posted 30 July 2001 05:31 AM              

Currently, our company is QS 9000 certified and we have an APQP process in place. However, due to the dynamism of the business, APQP activity is seen as an obstacle rather than a help. I'm trying to revise the format in which APQP is carried out now (we have a APQP checklists for all personnel involved to check and update).

Can you recommend any simple, effective format that I can use and that will conform to the QS 9000 standard?

posted 30 July 2001 12:12 PM            

You say your using check sheets. Is that for every order?
Do you run many different parts through the same set of processes?

If so you may want to do an APQP on your processes rather than on your parts. Then you can describe and control via processes.

For instance:
Type "A" parts go through processes 1-3-4-6-8.
Type "B" parts go through 1-2-5-6...

once this is established, the only time you would have to do a formal APQP, is if your processes change, or if the job is particularly different, or challanging.

hope this helps.

posted 31 July 2001 04:34 AM              

My company basically installs and qualify equipment at our customer sites. We also provide warranty and post-warranty services.

We have many new equipment coming in all the time and the question now is that do we need APQP for every single equipment we are to install?

Is there a simple way of conforming to APQP requirements based on the above situation?

posted 31 July 2001 12:24 PM            

Don't Know if I can be of much help here as I am not in the installation/service business.

I still think that you have to either do APQP on your products or on your processes. If you can do at least some of your processes, you can avoid "reinventing the wheel".

I like your idea of checksheets. It provides a quick consistant way of recording the tasks, and I don't know if there is a simpler way or not.

Perhaps the best solution is to get everone together, and see what can be worked out.
Explain that APQP must be done, but maybe there is a better way. "Let's work together to find it". Let them bring ideas to the table. It may be that they will convince themselves that the current system is the best that can be had.

Best of Luck

James

------------------
Low tech is better than no tech.

posted 31 July 2001 07:30 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by Daniel:
Thanks James for that feedback.

My company basically installs and qualify equipment at our customer sites. We also provide warranty and post-warranty services.

We have many new equipment coming in all the time and the question now is that do we need APQP for every single equipment we are to install?

Is there a simple way of conforming to APQP requirements based on the above situation?

Thanks.

---

Believe it or not, APQP is not that complicated if planned correctly. If you are talking about QS-9000, the APQP manual is a guide, not a specific requirement to follow as written in the book.

It allows you to define how you go about the activity. As asked above, maybe some more information. I think that if you are bringing in a new machine that there is a reason for it, either a process change or a new product, which would require a new APQP or at least a review of the current APQP/PPAP.

One question, you say you are having a hard time getting buy-in for the APQP process, is top management involved as leaders or is their focus the bottom line.

In my experience, middle management follows the views of upper management, good or bad.

ASD...