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APQP Phase Deliverables Reference Table

Advanced Product Quality Planning organises a new automotive part launch into five phases, each with defined inputs and outputs. This table lists those deliverables so you can build a launch plan or audit one without paging through the manual.

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PhaseDeliverableInput or outputTypical owner
1 Plan and define
Voice of the customer, market research, warranty data
Input
Sales, program management
1 Plan and define
Business plan and marketing strategy
Input
Management
1 Plan and define
Product and process benchmark data
Input
Engineering
1 Plan and define
Product and process assumptions
Input
Engineering
1 Plan and define
Design goals
Output
Engineering
1 Plan and define
Reliability and quality goals
Output
Quality
1 Plan and define
Preliminary bill of material
Output
Engineering
1 Plan and define
Preliminary process flow chart
Output
Manufacturing engineering
1 Plan and define
Preliminary list of special product and process characteristics
Output
Cross-functional team
1 Plan and define
Product assurance plan
Output
Quality
2 Product design and development
Design failure mode and effects analysis
Output
Design engineering
2 Product design and development
Design for manufacturability and assembly
Output
Design and manufacturing
2 Product design and development
Design verification
Output
Design engineering
2 Product design and development
Prototype build control plan
Output
Quality
2 Product design and development
Engineering drawings and specifications
Output
Design engineering
2 Product design and development
Material specifications
Output
Design, purchasing
2 Product design and development
Drawing and specification changes
Output
Design engineering
2 Product design and development
New equipment, tooling and facilities requirements
Output
Manufacturing engineering
2 Product design and development
Gauge and testing equipment requirements
Output
Quality
2 Product design and development
Team feasibility commitment and management support
Output
Cross-functional team
3 Process design and development
Packaging standards and specifications
Output
Logistics
3 Process design and development
Product and process quality system review
Output
Quality
3 Process design and development
Process flow chart
Output
Manufacturing engineering
3 Process design and development
Floor plan layout
Output
Manufacturing engineering
3 Process design and development
Characteristics matrix
Output
Quality
3 Process design and development
Process failure mode and effects analysis
Output
Manufacturing engineering
3 Process design and development
Pre-launch control plan
Output
Quality
3 Process design and development
Process instructions
Output
Manufacturing engineering
3 Process design and development
Measurement systems analysis plan
Output
Quality
3 Process design and development
Preliminary process capability study plan
Output
Quality
3 Process design and development
Packaging specifications
Output
Logistics
4 Product and process validation
Significant production run
Output
Production
4 Product and process validation
Measurement systems evaluation
Output
Quality
4 Product and process validation
Preliminary process capability study
Output
Quality
4 Product and process validation
Production part approval
Output
Quality, customer
4 Product and process validation
Production validation testing
Output
Engineering, lab
4 Product and process validation
Packaging evaluation
Output
Logistics
4 Product and process validation
Production control plan
Output
Quality
4 Product and process validation
Quality planning sign-off and management support
Output
Cross-functional team
5 Feedback, assessment and corrective action
Reduced variation
Output
Production, quality
5 Feedback, assessment and corrective action
Improved customer satisfaction
Output
Quality, sales
5 Feedback, assessment and corrective action
Improved delivery and service
Output
Logistics, customer service
5 Feedback, assessment and corrective action
Effective use of lessons learned
Output
Cross-functional team

Based on the structure of the AIAG APQP manual. Individual customers may add or drop deliverables. Use it as a planning index, not a replacement for the manual.

Report APQP gate status from your ERP

An optional conversation on pulling launch milestone data from your ERP or PLM.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the table

Filter by phase number to see what should exist at each gate, or search for a deliverable such as control plan or packaging to find where it belongs. Export to Excel and add columns for due date, owner name and status, then use it as the backbone of your timing plan. Because the rows are reference data, they stay stable while you build your own tracker around them.

The five phases in brief

Phase 1 plans and defines the program and sets goals. Phase 2 covers product design and verification. Phase 3 designs the process, including flow, PFMEA and the pre-launch control plan. Phase 4 validates through a significant production run and PPAP. Phase 5 uses production feedback to reduce variation and capture lessons learned. Phases overlap in real programs, so use gates rather than strict sequence.

Link to PPAP and IATF 16949

PPAP is the main evidence of phase 4 and draws on outputs from phases 2 and 3: the DFMEA, flow, PFMEA, control plan and MSA. IATF 16949 clause 8.3 requires design and development planning and 8.3.4.4 requires a product approval process, which most suppliers satisfy through APQP and PPAP together.

Common mistakes

Teams often skip phase 1 goals and later cannot judge whether the process meets expectations. Another frequent gap is writing the PFMEA after the process is already running, which turns it into documentation instead of a design tool. Start the cross-functional team early and review the table at every gate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is APQP required by IATF 16949?

IATF 16949 requires planned design and process development, risk analysis and a product approval process but does not name APQP in every clause. Most automotive suppliers use APQP as the method because customers expect it and the AIAG manual is the common reference.

How many phases does APQP have?

Five: plan and define, product design and development, process design and development, product and process validation, and feedback, assessment and corrective action. Some customer programs also add their own gate names on top of these.

Where does the control plan sit in APQP?

A prototype control plan is an output of phase 2, a pre-launch control plan comes from phase 3 and the production control plan is finalised in phase 4. It is a living document updated throughout the life of the part.

Can I use this table for a non-automotive program?

Yes. The phase structure is also used by other industries as a launch framework. Just replace automotive-specific items such as PPAP with your own customer approval step.

If your launch milestones live in an ERP or PLM project, we can help report APQP gate status automatically. Send us a short description of your setup.

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