Reduce APQP Time with CEBOS’ MQ1 APQP Software and PPAP Software

Those of us that have to go through the advanced product quality planning (APQP) process understand the effort required to complete this process. This effort doesn’t merely relate to just completing the process steps, undoubtedly a great deal of effort is expended to manage the ensuing required paperwork! Such effort includes trying to avert:

• Mismatched Process flow, FMEA and control plans when the process is managed with spreadsheets or Word files causing audit findings and compliance risks.
• The enormous amount of time required to flow changes through as changes often affects multiple parts and thus many related documents.
• Redundant data entry and resulting keystroke error possibilities in order to support many uniquely formatted APQP documents containing much of the same data and information.
• The time consuming nature of manual approval workflows and record keeping.

The CEBOS MQ1 APQP Module enables best in class automation for Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) methodologies.  These include an innovative means for the creation and management of Process Flow, FMEA’s, Control Plans, PPAP, Product Specification Management, Shop Floor Travelers, and other Instructions and checklists used to ensure that operations and inspections are done right the first time. MQ1 is focused on generating the following business results:

1)      Ensuring total compliance with applicable customer requirements and system standards.

2)      Significantly increasing efficiency within the authoring and management of APQP documents

3)      Increased customer satisfaction and profitability arising from a systematic means to drive continuous improvement within product quality and reliability.

Benefits of CEBOS’ APQP Software

• Allows reusable data and smart linking technology to enable significantly less administration time for generating APQP documentation especially when processing changes.
• Provides a relational database to leverage data stored in one location and enables it to be displayed in many formats according the application (Control Plan, Router, Check sheet, etc.).
• Employs a vast library of report formats for AIAG and OEM specific formats (e.g., Honda PQCT, Toyota MQC, etc.) and includes a built-in report designer to enable the creation of any internal or customer specified format for displaying data without the need to manage separate files or require redundant data entry
• Utilizes libraries that allow a change to be made in one place and the automatically cascade to update all affected documentation
• Significantly shorter cycle time for creating and managing documents and tasks in the APQP and PPAP processes
• System linkages and built in safeguards ensure a high level of data integrity so that products are built according to accurate and current documentation
• Reduced compliance risk to TS-16949 and customer requirements through positive change management, proper document linking and reports in prescribed formats
• Intelligent system ensures that lessons learned are applied to future product planning
• Better decision making and resource allocation results through an increased awareness of risk and associated cost by the ability to correlate the potential failure modes on the FMEA with the actual failures as tracked by the CAPA system. Reduces redundant data management by integrating with other business system data
• Effective continuous improvement is driven by the systems analysis and reporting capabilities
• Timely management of changes to customer’s statement of requirements helps prevent and reduce the cost of non-reimbursable charges
• Standardized System for APQP to ensure process consistency and efficiency
• Reduce verification time with completely linked flows, FMEAS, control plans, operator/work instructions, check sheets, drawings and more.
• Easily manage customer required formats with the ability to create user defined reports.
• Minimize project management time by knowing which tasks are open and closed at-a-glance for all APQP product launch projects
• Increase customer satisfaction by reducing documentation errors and redundant conversations related to the APQP process
• Find documents all in one place, minimizing time to locate relevant documents
• Completely automate all aspects of the engineering change request process
• Ensures compliance to all quality requirements including: ISO 9000/9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14000/14001, ISO 14971, ISO 17025, ISO 22000, HACCP, TS 16949, TL 9000, AS 9100, cGxP, 21 CFR Part 11, QSR Title 21 Part 820, A2LA, OHSAS 18000, and many more, are met or exceeded

Features of CEBOS’ PPAP and APQP Software

• A relational database maintains logical linking between documents to ensure perfect data integrity and saves time with cascade updating whenever data is changed.
• Process Flow templates enable quick copy functionality from similar parts
• Lessons learned are maintained through reusable libraries of characteristics, failure modes and controls in conjunction with intelligent algorithms to suggest library logic matches based on customer, family, process, and supplied items.
• Reusable libraries and templates minimize the time it takes to complete APQP and PPAP documents.
• Consolidate all APQP and PPAP documents into a single PDF file for easy submissions.  PDF functionality also enables greater document security by controlling the “Save As” or “Printing” of documents
• Flexibity to enable part specific editing without compromising library records.
• Visual aids (pictures) can be embedded in operator instructions, reducing miscommunication in written work instructions
• Product/Process Requirements defined in Characteristic Libraries, Features on Controlled Drawings, and other linked requirements documentation.
• Creates PPAP documents in AIAG / customer approved format
• User configurable report writer enables adaptability to new customer formatting requests.
• Product characteristics can be integrated with MQ1 Data Collect Module, enabling SPC and disciplined change management from planning to shop floor data collection
• Integrated e-mail capabilities with positive reminders and escalation helps to facilitate better communication and accountability with assigned actions
• Innovative “Joiner Technology” allowing part specific documents to be created while still using library records common to many parts/processes.
• Automated change logging feature maintains an audit trail of historical changes to product and process information
• Built in mechanism managing revision levels, ensuring that the team is always using the latest revision level
• Extensive library of symbols to designate special characteristics
• Integration with Documents, Supplier Management, Gage and Maintenance systems, minimizing redundancy and reducing session and project time
• Automatic update to all parts when a library (characteristic, failure mode or control) item is changed.
• Automatic updating of a failure mode’s RPN directly from a corrective action using the CEBOS’ Problem Solver module.
• Reporting capabilities allow for graphical and numerical presentation of key product and process information (FMEA RPN analysis, etc.)
• Electronic routing and approval for all documentation with automated reminders, reducing the time to approve documentation.
• Maintenance of all documentation history for a complete audit trail for customer and pronouncement audits.
• Automated creation of process/design FMEAs and control plans for significant reduction in time of document creation time.
• Store and manage all customer and internal correspondence, facilitating communication between teams
• Built in mechanism managing revision levels, ensuring that the team is always using the latest revision level
• Reusable library of processes and operations, minimizing the time it takes to create Process Flow, FMEA and Control Plan, and PPAP documentation
• Disciplined contract review checklists ensure that customer requirements are satisfied
• Linked documents that are automatically updated upon changes, significantly reducing time to complete PPAP administrative paperwork
• Project management of APQP projects can be assigned and automatically managed, ensuring tasks are followed up timely and products enter into production faster
• Creates PPAP documents in AIAG approved format
• Definition of product characteristics that can be integrated with the MQ1 Data Collect Module, enabling automated and linked inspection plan for on-line data collection, SPC and corrective action creation.
• Integrated incoming/outgoing e-mail capabilities, facilitating and recording communication with customers and suppliers on critical decisions
• Enables an audit trail of customer requirements to product characteristics, ensuring products are being created to customer required specifications
• Automates numerous processes to complete administrative paperwork related to the PPAP and APQP process, significantly reducing the time for completion
• Ability to convert documents to PDF and to limit the “Save As” or printing of documents