Project Execution Checklist

Pull the customer Statement of Requirements and Statement of Work into the NPI folder. Confirm program manager, target SOP date, EAU (estimated annual usage), and required PPAP level (typically Level 3 unless customer specifies otherwise).

Aerospace, automotive, and medical programs trigger different gate requirements (AS9102 FAI, IATF PPAP, ISO 13485 DHF). The classification drives downstream certification and audit prep.

Name the manufacturing engineer, quality engineer, buyer, production supervisor, and tooling lead. APQP requires named owners for each deliverable — placeholders cause downstream gaps at PPAP submission.

Anchor to customer SOP and back-schedule: tooling kickoff, prototype build, pilot run, PPAP submission, run-at-rate. Most launch slips trace to a missing dependency in this schedule, not to execution.

Release the multi-level BOM, routing, and op sheets in SolidWorks PDM, Arena, or Windchill at the controlled rev. Verify every component has an item number, supplier, and approved-vendor flag before pushing to ERP.

Workshop the PFMEA with manufacturing, quality, and a senior operator. Every CC/SC characteristic from the print must trace to a control-plan reaction with detection method, sample size, and reaction plan. Skipping the operator review is the most common reason PFMEAs miss real failure modes.

Walk the print with each critical supplier (machined, cast, molded, sheet metal). Capture tolerance concerns, gating/parting line locations, and material substitution requests in writing before tooling kickoff — changes after tool cut are expensive.

Determine ITAR/EAR ECCN classification, RoHS/REACH compliance, and conflict-minerals (CMRT) reporting need. For medical and food-contact, confirm the regulated material and biocompatibility documentation path.

Cut POs for hard tooling, gauges, and check fixtures with milestone payment terms tied to T0 sample, T1, and PPAP approval. Late tooling is the single biggest driver of PPAP slips.

Run the prototype build on the production cell with production operators where possible. Capture cycle time, scrap rate, and operator pain points — these feed the control plan and standard work before pilot run.

Per AIAG MSA, target %GRR under 10% on CC/SC features; 10–30% is conditional with customer concurrence; over 30% rejects the gauge. Common miss: running R&R with one operator instead of three.

Bubble the print, complete Forms 1/2/3, and verify every dimension and note. Aerospace requires AS9102 Rev C; automotive and commercial use the customer-specified FAI form. Do not release to pilot run on a partial FAI.

Cover standard work, LOTO points, PPE, and the reaction plan from the control plan. Capture signed training acknowledgments — IATF and AS9100 auditors will ask for them by operator name and process.

Per AIAG PPAP, the significant production run is 300 consecutive parts (or 1–8 hours, customer-specified) using production tooling, operators, materials, and cycle time. Do not run engineering shifts to inflate yield.

Pull SPC data from Minitab or InfinityQS on every CC/SC. Customer baseline is typically Cpk ≥ 1.67 for special characteristics, ≥ 1.33 for others. Below threshold triggers an interim deviation request.

For Level 3, package: design records, ECN evidence, DFMEA/PFMEA, process flow, control plan, MSA, dimensional results, material/performance test results, IMDS, sample parts, AAR, PSW. A single missing element triggers a customer reject.

Triggered when Cpk falls below customer threshold. Provide containment plan (100% inspection, certified gauge, segregated lot), root cause path, and target date for full PPAP. Ship under deviation only with written customer approval.

Flip the item master from prototype to active in NetSuite, Epicor, or Plex. Confirm planner, lot size, safety stock, and routing rates reflect actual pilot-run cycle time, not engineering estimates.

Run a sustained shift at quoted PPH and verify OEE, scrap rate, and labor variance against quote. Customer-witnessed run-at-rate is required on most automotive and aerospace launches.

Transfer ownership from NPI to the production supervisor with a 30/60/90-day launch dashboard: scrap %, customer PPM, OTD, and OEE. Keep the NPI engineer attached for the first 30 days for reaction-plan support.

Walk the program timeline with the core team: what slipped, why, and what gets added to the standard APQP template. Capture tooling supplier scorecard updates and any DFM rules that need to be added to the design guide.