PPAP for Electronics - Inclusion of Dimensional Data and Material Specifications

[Daryl MacNeil]

PPAP for Electronics


Hello all,
My company is an electronics manufacturer currently supplying a division of GM. The inclusion of PPAP requirements has been slowly mandated to us, but we are having some confusion as to the application of some of the elements.
The confusion involves the inclusion of dimensional data for items without true finished product dimensions (i.e. wiring harnesses) and how to determine which material specifications are required for a circuit card assembly (i.e. would we require material specifications for every resisitor on a card?)
We have asked our customer contact for some clarification, but any feedback on how to apply the PPAP requirements to electronics would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Daryl

 

[Batman]

PPAP is the final step of your project development, where you swear to have accomplished all features on a customer's specification or drawing. You have developed the process, the controls, the instructions; you purchased the correct raw materials for your assembly. The PPAP submission is verifying all this.

There must be some features or specifications that were required by the customer so he will purchase the items you are producing. The wiring harness, for example, must have some length requirement, or gage size, or something. These requirements must be verified and presented as either certifications with data (in the case of raw material supplied, for example, one of the requirements of QS9000) and / or data you generate from your manufacturing process. If you do APQP well, most of the information is ready by the time of PPAP submission.

But be sure to take the guidance of your customer. I do not have the PPAP manual here, but I think you may be required to have a level III for all new projects, but the actual submission may be a level I or II depending upon your customer's requirement. If APQP is done well, most of the required documentatiom is done as the project is brought on.

 

[Marc]

Take a good look at the customer's stated requirements. Wire length, type of connector(s), etc. As far as dimensional issues, are there 'prints' of your finished product? Dimensional requirements would be (should be) defined there.