Re: Can anyone point me to some information on "Copy Exact!"
I don't know that PPAP a la AIAG is germane here, but the 4th Edition PPAP manual says,
It then goes on to list, in tabular form, examples of changes that require notification.
Be that as it may, it's simply unrealistic to believe that all control plans will be followed to the letter in all instances, and it's even more unrealistic to think that everything will come to a screeching halt while waiting for a customer to make a decision regarding an ad hoc and temporary, but carefully considered, minor process change.
Therein hangs the tale. Who is to say what is minor and what is not? Simply work WITH the customer and constantly give that assurance, with samples if necessary, that changes will not affect the product quality or consistency.
I've spent an entire career trying to make the point that customers and suppliers work best as "partners" and not as "adversaries!"
I ran a lot of manufacturing lines and I don't recall any changes in the control plan which were either ad hoc or temporary without a long and hard consideration of downstream ramifications, especially anything that might affect a customer (especially of custom-made goods versus proprietary off-the-shelf products.)
It is worth considering that ISO 13485 specifically eliminates "improvements" or changes in processes. To my knowledge, this was one of the key features necessary to get acceptance as a "harmonized" approval candidate for Quality Management Systems for various government regulators.
The FAA also looks askance at "changes" to systems or products without prior approval, except specifically defined "minor" changes and those need to be given in written form after the fact along with documentation the change did not affect products in a detrimental way.