Advanced product quality planning (APQP) is a tool by which the product can be launched in a market successfully. There are many ways the product can be launched, but some of the important exercises are the same. 

As the name suggests, it is a planning consisting of the quality tools to make sure the product is built to the desired customer specifications and is validated.

APQP is a tool jointly developed by Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.

Importance of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP).

Any manufacturing industry consists of

• Design
• Process                                         
• Supply

Advantages of APQP for Design Engineers.

• Identifying significant component. 
• Avoiding frequent changes and redesign.
• Capturing Failure modes in DFMEA
• Identify and marking KCC.
• Design to Bench mark.
• Design for Poke Yoke.

Upfront Planning:

First three quarters of the cycle are dedicated to the upfront product quality planning through product/process validation.

Act of implementation:

The fourth quarter is the stage where the importance of evaluating the output serves two functions:

1. Determine if customer is satisfied.
2. Pursuit continual Improvement.

The goal of product quality planning is to facilitate the communication with everyone involved to assure that the all required steps are completed ontime.

Effective product quality planning depends on the Company's top management and the Program Managers commitment to the effort required in acheiving customer satisfaction.

Some of the benefits of Advanced Product Quality Planning are

• Directing resources to satisfy customer.
• To Promote early identification of

required changes

• To avoid late changes
• To Provide quality product on time at lower cost.