VDA Volume 2 - Quality Management, Securing the Quality of Supplies

Volume 2
Securing the Quality of Supplies
Production process and product approval (PPA)
6th,revised edition, April 2020
 
This sixth 2019 edition reinforces PPA agreement with the objective of aligning the scope, content, and schedule of the PPA procedure between the organization and the customer.
 
The elimination of the submission levels accounts for the individual expectations of the customers, the diversity of the products, and the number of possible documents.
 
Based on experiences from the past, the executive responsibility of the organization for the preparation of applicable documents has received increased emphasis. In addition, the self-assessment of the organization regarding products and processes reduces the amount of documents to be submitted.
 
The modification of the approval levels, the integration of software, and the harmonization of verification management for the PPA procedure with the PPAP process of the AIAG represent further fundamental changes in this volume.
 
The further applicable documents pertaining to these requirements will be defined in the following guidelines:
“Sanctioned Interpretations” (SI) and “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ), which are published by VDA QMC in coordination with the VDA 2 Project Group as and when required:
“Sanctioned Interpretations” (SI) change the interpretation of a rule or a requirement, which as such provides the basis for a deviation.
“Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) provide explanations regarding existing rules or requirements. They are binding from the date of publication. 
 
“Sanctioned Interpretations” (SI) 
 
1) relates to “Chapter 5, Table 1, p. 21”: VDA No. 5.4 Proof of inspection process capability in relation to the product and the production process
relates to “Annex 1 – Notes on PPA deliverables (Table 1)”: VDA No. 5.4 Proof of inspection process capability in relation to the product and the production process Inspection process capability in relation to the characteristics according to customer drawings or characteristics in the production process (see also GUM, VDA Volume 5 or comparable standards). 
 
2) relates to “Chapter 5, Table 1, p. 19”: 
3. Proof of product verification and validation  
relates to “Annex 1 – Notes on PPA deliverables (Table 1)”: Assessment category 3: Proof of product verification and validation 
 
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ 
 
1) In order to benefit from the latest optimizations of the templates, it is recommended to use the current versions of annexes 2-6, which are available online: https://vda-qmc.de/en/downloads/  
 
2) Question: “Are no raw materials subject to the PPA procedure, or is it just standardized raw materials that are not subject to the procedure?”  
Answer: “Unless otherwise agreed between the organization and the customer, no raw materials, i.e. neither standardized nor non-standardized raw materials, are subject to the PPA procedure.” 
 
3) Question: “Which requirements are referred to in 5.1 ‘Proof of compliance with statutory requirements?’”  
Answer: “Statutory and regulatory requirements, proof of fulfillment of which must be provided within the scope of the PPA procedure, refer to the relevant requirements regarding the respective product for which a PPA procedure is carried out. In accordance with ISO 9001, organizations are generally required to comply with statutory/regulatory requirements (see sections 4.2, 5.1.2, 8.2.3, ...). IATF goes even further with regard to this (see sections 4.4.1.1, 4.4.1.2, 7.5.3.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.3.3 …). Section ‘8.3.3.1 – Product design input’ should be emphasized in particular. In this section, explicit reference is made to the destination countries named by the customer (if any are named), in which relevant statutory and regulatory requirements must be met. The general (project and product-related) proof in relation to requirements (e.g. country-specific certificates) and the environment (RoHS ...) must be verified. During the PPA coordination meeting, the necessary proof must already be specified, and it must be agreed which type of proof will be provided (e.g. certificates/approvals in case of KBA requirements, i.e. requirements imposed by the Federal Motor Transport Authority). Depending on the agreement between the organization and the customer, proof of fulfillment of requirements can be provided within the scope of a process audit by means of visual inspection of the documents, if said documents are not to be handed over. Alternatively, the documents can be submitted as part of the PPA procedure.” 
 
4) Question: “Can CO2-related requirements be taken into account in the PPA procedure?”    
Answer: “VDA Volume 2 does not define how compliance with sustainability requirements should be proven. If necessary, such proof can be provided under 3.2 ‘Material (strength, physical properties, ...)’, 5.1 ‘Proof of compliance with statutory requirements’, or 5.9 ‘Other’.
 
5) Question: “How are the “PPA procedure”, “Variant PPA” and “Part of requalification” columns in the “Agreement on the PPA procedure” form related, and how do they have to be used?”  
Answer: “If an “X” is inserted in the PPA procedure column, the organization must provide proof in relation to the indicated category within the scope of the agreed PPA procedure. In case of PPA procedures that are carried out with regard to more than one part number (“Yes” is selected under “Part grouping/product family” or “Variant PPA”), fulfillment of the indicated criterion must be proven with respect to the main variant. The proof pertaining to the main variant is valid for all variants/additional part numbers included in the PPA procedure. If an “X” is inserted in the “Variant PPA” column instead of in the "PPA procedure” column, proof of fulfillment of the criterion must be provided on a variant-specific basis for all variants, including the main variant. Connection with the “Part of requalification” column: Grouping or forming families can also be done within the scope of requalification. If an “X” is inserted in the “Part of requalification” column, the criterion must be included in the requalification. The allocation in terms of proof for the main variant or proof for each individual variant is the same as in the agreement on the PPA procedure.”