit – Opening & Closing Meetings
Conducting an APQP System Audit
Formalizing APQP System nonconformities
Team exercise – APQP System Audit opening and closing meetings
Layered Process Audit (LPA) – Methodology
Defining a ‘process’ and understanding ‘controlled conditions’
Reflect on the words of W Edwards Deming
Team exercise – mandated criteria for process controlled conditions
Quiz – where and when are controlled conditions specified in AS9145?
Quiz – are specified APQP controlled conditions in routine use?
LPA focus, scope, personnel and location
Prerequisites for LPA – processes and planning team
Prioritizing and developing – LPA check-sheet questions
Prioritizing processes for LPA
Identifying LPA questions – controlled conditions
Example – identifying sources of variation with controlled conditions
Identifying LPA questions – risk based
Example – identifying sources of variation with Ishikawa diagram
Team exercise – identifying high risk elements in the workflow
Overview of LPA check-sheet questions
Format of LPA check-sheet questions
Example – LPA check-sheet template
Example – LPA check-sheet with questions
Team exercise – creating a LPA check-sheet
Scheduling, conducting and reporting a LPA – Determining root causes Scheduling the LPA
LPA verification of controlled conditions
Conducting the LPA, taking actions and recording findings
Example – LPA audit report
LPA is not about assigning blame it’s finding a solution
Team preparation – preparing for, and undertaking, your first LPA
Beware the excuse “operator error” – ask what? and why?
Look for ‘whys’ from different perspectives
Identifying the ‘real’ root causes of nonconformities
Staffing LPA and scheduling LPA – Benefits of LPA
LPA process owner – responsibilities
LPA – audit personnel and top management responsibilities
Team exercise – identifying LPA personnel
Team quiz – recognizing the benefits of LPAs
Undertaking a LPA as an on-site ‘coaching session’
Extended Q & A session
Who should attend
Cross-functional team members who wish to undertake effective APQP and Layered Process Audits –
operators (shop-floor workers)
team leaders and supervisors
department managers
plant managers & directors (every quarter)!
The course will also useful to Six Sigma ‘Belts’ during the Control Step.
Deliverables & benefits
By the end of this 1-day practical course & workshop participants will be able to plan, perform and report the results of an APQP Audit using the Layered Process Audit (LPA) technique.
TEC's knowledge and experience of performing formal manufacturing process (products) audits has been gained from working with clients in the UK, Europe, USA and Russia – the automotive, aviation, defence and rail sectors. During these assignments we have ensured that our client’s personnel are empowered to undertake effective manufacturing process audits to ensure conformity with current manufacturing methods, and to identify opportunities for improvement that can be implemented under controlled conditions.
Our ‘know-how’ is available to your organization through this new 1-day practical course and workshop. We ensure that students will learn, in a structured manner, how to use a battery of powerful LPA techniques and tools to boost the effectiveness of your APQP & PPAP process.