The 5 APQP Phases: Inputs, Outputs, and Key Deliverables for Each Stage

How the 5 Phases Work Together

The five phases of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) form a sequential but overlapping framework. Each phase produces outputs that become the inputs for the next phase. Skip a phase or do it poorly, and every downstream phase suffers.

The AIAG (Automotive Industry Action Group) APQP manual shows the phases on a timing chart where they overlap. This overlap is intentional. It allows parallel work streams to keep the program on schedule while maintaining the logical dependencies between deliverables.

Phase 1: Plan and Define Program

Phase 1 establishes the foundation for the entire program. The cross-functional team gathers customer requirements, benchmarking data, and lessons learned, then translates them into a clear program definition.

Inputs

• Voice of the Customer (VOC): complaints, surveys, warranty data, field service reports
• Business plan and marketing strategy
• Product and process benchmarking data
• Product and process assumptions
• Product reliability studies
• Customer inputs: specifications, standards, regulatory requirements

Outputs and Deliverables

• Design goals: Quantified targets for reliability, durability, weight, cost, and performance.
• Reliability and quality goals: Targets based on customer expectations, benchmarking, and warranty reduction objectives.
• Preliminary Bill of Materials (BOM): Initial list of components and materials based on product assumptions.
• Preliminary process flow chart: High-level manufacturing process based on the preliminary BOM and assumptions.
• Preliminary listing of special characteristics: Product and process characteristics that are likely to require special controls.
• Product assurance plan: A plan that documents the APQP approach, including timing, resources, and quality targets.
• Management support: Documented commitment of resources and a charter for the cross-functional team.

Timing

Phase 1 typically begins at program award and runs through concept approval. For a standard automotive program, this might span 1 to 3 months. The phase ends with a gate review where management confirms the program definition is complete and approves the move to Phase 2.

Phase 2: Product Design and Development

Phase 2 takes the requirements from Phase 1 and produces a product design. This is where engineering drawings are created, the Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) is developed, and prototypes are built and tested.

Inputs

All outputs from Phase 1 become inputs to Phase 2, including design goals, quality targets, preliminary BOM, and the special characteristics list.

Outputs and Deliverables

• DFMEA: A systematic analysis of how the product design could fail, the severity of each failure, how likely it is to occur, and how detectable it would be.
• Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFMA): Reviews that ensure the design can be manufactured and assembled efficiently.
• Design verification: Confirmation that the design meets all specification requirements through analysis and testing.
• Design reviews: Formal, documented reviews of the design at key milestones.
• Prototype build and control plan: A control plan specifically for prototype production, defining inspection methods and frequencies.
• Engineering drawings: Complete drawings with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T).
• Engineering specifications: Material, performance, and test specifications.
• Drawing and specification changes: A log of changes made during the design phase.
• New equipment, tooling, and facilities requirements: Identification of capital investments needed.
• Special product and process characteristics: Refined from the Phase 1 preliminary list.
• Gages, testing equipment, and fixtures requirements: Identification of measurement and test equipment needs.
• Team feasibility commitment: The cross-functional team’s documented assessment that the design is feasible to manufacture.

Timing

Phase 2 runs from concept approval through design freeze. This is typically the longest phase, spanning 3 to 9 months depending on product complexity. For suppliers that are not design-responsible, Phase 2 activities are reduced since the customer provides the design.

Phase 3: Process Design and Development

Phase 3 shifts focus from what the product is to how it will be manufactured. This phase produces the manufacturing process design, including the Process FMEA (PFMEA), process flow diagram, floor plan, and pre-launch control plan.

Inputs

All outputs from Phase 2, including the finalized design, DFMEA, engineering specifications, special characteristics, and equipment requirements.

Outputs and Deliverables

• Packaging standards and specifications: How finished parts will be packaged, labeled, and shipped.
• Product/process quality system review: Verification that the existing quality management system can support the new product.
• Process flow diagram: A step-by-step diagram of the entire manufacturing process from receiving through shipping.
• Floor plan layout: The physical arrangement of equipment, workstations, and material flow.
• Characteristics matrix: A matrix linking process steps to product characteristics to ensure nothing is missed.
• PFMEA: A systematic analysis of how each process step could fail and the resulting effects on the product.
• Pre-launch control plan: A control plan for the initial production phase, typically with more frequent inspections than the final production plan.
• Process instructions: Detailed operator work instructions for each process step.
• MSA (Measurement Systems Analysis) plan: A plan identifying which measurement systems need to be studied and validated.
• Preliminary process capability study plan: A plan for how initial Cpk and Ppk studies will be conducted.
• Management support: Confirmed staffing, budget, and timeline for validation activities.

Timing

Phase 3 runs from design freeze through process readiness. It typically overlaps with the end of Phase 2 and spans 2 to 6 months. Tooling procurement often drives the timeline for this phase.

Phase 4: Product and Process Validation

Phase 4 is where you prove that your manufacturing process can consistently produce parts that meet all customer requirements. This is the most data-intensive phase and culminates in the PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) submission.

Inputs

All outputs from Phase 3, including the PFMEA, pre-launch control plan, process instructions, MSA plan, and capability study plan.

Outputs and Deliverables

• Production Trial Run (PTR): A significant production run using production tooling, equipment, operators, and cycle times. The quantity is typically defined by the customer or agreed upon in advance.
• MSA studies: Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility (Gage R&R), bias, linearity, and stability studies for all critical measurement systems.
• Initial process capability studies: Cpk and Ppk calculations for all special characteristics. The typical minimum requirement is Cpk of 1.67 for initial capability.
• Production validation testing: Functional, durability, and performance testing of parts produced during the trial run.
• Packaging evaluation: Verification that packaging protects parts during handling, storage, and transportation.
• Production control plan: The final control plan that will govern ongoing production, replacing the pre-launch control plan.
• Quality planning sign-off: The cross-functional team confirms all deliverables are complete.
• PPAP submission: The complete evidence package submitted to the customer for approval.

Timing

Phase 4 runs from process readiness through launch approval. It typically spans 1 to 3 months and ends with customer approval of the PPAP submission. Once approved, regular production shipments can begin.

Phase 5: Feedback, Assessment, and Corrective Action

Phase 5 begins after launch and continues indefinitely. It is the continuous improvement phase where production data drives ongoing process optimization.

Inputs

Production data: SPC (Statistical Process Control) charts, scrap and rework data, customer complaints, warranty returns, and internal audit findings.

Outputs and Deliverables

• Reduced variation: Using SPC data and process optimization to tighten process capability beyond initial targets.
• Customer satisfaction: Tracking and responding to customer quality metrics, scorecards, and feedback.
• Delivery and service: Monitoring on-time delivery and resolving logistics issues.
• Lessons learned: Documenting what worked, what did not, and what to do differently on the next program.
• Updated FMEA and control plan: Living documents updated based on production experience and customer feedback.

Timing

Phase 5 starts at production launch and has no formal end date. The most intensive period is the first 90 days after launch, often called the “safe launch” period, when extra controls and monitoring are in place.

Common Mistakes Across All Phases

• Skipping Phase 1: Teams jump straight into design without clearly defining requirements. This leads to scope creep and misaligned expectations.
• Copy-paste FMEAs: Using a generic FMEA from a previous program without tailoring it to the current product and process. This defeats the purpose of risk analysis.
• Treating gate reviews as formalities: If the gate review does not have the authority to stop a program, it is not a gate review. It is a status meeting.
• Rushing Phase 4: Compressing the validation phase to meet launch dates. Insufficient trial run data leads to capability studies that do not represent actual production performance.
• Ignoring Phase 5: Once the PPAP is approved, many teams move on to the next program without closing the loop. This wastes the learning opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all five phases apply if my company is not design-responsible?

If you are a build-to-print supplier, Phase 2 (product design) is largely the customer’s responsibility. However, you should still review the design for manufacturability and provide input on special characteristics. Phases 1, 3, 4, and 5 fully apply.

How long does a full APQP program take?

It depends on the product complexity. Simple parts may complete in 4 to 6 months. Complex assemblies or new technology programs can take 18 to 24 months or more.

What is the most critical phase?

Every phase is important, but Phase 1 and Phase 3 are where the most value is created. Phase 1 sets the direction, and Phase 3 determines how the product will be manufactured. Problems in these phases cascade through validation and production.

What is a special characteristic?

A special characteristic is a product or process feature that could affect safety, regulatory compliance, fit, function, or appearance. Special characteristics require additional controls, such as SPC monitoring, 100% inspection, or error-proofing.

Can phases overlap?

Yes. The AIAG timing chart shows overlapping phases. For example, early process design work (Phase 3) often begins before the product design (Phase 2) is fully frozen. The key is managing the dependencies so that downstream work is not based on premature assumptions.

What software is used to manage APQP phases?

Options range from Microsoft Excel and Project for smaller operations to dedicated APQP/NPI software like Intelex, Arena, Omnex, or ETQ for larger programs. The choice depends on your organization’s size, complexity, and number of simultaneous programs.