Quality Control System Ideas to stream line the PPAP Process

Hello Gents
Long time lurker, first time poster.
I am an owner of a cnc machine shop for last 6 years. Over the last couple of years we were able to machine parts for some big corporations which of course are ISO. I am looking for ideas to stream line the PPAP process and possibly go paperless on quality control. We are running 3 cnc machines with 3 employees on day and 2 on night. We are considering getting a shop software to control our documents. Right now a job traveller will include a drawing, set up sheet, 2 inspection forms and a control plan. I don't like all this paper, sometimes inspections sheet get lost, etc. We dont have a system to track jobs etiher. PPAP process is a different story. I find it takes a lot of time to prepare a 100% inspection, Cpk data, FMEA, control charts, process flows etc. Is there an easier way?. We experimented with Inspection Expert for quicker drawing balooning and inspection sheets.Please help!.

Whilst I have been involved in the development and design of Quality Control systems myself for over 20 years, you could try the following.

You could use a CMS system like – Serendipity (http://www.s9y.org/) or a GNU Wilki to electronicly store your documents or just create a job folder on a server/computer share and scan the documents to the relevant folders - AND REMEMBER TO BACK THEM UP REGULARLY.

Keep it as simple as possible – the main drivers will be your defined procedures and discipline in regard to following those procedures.

In some case this is what I recommend to some clients as a starting point.

Face it -- PPAPs are a nightmare. Here are a couple if ideas we tried for our shop.

First -- we made a standard process flow. All our parts go thru the same general process flow. We have some optional process for parts that require it (ie; outside plating).

Second -- we developed a universal FMEA. All of our processes are listed. It allows us to do an annual review and update, change, add, etc. regularly without tracking down a bunch of paper. Not every part goes thru every process, but all processes are listed. Cut us down from 50+ documents to 1. It acually makes the FMEA usefull.

Third -- we created family control plans. As new parts are received they are added to the control plan. We update them as new parts are received.

That helped cut down on some paperwork. So far, our customers have accepted this approach. Good luck.

Thanks, can you possibly show a sample of an FMEA form. Seems to be a duplicate work as our control plan specifies all the processes involved and actions to be taken if something is not right.

Golfman25 said:

Face it -- PPAPs are a nightmare. Here are a couple if ideas we tried for our shop.

Second -- we developed a universal FMEA. All of our processes are listed. It allows us to do an annual review and update, change, add, etc. regularly without tracking down a bunch of paper. Not every part goes thru every process, but all processes are listed. Cut us down from 50+ documents to 1. It acually makes the FMEA usefull.


That helped cut down on some paperwork. So far, our customers have accepted this approach. Good luck.

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Hi Golfman,
With your system it could be that you focus to much on processes. In PPAP the second P stands for Part and a good process should produce a good part. The focus as I see it should be equally on both?