The APQP, orĀ Advanced Product Quality Planning, is a provenĀ approach for developing a new product to be made in high volume and under strict quality, timing, and cost requirements. It was developed in the automotive industry. (Virtually all tier-1 suppliers of car parts have to implement this approach.) It has also been adopted in other settings with similar requirements, with great success. Adding some structure to the design & development phase I have heard many people tell … [Read more...]
Documenting Your New Product Development Process (for Quality & Speed)
A large part of the new product development process is the series of approvals to get through. It helps prevent quality issues in mass production and it helps reduce miscommunication... both of which are the biggest causes of a slower time to market. If your company develops and manufactures new products regularly, do you have a documented process? These 3 examples from the apparel, auto, and electronics industries can help you understand how the approvals work. … [Read more...]