APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning) is the framework that plans the product and process development process in phases and aims to detect launch risks early.
Five phases
- Planning and programme definition
- Product design and development
- Process design and development
- Product and process validation
- Feedback, assessment and corrective action
What changed in 2024?
The 3rd edition of APQP was published in March 2024 and replaced the 2nd edition dating from 2008. The most notable change is that the Control Plan was moved out into a separate manual.
A change management section and a gate review system were also added. From 1 March 2024 the new manuals replaced the old one unless the customer specifies otherwise.
Relationship with the other tools
APQP is the umbrella over the other tools: it determines in which phase the PFMEA, control plan, MSA and PPAP outputs are produced.
Phase planning, gate criteria and change management can be built around your own projects in the APQP training. For the full set of tools, see the Core Tools programme.