APQP Phase Gate Checklist (Free, Printable)

0%

0 of 37 items complete

14 critical items still open - these are the highest-risk gaps.

Download checklist:

Phase 1: Plan and define

Customer requirements, drawings and specifications are received and reviewedCRITICALCross functional team is named with a team leaderDesign goals, reliability and quality targets are documentedPreliminary bill of materials and process flow are draftedPreliminary list of special product and process characteristics existsCRITICALFeasibility commitment is signed off by the teamCRITICALTiming plan agreed with customer milestones

Phase 2: Product design and development

Design FMEA completed where the supplier is design responsibleDesign verification plan and results are reviewedDrawings and specifications are released and controlledCRITICALPrototype control plan is prepared if requiredNew equipment, tooling and facilities requirements are identifiedGauge and testing equipment requirements are identifiedTeam feasibility commitment and management support are recordedCRITICAL

Phase 3: Process design and development

Packaging standards and specifications are agreedProcess flow diagram is complete and matches the floor layoutCRITICALFloor plan layout reviewed for material flow and inspection pointsProcess FMEA reviewed with error proofing identifiedCRITICALPre launch control plan is complete and linked to the PFMEACRITICALWork instructions and operator training are readyMeasurement systems analysis plan is preparedPreliminary process capability study plan exists

Phase 4: Product and process validation

Significant production run completed with production tooling and peopleCRITICALMeasurement system analysis completed and acceptableCRITICALPreliminary process capability studies meet customer requirementsCRITICALRun at rate or capacity verification passedCRITICALProduction validation testing is completed and documentedPackaging evaluation and shipping tests are doneProduction control plan is signedPart submission warrant completed and PPAP package readyCRITICALQuality planning sign off obtained

Phase 5: Feedback, assessment and corrective action

Reduced variation and improvement targets are agreedCustomer satisfaction and delivery performance are monitoredEarly production containment plan is in place if requiredCRITICALCorrective actions from launch issues are closed with verificationLessons learned are recorded and fed into future programsControl plan and PFMEA updated with launch experience

Tick only deliverables that are complete and reviewed. Do not release a phase gate while critical items are open without a documented risk decision from management.

Launch readiness from live data

Optional: see how ERP and quality data could drive gate reviews without manual status collection.

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

How to use it

Run the checklist at the end of each APQP phase with the cross functional team. Tick items only when the deliverable exists, has been reviewed and is under document control. Discuss every critical item that remains open, assign an owner and a date, and record whether management accepts the risk of proceeding. Export the result so each gate has a dated record in the program file.

What each phase delivers

Phase 1 locks down customer requirements and feasibility. Phase 2 produces the released design and DFMEA. Phase 3 produces the process flow, PFMEA, control plan and work instructions. Phase 4 proves the process with a production run, MSA, capability and PPAP. Phase 5 covers launch containment, corrective action and lessons learned. The checklist mirrors these outputs so nothing is skipped under schedule pressure.

Gate 1: feasibility and goals
Gate 2: design release
Gate 3: process and control plan ready
Gate 4: validation and PPAP
Gate 5: stable production and learning

Reading the results

A high score with open critical items is still a red gate. Typical blockers are an unsigned feasibility commitment, a control plan not linked to the PFMEA, or capability studies not meeting the customer target. When the team wants to proceed anyway, document the risk, add containment such as extra inspection, and set a re-review date. A gate that is never closed is the early signal of a late launch.

Common mistakes

Treating gates as paperwork, reviewing without the people who own the deliverables, ticking items that exist only as drafts, and leaving MSA and capability work until the final weeks. Another trap is skipping phase 5, where launch problems become lessons that improve the next program.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an APQP phase gate?

It is a formal review at the end of an APQP phase to confirm the deliverables are complete before the program moves on. The cross functional team and management check evidence, close open items or accept documented risks, and record the decision.

Who should attend a phase gate review?

The cross functional team: program management, design, process engineering, tooling, quality, purchasing and logistics, plus a management sponsor who can accept risk. Customer representatives join for milestones the customer has specified.

Are these deliverables required by every customer?

The five phases and their typical outputs come from the AIAG APQP guidance, but customers adapt them. Some use their own gate systems with extra deliverables. Treat the checklist as a baseline and add items from your customer specific requirements.

What happens if a critical item is open at a gate?

Management should either hold the gate or approve a documented risk decision with owners, dates and containment. Without this, open items tend to surface at PPAP or in production, when they are costlier to fix.

Netray can help connect launch data from ERP and quality systems to a private readiness dashboard for your gate reviews.

Talk to an Expert Explore More Free Tools

Related Tools

Quality & Inspection

More Quality & Inspection tools

See all

APQP Phase Gate Checklist