Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) - Are these simply Operator Work Instructions?

[Manix]

Hi All,

I currently have a customer requesting SOP's for particular parts as well as the usual APQP stuff, such as Control Plans, Process Flow's etc.....

However I am not sure how to approach thes SOP's, as I have never had to produce them.

Are these simply Operator Work Instructions?

We are producing and assembling an automotive part, that will follow the process flow diagram and work on controls set out in the control plan.

Can anyone shed any light as to what these are, and how they differ from the standard APQP documents?

Thanks

[Helmut Jilling]

In Reply to Parent Post by Manix

Hi All,

I currently have a customer requesting SOP's for particular parts as well as the usual APQP stuff, such as Control Plans, Process Flow's etc.....

However I am not sure how to approach thes SOP's, as I have never had to produce them.

Are these simply Operator Work Instructions?

We are producing and assembling an automotive part, that will follow the process flow diagram and work on controls set out in the control plan.

Can anyone shed any light as to what these are, and how they differ from the standard APQP documents?

Thanks

SOP's is an americanism - shorthand for "Standard Operating Procedures". Generally, Operator Work Instructions should do the trick.

[Jennifer Kirley]

Until we get a body of comments on this from various experiences, I will give you this reading material: http://www.epa.gov/quality/qs-docs/g6-final.pdf

Starting with Section 1's overview, this document might provide some insight and help you decide the differences between the its approach and what you are doing now.

Not having your procedures in front of me, I am regrettably unable to be more specific.

[Manix]

In Reply to Parent Post by Jennifer Kirley

Until we get a body of comments on this from various experiences, I will give you this reading material: http://www.epa.gov/quality/qs-docs/g6-final.pdf

Starting with Section 1's overview, this document might provide some insight and help you decide the differences between the its approach and what you are doing now.

Not having your procedures in front of me, I am regrettably unable to be more specific.

Thanks Jennifer,

I will review this document and see how it ties up.

After a brief look at the doc and other examples I have found on the web, they are very much tied into the general procedures an organisation follows. However my customer is reffering to specific parts! Which is why I draw the connection to the Operator Work instructions!

Difficult to know where to go on this one!

[Ruis72]

Hi Manix,
I'm not in automotive so I don't know how they compare with APQP but I have a few examples of standard ops I can send if you're interested. We've just had learndirect in giving the whole company basic training on how to create them so we're still new to them too but it might give you an idea of what your customer is after.

elly

[Jim Wynne]

In Reply to Parent Post by Manix

Hi All,

I currently have a customer requesting SOP's for particular parts as well as the usual APQP stuff, such as Control Plans, Process Flow's etc.....

However I am not sure how to approach thes SOP's, as I have never had to produce them.

Are these simply Operator Work Instructions?

We are producing and assembling an automotive part, that will follow the process flow diagram and work on controls set out in the control plan.

Can anyone shed any light as to what these are, and how they differ from the standard APQP documents?

Thanks

Don't guess, ask the customer!! No one here knows what your customer is asking for.

[Patricia Ravanello]

In Reply to Parent Post by JSW05

Don't guess, ask the customer!! No one here knows what your customer is asking for.

I concur 100% with JSWO5. If you're looking for additional distinctions between SOPs and Operator Description Sheets, I've attached a brief description of Operating System Documentation Structure, F.Y.I.

Patricia