Overview of PPAP submission levels
The PPAP submission level, whose full name is "PPAP Submission Requirements - Level of Evidence", plays an extremely crucial role in the product supply process. When the supplier submits product-related information, they need to strictly operate in accordance with the level required by the customer. This level clearly stipulates the specific items to be submitted and the corresponding requirements.
If the department of the customer responsible for product approval has no additional special requirements, the supplier will generally default to selecting Level 3 for a full submission. However, for suppliers that only supply bulk materials, the default submission level is Level 1, which means submitting all PPAP documents related to bulk materials, unless the customer's department responsible for product approval gives specific instructions otherwise.
Detailed description of 5 submission levels
The submission levels of PPAP are divided into a total of 5 levels, and each level has its unique submission content:
Level 1: Submissions at this level are relatively concise. The supplier only needs to submit a letter of guarantee to the customer. If it involves specified visually prominent products, an additional Appearance Approval Report (AAR) is also required. This submission method is applicable to situations where the appearance requirements for the products are relatively special and the evidence requirements are relatively few.
Level 2: In addition to the letter of guarantee, the supplier shall also submit product samples and limited support data to the customer. Limited support data refers to the relevant information provided based on some key characteristics and performance of the product, which can reflect the quality and characteristics of the product to a certain extent.
Level 3: This is a relatively comprehensive submission level. The supplier is required to submit a guarantee, product samples, and complete data support. The complete data support covers various detailed information about the product from the design to the production process, including data from multiple aspects such as performance testing and quality inspection, enabling customers to fully understand the situation of the product.
Level 4: When the supplier submits the guarantee, it also needs to submit in accordance with other requirements specified by the customer. These requirements may vary according to the special needs of the customer and are highly targeted.
Level 5: At this level, the supplier does not need to submit relevant materials to the customer. Instead, the supplier keeps a guarantee, product samples, and complete supporting data at its own manufacturing plant for the customer's review at any time during the assessment.
Analysis of specific submission situations
Retention/Submission Requirement FormRequirement Application Level
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5
1. Design records of salable products R S S * R
2. Engineering change documents, if any R R R * R
3. Customer engineering approval, if any R S S * R
4. Design FMEA R R S * R
5. Process flow chart R R S * R
6. Process FMEA R R S * R
7. Dimension results R R S * R
8. Results of material performance tests R R S * R
9. Initial process study R R S * R
10. Measurement system analysis R R S * R
11. Qualified laboratory documents R R S * R
12. Control Plan R R S * R
13. Part Submission Warrant S S S S R
14. Appearance approval report, if applicable S S S * R
15. Bulk Material Requirements Checklist R R R * R
16. Production part samples R S S * R
17. Standard samples R R R * R
18. Check assistive devices R R S * R
19. Records of meeting customers' special requirements R R S * R
Here, the meanings of different symbols are explained:
S: It means that the supplier must submit relevant records or document items to the designated customer product approval department and keep a copy at appropriate locations including the manufacturing site. Doing so not only meets the customer's review requirements but also facilitates the supplier's subsequent reference and management.
R: It indicates that the supplier needs to keep relevant materials in appropriate places including the manufacturing site. These materials should be easily accessible when requested by the customer representative.
Other submitted contents
Under normal circumstances, in addition to the content required to be submitted as specified above, the supplier will also submit materials such as the floor plan and the part inspection plan. The floor plan enables the customer to understand the site layout and logistics flow during the product production process, while the part inspection plan shows the quality control plan for the product during the production process.
Words of sentiment
As I was tidying up these cumbersome PPAP submission materials in the dead of night, time slipped away quietly. Dawn was approaching, and my mind began to go numb. In this process of constantly striving to ensure the smooth supply of products, no single detail can be overlooked.