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apqp-phase-planner

Plan and track Advanced Product Quality Planning (AIAG APQP 3rd edition, IATF 16949) for a new or changed automotive part: back-schedule the five phases (plan and define, product design, process design, product and process validation, launch and feedback) from the start-of-production date by program complexity, with overlap, PPAP lead and safe-launch period; list the deliverables and gate for each phase (DFMEA, DVP&R, feasibility, process flow, PFMEA, control plans, MSA, Ppk, run at rate, PPAP, safe launch, lessons learned); adjust for build-to-print suppliers; flag compressed timelines and late or untracked deliverables against a status list. Covers gate reviews, red/yellow/green status reporting, run at rate and safe-launch exit criteria. Use when kicking off a new automotive program, building an APQP timing plan for a customer, preparing a gate review or recovering a late launch.

Manufacturing & Industrial Operations / Quality Management & ISO 9001v1.0.0Updated OCT 25 20262 references1 script

APQP works backwards from the start of production (SOP): PPAP must be approved before SOP, which needs a production run, which needs finished process design and tooling, which needs a frozen design. scripts/apqp_plan.py builds that back-schedule, lists each phase's deliverables, and checks a status list for late or missing items.

Trigger Conditions

Activate this skill when the user:

  • Is starting a new automotive part or program and needs an APQP timing plan
  • Must report APQP status to a customer or prepare a gate review
  • Is a build-to-print supplier asking what APQP means for them
  • Has a launch at risk and needs to see what is late

PPAP package: ppap-submission-package-builder; PFMEA: process-fmea-builder; control plan: control-plan-writer.

Workflow

text
1. INPUTS   -> SOP date, complexity (low/medium/high), design responsibility, customer PPAP lead and safe-launch rules
2. PLAN     -> python scripts/apqp_plan.py --sop 2027-09-06 --complexity medium --today 2026-10-26
3. COMPRESS -> if COMPRESSED: parallel work, carry-over, more resources, or renegotiate SOP / staged PPAP
4. ASSIGN   -> owner and due date for each deliverable; long-lead tooling ordered at design freeze
5. TRACK    -> python scripts/apqp_plan.py --sop ... --status deliverables.csv --today YYYY-MM-DD
6. GATES    -> review red/yellow items with management at each gate
7. LAUNCH   -> safe launch with exit criteria; lessons learned into the next program

Phases and Gates

PhaseEnds withMedium-complexity duration
1 Plan and defineProgram approval6 weeks
2 Product design and developmentDesign freeze16 weeks (about 5 for build-to-print)
3 Process design and developmentProcess sign-off14 weeks, starting halfway through phase 2
4 Product and process validationPPAP approved, 4 weeks before SOP10 weeks
5 Launch, feedback and corrective actionSafe-launch exit13 weeks after SOP
text
4 Product and process validation            2027-05-31  2027-08-09  PPAP approved
LATE  phase 1 'Preliminary special characteristics' is in-progress; phase ended 2026-12-28

Deliverables per phase, build-to-print changes, gates and typical lead times: apqp-phases.md. Status reporting, run at rate and safe launch: launch-and-status-reporting.md.

Output Format

Deliver:

  1. Timing plan - phases with start, end and gate (from apqp_plan.py).
  2. Deliverable list with owners and due dates per phase.
  3. Status - done / in progress / late, untracked deliverables, red/yellow risks with recovery plans.
  4. Critical path - long-lead tooling and equipment, PPAP date, SOP.

Scripts

bash
python scripts/apqp_plan.py --sop 2027-09-06 --complexity medium --today 2026-10-26
python scripts/apqp_plan.py --sop 2027-09-06 --complexity high --no-design --ppap-lead 6 --safe-launch 13
python scripts/apqp_plan.py --sop 2027-09-06 --status deliverables.csv --today 2027-03-01

Status CSV: deliverable, phase (1-5), status (done/in-progress/not-started). Exit codes: 0 feasible and nothing late, 1 compressed timeline or late deliverables, 2 usage or read error.

Additional Resources

FileContent
apqp-phases.mdPhase purposes, deliverables, gates, build-to-print, lead times
launch-and-status-reporting.mdStatus report format, run at rate, safe launch, lessons learned
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