IATF Training Portal

29th Dec 2021 Posted By Admin

APQP-In A Nutshell

In my two decades of automobile industrial experience, I have consistently learnt many complicated subjects with a practical sense.

My learning started in 1996 & the company I kick started my career was the first company certified for QS-9000 in India (Standard released by Big Three of USA). 300+ employees were working hard for nearly one year for this success. On the day of final result, I still remember the quality chief was admitted to hospital due to a mild cardiac attack, so much was the pressure on him & on everybody!

Later QS9000 was migrated to TS16949. I learnt QS9000, TS16949, Internal auditing, PPAP, FMEA, MSA & SPC (not APQP). I was wandering around many people, seeking knowledge, who had carried a banner of having strong knowledge on systems. But to my surprise, when my knowledge level increased, I found there were lots of gaps in whatever I was taught. I have to keep on fine tuning myself using logical thinking as there was no clarity with trainers / consultants / auditors beyond a certain point.

My journey towards seeking knowledge continued. Exactly after working with International OEMs like Renault Nissan, General Motors, Ford & Daimler, my search for completeness of understanding (on TS & core tools) came to a self satisfaction level.

Even after this, there was a gray area for me, which was APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning). Again there were many people around, who were ready to guide, but with some shortfalls. It was at this point, I decided to sit along-with our own team members & started reading, understanding APQP on our own. Slowly & steadily we got all the needed clarity on APQP. Finally it was such a simple tool.

At this point I started thinking of people who may wander after knowledge like me. What will happen if they don’t get the right teachings, right trainings & right understandings? They will keep on spending more years in learning, understanding these! I can understand how painful it could be, running after knowledge, but not getting proper teaching, understanding.

All these thoughts, made me to bring complicated subjects in a nut shell. I was able to bring APQP, PPAP, FMEA, MSA, SPC, Popular control charts, DOE all in a nutshell.

In my previous article, I have shared “MSA-In a Nutshell”. In this article sharing "APQP in a nutshell".