What PPAP Requires
PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) is a standardised quality submission required by automotive OEMs before a supplier begins production. A Level 3 PPAP submission includes 18 elements: design documentation, process flow diagram, control plan, measurement system analysis, dimensional results, material certifications, process capability studies, and more.
Which PPAP Elements MES Can Generate
From MES data, you can automatically generate: Process capability studies (Cpk from production measurement data), Control plan execution records (which checks were performed, by whom, with what equipment), Production run records (date, quantity, machine, operator, shift), Material traceability (which raw material lots were used in the initial production run). This covers approximately 40% of PPAP documentation automatically.
Connecting to Measurement Equipment
PPAP requires dimensional measurement data. Connect your CMMs (Coordinate Measuring Machines), gauges, and test equipment to your MES. Most modern CMMs output results in Q-DAS format or can be configured to export CSV. Import these measurements into your MES and link them to the work order — now dimensional data is part of the production record.
The Remaining 60%: What Still Requires Engineering Input
Design FMEAs, DFMEA/PFMEA, MSA studies, and the control plan itself require engineering knowledge and cannot be auto-generated. However, the MES can populate templates with production data, leaving engineers to fill in the analytical sections rather than transcribing production records.
MES does not replace PPAP engineering — it eliminates the data gathering phase that typically consumes 40–60% of PPAP preparation time.
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