Templates and records · IATF 16949 · Clause 8.3.4.4

PPAP: IATF 16949 production part approval file

Before supplying in series, the supplier shows the customer that it understands the requirements and that its process, under real conditions, makes conforming parts at the planned rate.

In one sentence

PPAP is the file through which a supplier obtains approval of a production part —design records, FMEA, process flow chart, control plan, MSA, dimensional and test results, initial process studies and the PSW, among others—, because IATF 16949 requires a product and manufacturing process approval process in line with what the customer defines (8.3.4.4), and most customers refer to the AIAG PPAP manual or to VDA 2.

Content reviewed on 17 October 2026

Where the standard requires it: IATF 16949 · Clause 8.3.4.4 Clauses are those of IATF 16949:2016, which always applies together with ISO 9001:2015. The AIAG and VDA manuals cited are industry references that apply when the customer requires them; they are not part of the standard.
Type of information: Mandatory record Approval required by 8.3.4.4; its content is defined by the customer
Who fills it in: Project quality engineering With process engineering, the laboratory and metrology; the PSW is signed by whoever holds designated authority
When: Before series start-up And again after product or process changes the customer makes subject to approval
How long it is kept: Part life + 1 year For part approvals, tooling records, product and process design records, purchase orders and contracts: for as long as the part is active in production and service, plus one calendar year, unless the customer or a regulatory agency specifies otherwise (7.5.3.2.1).

What the standard requires

What IATF 16949 demands and what it leaves to your judgement

IATF requires a product and manufacturing process approval process conforming to customer requirements to be established and maintained, applied also to products and services bought from suppliers, and approval to be obtained after the manufacturing process has been verified.

The AIAG PPAP manual defines 18 elements and five submission levels; unless the customer says otherwise, the default is level 3, which requires the warrant, samples and supporting data to be submitted. Approval must be sought again after changes in design, process, supplier or location, according to the customer’s criteria.

Part approval records are retained for as long as the part is active in production and service, plus one calendar year (7.5.3.2.1).

Read it in context: Operation, in the IATF 16949 Academy

Structure

Fields the template should include

Design records and authorised engineering change documents
Customer engineering approval, if required
Design FMEA (if design-responsible) and process FMEA
Process flow chart and control plan
Measurement systems analysis studies
Dimensional, material and performance test results
Initial process studies
Qualified laboratory documentation
Appearance approval report, samples, master sample and checking aids
Customer-specific requirements
Signed Part Submission Warrant (PSW)

Example

Example: PPAP for a new part

Company, people and figures are fictitious: the example only shows what a properly completed record looks like.

Field	Content
Part	Seat bracket SA-0331, design level C (fictitious part and customer)
Reason	New part · submission level 3
Production run	300 parts on the series line, with final tooling and operators, 18 March 2026
Dimensional	62 dimensions measured on 5 parts, all conforming
Initial study	Push-out torque: Ppk 1.92 on 125 readings
MSA	Torque tester repeatability and reproducibility: 8.4% of tolerance
Tests	240 h salt spray in an accredited laboratory: conforming
PSW	Signed on 25 March by the project quality manager
Status	Full customer approval on 8 April 2026

At the audit

Mistakes auditors commonly flag

Production run made with tooling or staff that will not be used in series production.
The FMEA, flow chart and control plan in the PPAP do not match one another.
Process changes made after PPAP without informing the customer.
PPAP MSA carried out on a different gauge from the one listed in the control plan.
PPAP is not required from the company’s own suppliers of critical components.

In Kimobox

How this record is kept in Kimobox

1The PPAP file is recorded with its approval before series start-up.
2APQP milestones and deliverables for each project are managed with their status, with no loose spreadsheets.
3The documents in the file are kept under version control, linked to the FMEA and the control plan.
4The submission to the customer and its response are held in the same record.

Frequently asked questions

What people ask us before getting started

What is the PSW?

The Part Submission Warrant: the document that summarises the submission, declares that the parts meet the requirements and is signed by the supplier’s authorised representative. It is the only element submitted at every level.

Which PPAP level must be submitted?

Whichever the customer specifies. In the AIAG manual, level 1 is the warrant only and level 5 includes a review at the supplier’s plant; if the customer does not specify, level 3 is submitted.

When does it have to be repeated?

When the customer requires it after changes: to design, material, process, a component supplier, the manufacturing location, or after a long period without production. Each customer details its cases in its CSRs.

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Sources

Where each figure comes from

References to the official text in force. If a standard is revised, this page is updated and the review date says so.

IATF 16949:2016 — Quality management system requirements for automotive production and relevant service parts organizations IATF · First edition, October 2016
Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) (industry reference, not part of the standard) AIAG · 4th edition, 2006
VDA QMC publications: VDA 2 (production process and product approval) and VDA 6.3 (process audit) (industry reference) VDA QMC · Current editions