What PPAP actually is
PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) is the standardised submission package a supplier uses to demonstrate that it can manufacture a part to the customer’s engineering and specification requirements, consistently, at the quoted production rate. Defined by the AIAG and required under IATF 16949, PPAP collects up to 18 elements of evidence and summarises them on a single sign-off sheet — the Part Submission Warrant (PSW). When the customer approves the PSW, the part is released for volume; until then it is not.
PPAP is the deliverable of phase four of APQP: nearly every element is a document APQP already produced. The parts must come from a significant production run — made on production tooling, at the production site, at production rate, typically one to eight hours of run and a defined minimum quantity — so the evidence reflects the real process, not a lab prototype.
When a PPAP is required
PPAP is triggered by more than a new part. Common triggers include a new part or product, an engineering change to design or specification, a change of process, tooling or manufacturing location, a new or modified sub-supplier, tooling that has been inactive for 12 months or more, and any correction of a discrepancy on a previously submitted part. In short, whenever something that could affect the product changes, the customer expects a fresh PPAP — which is why PPAP and change management are tightly linked.
The 18 PPAP elements
A full PPAP package can contain up to eighteen elements. The customer’s submission level (below) decides how many are actually sent, but all are typically retained on file.
| # | Element | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Design records | The released drawing / CAD data for the saleable part |
| 2 | Engineering change documents | Authorised changes not yet in the drawing |
| 3 | Customer engineering approval | Where required by the customer |
| 4 | DFMEA | Design failure-mode analysis |
| 5 | Process flow diagram | The manufacturing sequence |
| 6 | PFMEA | Process failure-mode analysis |
| 7 | Control plan | The reaction plan of what is controlled and how |
| 8 | Measurement System Analysis (MSA) | Gauge R&R and study results qualifying the gauges |
| 9 | Dimensional results | Every dimension measured against the print |
| 10 | Material & performance test results | Records of material and functional testing |
| 11 | Initial process studies | Preliminary capability (Ppk) / SPC on special characteristics |
| 12 | Qualified laboratory documentation | Scope and accreditation of the test lab |
| 13 | Appearance approval report (AAR) | For parts with appearance requirements |
| 14 | Sample production parts | Physical samples from the run |
| 15 | Master sample | A retained signed-off reference part |
| 16 | Checking aids | Fixtures, gauges and jigs used to check the part |
| 17 | Customer-specific requirements | Records for the customer’s own PPAP rules |
| 18 | Part Submission Warrant (PSW) | The summary sign-off for the whole package |
The 5 PPAP submission levels
The customer chooses one of five submission levels, which controls how much of the package is actually sent (versus retained at the supplier). Level 3 is the most common default.
| Level | What is submitted to the customer |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | PSW only (plus the Appearance Approval Report for appearance items) |
| Level 2 | PSW with product samples and limited supporting data |
| Level 3 | PSW with product samples and complete supporting data — the usual default |
| Level 4 | PSW and other requirements as defined by the customer |
| Level 5 | PSW with samples and complete supporting data reviewed at the supplier’s manufacturing location |
The PSW and submission status
The Part Submission Warrant is the one-page summary that ties the package together: part identity, reason for submission, design-record level, weight, and the supplier’s declaration that the parts meet all requirements. The customer dispositions the submission as one of three statuses:
- Approved (full) — the part meets all requirements; the supplier may ship production quantities.
- Interim — shipment is permitted for a limited time or quantity while a defined issue is resolved.
- Rejected — the package does not meet requirements and must be corrected and re-submitted.
Common PPAP mistakes
The classic failures are a dimensional report that does not match the current drawing revision, an MSA that was never actually run on the control-plan gauge, an initial capability study below the required Ppk, a control plan whose special characteristics do not trace back to the PFMEA, and — most common of all — a package kept as loose files with no version control, so nobody can prove which revision was actually approved.
How Fast Quality Software runs PPAP
Fast Quality Software assembles PPAP as a document-backed package: every element is a controlled document with an approval status, drawn from the same platform that runs APQP, the FMEA and the control plan.
Because every element is a controlled document in shared document control, a PPAP package is versioned and auditable rather than a folder of loose files — and an approved engineering change can trigger a re-submission automatically. Explore the linked APQP, FMEA and control plan guides, or see indicative pricing in INR.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 18 elements of PPAP?
The 18 PPAP elements are: 1) design records, 2) engineering change documents, 3) customer engineering approval, 4) DFMEA, 5) process flow diagram, 6) PFMEA, 7) control plan, 8) measurement system analysis (MSA), 9) dimensional results, 10) material and performance test results, 11) initial process studies, 12) qualified laboratory documentation, 13) appearance approval report, 14) sample production parts, 15) master sample, 16) checking aids, 17) customer-specific requirements, and 18) the Part Submission Warrant (PSW).
What are the 5 PPAP submission levels?
Level 1 is the PSW only (plus an appearance approval report for appearance items); Level 2 is the PSW with product samples and limited supporting data; Level 3 is the PSW with product samples and complete supporting data, and is the most common default; Level 4 is the PSW plus other requirements defined by the customer; and Level 5 is the PSW with samples and complete supporting data reviewed at the supplier's manufacturing location. The customer specifies which level applies.
What is a PSW in PPAP?
The Part Submission Warrant (PSW) is the one-page summary sign-off of a PPAP package. It records the part identity, the reason for submission, the design-record level and weight, and the supplier's declaration that the parts meet all customer requirements. The customer approves, conditionally accepts (interim) or rejects the PSW, and only an approved PSW releases the part for mass production.
When is a PPAP required?
A PPAP is required for a new part, an engineering or specification change, a change of process, tooling or manufacturing location, a new or changed sub-supplier, tooling inactive for 12 months or more, and the correction of a discrepancy on a previously approved part. In general, any change that could affect the product triggers a new PPAP submission.
What is the difference between APQP and PPAP?
APQP is the phase-gated planning process that develops the part and produces the core-tool records; PPAP is the submission package that proves the part is approved for production, using those same records plus the PSW. PPAP is the deliverable of APQP phase four, and the parts must come from a significant production run on production tooling.