PPAP Process Flow, PFMEA & Control Plan Masterclass

Build Process Flow Diagrams, PFMEAs and Control Plans using risk-based thinking, practical examples and Excel template
What you'll learn

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Understand the purpose and significance of all 18 PPAP elements
Build a complete Level 3 PPAP package from product drawing through PSW
Understand how PPAP fits within APQP and the product launch process
Create and review Process Flow Diagrams, PFMEAs and Control Plans
Maintain the PPAP "golden thread" between drawing requirements, risks, controls and validation evidence
Identify and manage Special Characteristics (SC) and Critical Characteristics (CC)
Conduct and interpret Variable Gauge R&R studies
Understand Attribute GR&R and categorical inspection systems such as GO/NO-GO inspection
Interpret repeatability, reproducibility, %GR&R, ndc, agreement, Kappa, false accepts and false rejects
Perform and interpret process capability studies using Cp and Cpk
Prepare balloon drawings and dimensional inspection reports
Review material certificates, laboratory evidence and performance-test results
Understand Customer Engineering Approval and Authorized Engineering Changes
Apply Customer-Specific Requirements

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to a PPAP submission
Understand checking aids, master samples, sample production parts and AAR requirements
Determine when Bulk Material Requirements

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are applicable
Complete and review a Part Submission Warrant (PSW)
Audit a PPAP package for cross-document inconsistencies before customer submission
Use a populated Excel PPAP workbook as a practical reference for real manufacturing applications
Requirements

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No previous PPAP experience is required
Basic knowledge of manufacturing or quality is helpful but not essential
Microsoft Excel or compatible spreadsheet software is recommended for working through the supplied PPAP template
An interest in general quality, supplier quality, manufacturing engineering or quality management
Description

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Master the three connected documents at the heart of manufacturing process control
A Process Flow Diagram, PFMEA and Control Plan should never be treated as three independent documents created simply to satisfy a PPAP checklist.
They should tellone consistent manufacturing story.
This practical course teaches you how to create, review and connect these three essential quality tools
Process Flow Diagram → PFMEA → Control Plan
Using a realisticADC12 aluminium water-pump housing, we follow the manufacturing process from incoming material through casting, machining, inspection, leak testing and final release.
Rather than simply explaining what goes into each form, the course focuses on the engineering logic connecting them.
Build a Process Flow Diagram
You will learn how to map the complete manufacturing sequence, including
Incoming material
Receiving inspection
Storage
Die casting
Trimming and deburring
Machining
Drilling and tapping
Cleaning
Dimensional inspection
Leak testing
Final inspection
Packaging and release
You will also learn why inspection, transportation, storage, rework and outsourced operations should not simply disappear from the process map.
The Process Flow Diagram establishes the manufacturing architecture for the risk analysis that follows.
Develop a practical PFMEA
Once the process is understood, we ask
What could go wrong?
You will learn how to develop a Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis covering
Process functions
Requirements

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Potential failure modes
Effects of failure
Severity
Potential causes
Occurrence
Prevention controls
Detection controls
Detection ratings
Risk Priority Number (RPN)
Recommended actions
Responsibility
Target dates
Revised risk
You will also learn an important principle
PFMEA is not simply an exercise in calculating RPN.
A low RPN does not automatically mean a risk should be ignored, particularly where severity or customer impact is significant.
Understand Severity, Occurrence and Detection
Using practical manufacturing examples, you will learn how to interpret
Severity - How serious would the effect be?
Occurrence - How likely is the cause to occur?
Detection - How likely are existing controls to detect the problem before escape?
For traditional RPN-based PFMEA
RPN = Severity x Occurrence x Detection
But the course goes beyond the mathematics and teaches students how to use engineering judgement when prioritising risk.
Convert PFMEA risk into effective controls
The next question is
What are we actually going to control in production?
This is where the Control Plan becomes critical.
You will learn how to define
Process characteristics
Product characteristics
Special Characteristics
Specifications and tolerances
Measurement equipment
Control methods
Sample sizes
Inspection frequencies
SPC requirements
Reaction plans
Responsibility
Build the golden thread
A major focus of this course is document alignment.
If the PFMEA identifiesmain bore tool wear as a significant manufacturing risk, the Control Plan should contain an appropriate control for that characteristic.
If a characteristic is designatedSC on the engineering drawing, students should be able to trace it through
Drawing → Process Flow → PFMEA → Control Plan
If the documents tell different stories, the PPAP is weak regardless of how attractive the individual forms look.
Develop meaningful reaction plans
Students will also learn why
"Inform supervisor"
is usually not an adequate reaction plan.
A useful reaction plan may need to address
STOP → CONTAIN → SEGREGATE → INVESTIGATE → CORRECT → VERIFY → RELEASE
By the end of the course, students should be able to create and challenge Process Flow Diagrams, PFMEAs and Control Plans as anintegrated manufacturing risk-management system.
4. What Students Will Learn
Students will be able to
Understand the relationship between Process Flow, PFMEA and Control Plan
Create a manufacturing Process Flow Diagram
Identify missing manufacturing and inspection operations
Develop a practical Process FMEA
Define process functions and requirements
Identify credible failure modes, effects and causes
Assign Severity, Occurrence and Detection ratings
Calculate and interpret traditional RPN
Understand why RPN alone should not determine risk priority
Identify appropriate prevention and detection controls
Develop meaningful risk-reduction actions
Understand Special and Critical Characteristics
Build a practical production Control Plan
Select appropriate measurement and control methods
Define sample sizes and inspection frequencies
Create effective reaction plans
Maintain traceability between PFMEA and Control Plan
Audit Process Flow/PFMEA/Control Plan alignment
Identify common PFMEA and Control Plan mistakes
Apply the PPAP golden-thread principle
5. Course Requirements

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No previous PFMEA experience required
Basic manufacturing knowledge is useful but not essential
Microsoft Excel or compatible software recommended
No requirement to complete Courses 1 or 2 first
6.
Who this course is for

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Supplier Quality Engineers and Supplier Quality Managers
Quality Engineers and Quality Managers
Manufacturing and Process Engineers
APQP and PPAP Engineers
New Product Introduction (NPI) Engineers
Supplier Development Engineers
Automotive and manufacturing professionals
Quality inspectors and metrology professionals moving into quality engineering
Engineering graduates seeking practical PPAP knowledge
Suppliers preparing PPAP submissions for customers
Professionals preparing for interviews or roles involving PPAP, APQP and supplier quality
Homepage

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