Project Closure Checklist

Quality engineer pulls the last production lot and verifies all critical-to-quality dimensions against the released drawing rev. Cross-check against the AS9102 / PPAP balloon report so nothing drifted between FAI and final run. Flag any feature trending toward USL/LSL even if Cpk is still in spec — that's a handoff note for the customer.

Pull the QMS NCR queue filtered by program / part number. Every NCR must be closed (use-as-is, rework, scrap, RTV) with disposition signed by the material review board. An open NCR at closure means the program isn't actually closed.

Verify carton count, bag/desiccant requirements, ESD packaging where called out, and pallet pattern against the customer packaging spec. Returnable dunnage cycles need to be reconciled with the customer's container management before the program closes.

Confirm part number, rev, lot/heat traceability, UDI (medical) or DFAR-compliant origin marking (defense), and any customer-specific barcode formats. Label rev should match the latest approved ECN.

Move all program travelers, FAI / AS9102 forms, in-process inspection records, and CMM reports into the document control system (Arena, Greenlight Guru, MasterControl, or your PLM). Retention period varies — aerospace typically 7 years past last shipment, medical device per ISO 13485 / part-life, automotive per IATF 16949 customer-specific requirements.

Snapshot the approved PPAP submission (Level 3 typical for automotive) — control plan, PFMEA, MSA / gauge R&R, capability study, process flow, customer approval letter. Lock the rev so future changes route through a new ECN and PPAP delta.

Export from ERP/MES the heat-lot genealogy linking raw material certs (mill certs, CoC) to finished serial numbers. Required for any safety-critical or pressure-bearing parts; also required if a customer 8D opens later.

For ITAR/EAR programs, archive the technical data package, ECCN classification worksheet, and any DSP-5 license activity. For RoHS / REACH / conflict minerals, archive supplier declarations and the CMRT roll-up. Missing records here are the gap auditors find first.

One-page executive summary: units shipped, scrap %, first-pass yield, OTD, top 3 NCR causes, top 3 cost variances, open risks transferred to sustaining. Distribute to program sponsor, plant manager, and customer program manager.

Pull WIP and finished-goods variance reports from the ERP. Decompose into price, usage, and efficiency variance. Anything outside materiality threshold (typically 5% or $10K) gets a written explanation before the controller signs off.

Match three-way (PO / receipt / invoice) for any open AP tied to the program. Tooling amortization charges and last-time-buy components are common stragglers — buyer should confirm with the supplier portal (Coupa / Ariba / Jaggaer).

Zero out remaining quantity on blanket POs and notify suppliers. Confirm with the customer's procurement whether the master agreement is closed or rolling to a sustaining/aftermarket scope — those have different retention and warranty obligations.

If the program carries an aftermarket tail, document the agreed warranty reserve, last-time-buy quantities, and the spare-parts owner. Hand this off to the sustaining engineer with a named accountable person — orphaned warranty obligations are how field failures get expensive.

Controller reviews program P&L: revenue recognized, COGS, scrap, rework, overtime, freight (especially expedited), tooling recovery. Confirms revenue recognition is complete per the contract and any deferred revenue is released or reclassified.

Walk the customer program manager through final yield, OTD, PPM, top-3 corrective actions, and any open 8Ds. This is also where you align on tooling disposition — does it return, stay bonded on-site, or get scrapped per the contract?

Pull the customer's supplier scorecard (quality PPM, OTD%, responsiveness rating) and capture any qualitative feedback. Feed into the AVL review — strong scorecards win the next RFQ.

Named handoff: sustaining engineer of record, named buyer for last-time-buy components, named quality engineer for field-return triage. Update the program record in the QMS so future complaints route correctly.

Recognize the operators, setup techs, and support functions. Plant-floor recognition matters more than corporate kudos — name the cell and the shift, not just the program manager.

Two-hour working session with cell lead, quality engineer, manufacturing engineer, buyer, and program manager. Use a 4-quadrant: what worked, what didn't, what surprised us, what we'd do differently. Avoid blame framing; focus on system causes.

Pull Pareto from the NCR data and pick the top three by cost or by frequency. Drive each through 5-why to a system-level cause; weak causes ('operator error') are the signal you stopped too early. Capture as A3s for the knowledge base.

Roll the new failure modes discovered during the program back into the PFMEA library so the next NPI inherits them. Same for control plan — any new in-process check that proved useful gets templated for the next program.

Calendar a 30-minute review with the sustaining engineer to confirm no field returns, no warranty surprises, and no orphaned tooling. This is the step that catches programs that were 'closed' but actually weren't.