Automotive Launch Readiness Review Template
Before start of production, customers and management want one place that shows whether the launch is ready. This template captures status, evidence, risks and the go decision in a single document you can export.
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Automotive Launch Readiness Review Template
Launch Readiness Review
Company: Acme Automotive Components Program: Model Y27 Brake Bracket Part number: BR-48213-A Customer: OEM A Planned SOP: 2026-12-01 Review date: 2026-10-20
Readiness summary
| Area | Status | Owner | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPAP | Submitted | PSW, dimensional results, capability, MSA | |
| Capacity demonstration | Planned | Run at rate report, OEE, scrap | |
| Tooling and gauges | Tryout complete | Tryout report, calibration, gauge R and R | |
| Control plan and PFMEA | Released revision, special characteristics | ||
| Packaging and logistics | Approved packaging, labels, transport route | ||
| Supplier readiness | Sub-tier PPAP, capacity commitment | ||
| Training and work instructions | Operator records, standard work | ||
| Containment plan | Safe launch criteria, exit criteria |
Top risks
1. Second source of stamping coil not yet approved. 2. Run at rate shows 82 percent OEE against 88 percent plan.
Open actions
Complete run at rate by 2026-11-10. Approve coil source by 2026-11-05.
Decision
Decision: Conditional go
Conditions for conditional go must have owner and date. If safe launch containment is used, record the exit criteria in the containment log.
A starting point to adapt to your customer's own launch readiness requirements. Do not treat it as a replacement for the customer's forms or gate definitions.
Launch status from your ERP
Optional: ask how work orders and quality data can feed a launch dashboard.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use the template
Fill in the program details and select the status for PPAP, capacity demonstration and tooling. Edit the risk and action boxes, then complete the owner and evidence columns in the table after you export, or add them in the Word version. Hold the review with the cross-functional team and the customer where required. Record the decision and conditions, and keep the signed copy in the program file.
What a launch review should check
APQP ends with a launch phase where the process is proven at rate. The review should confirm approved PPAP or an agreed interim approval, a demonstrated run at rate with the cycle time, OEE and scrap the quote assumed, released tooling and calibrated gauges, a linked PFMEA and control plan, approved packaging, and trained operators. It should also confirm sub-tier supplier readiness and a containment plan for the early production period.
- Evidence beats status colors: attach reports
- Name an owner and date for every open item
- Define exit criteria for safe launch before SOP
- Review again if the SOP date moves
Common mistakes
The common failure is a green review with unproven capacity because the run at rate was done on one shift or with a subset of tooling. Another is accepting conditional go without enforceable dates. Link open actions to your project tracker or ERP so they are visible, and tie containment exit criteria to measurable results like consecutive shifts with no defects. Customers may use their own readiness forms, so map this content to theirs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as PPAP?
No. PPAP is the formal part approval package submitted to the customer. A launch readiness review is an internal and customer gate that confirms the whole launch is ready, including capacity, logistics, people and containment, and uses PPAP as one input.
When should the review take place?
Most programs hold one or more reviews in the months before SOP, with a final review shortly before. The timing follows your APQP timing plan and customer gate requirements.
What is a conditional go?
A conditional go allows launch to continue while specific open items are closed by agreed dates. Each condition should have an owner, a date and a verification method, and it is common to pair it with a safe launch containment plan.
Can I use it for tier 2 suppliers?
Yes. Tier 2 suppliers can use it to prepare for the tier 1 customer's readiness requirements and to review their own sub-tier suppliers.
Netray can pull launch status, work orders and quality results from your ERP into a readiness view. The template is free and fully usable without us.
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