1factory's quality management solutions serve the complete automotive supply chain — from OEMs managing thousands of suppliers and millions of parts, to Tier 1 suppliers producing complete systems and assemblies, to Tier 2 manufacturers creating precision components for powertrains, chassis, electronics, and interior systems.
Supported Standards: 1factory supports IATF 16949 (Automotive Quality Management System), AIAG Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Measurement System Analysis (MSA), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA).
PPAP Levels and Customer-Specific Requirements: The automotive industry requires detailed documentation through PPAP submissions. 1factory supports all PPAP levels (1-5) and accommodates customer-specific requirements from major OEMs including GM, Ford, Stellantis, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and others.
For Automotive OEMs
Companies Like: General Motors, Ford, Stellantis, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Volkswagen Group, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai-Kia, Renault, Mazda, Subaru, and emerging EV manufacturers like Rivian, Lucid, and Polestar
Key Challenge: Managing massive supplier networks with thousands of suppliers providing millions of unique parts while maintaining IATF 16949 certification and customer safety requirements. Quality teams manually track PPAP submissions for thousands of components during new vehicle launches, chase inspection reports and certificates for ongoing production shipments, manage supplier change notifications (PCNs), and coordinate supplier corrective actions when quality issues emerge — all while ensuring complete traceability for safety-critical components like brakes, steering, airbags, and powertrain systems.
Key Functionality
Supplier PPAP Management: During new vehicle program launches, OEMs receive thousands of PPAP submissions from Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers. Each PPAP package includes Part Submission Warrant (PSW), Appearance Approval Report (AAR for visible parts), Dimensional Results showing all critical characteristics are within specification, Material and Performance Test Results, Initial Process Studies (Ppk/Cpk), Measurement System Analysis (Gage R&R), Control Plan, Process Flow Diagram, and PFMEA.
The supplier portal provides a standardized submission point where suppliers upload PPAP documentation according to the required PPAP level. The system automatically validates completeness — checking that all required documents are present, dimensional results show conformance, process capability studies meet Ppk ≥ 1.67 requirements, and measurement system studies demonstrate gage capability. Missing elements trigger automatic notifications to suppliers before submissions reach engineering review.
Quality engineers can then review submissions efficiently, approve parts for production, and track PPAP status across entire vehicle programs. When launching a new SUV with 5,000+ unique parts, the system provides visibility into which suppliers are ready for launch, which PPAPs are in review, and which suppliers are blocking start of production.
Supplier APQP Tracking: Advanced Product Quality Planning requires suppliers to complete specific deliverables through program development phases including Product Design and Development (PFMEA, DVP&R), Process Design and Development (Process PFMEA, Control Plan, Process Flow), Product and Process Validation (production trial run, packaging evaluation, MSA), and Launch, Assessment, and Corrective Action (ongoing production, lessons learned).
The system tracks APQP deliverables through program gates, identifies suppliers falling behind schedule, and provides program managers with visibility into supplier readiness. When critical components like brake systems or powertrain assemblies show APQP delays, early warning enables proactive intervention before launch dates are impacted.
Supplier Lot-Specific Inspection Data: With 1factory's connected supplier capability, OEMs access parameter-level inspection data from suppliers in real-time. When a Tier 1 supplier produces transmission housings or brake calipers, inspection measurements flow directly to the OEM quality system. This visibility enables early detection of process drift — if critical bore diameters are trending toward specification limits, OEMs can work with suppliers to investigate before defective parts are shipped and assembled into vehicles.
Supplier Lot-Specific Certificates and Documentation: Automotive manufacturers require extensive documentation for each production lot including dimensional inspection reports, material certifications (steel chemistry, heat treat certifications), performance test results (torque testing, leak testing, functional verification), and Part Submission Warrants confirming conformance. The system automates collection of this documentation, validating completeness before parts are shipped by suppliers and reducing the 30-50% of shipments that typically have missing or incorrect documentation.
Incoming Quality Control with Risk-Based Sampling: Not all suppliers and parts require the same inspection intensity. With 1factory's lot-switching capabilities, high-performing suppliers with excellent track records receive reduced inspection per AIAG sampling plans, while suppliers with quality issues face tightened sampling or 100% inspection until they demonstrate sustained improvement. The system automatically adjusts inspection plans based on supplier performance, implementing Normal, Reduced, or Tightened sampling per ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 standards.
For safety-critical components like airbag inflators, brake components, or steering parts, incoming inspection always includes verification of critical characteristics regardless of supplier performance. Material certificates and test reports are verified against specifications and stored with complete traceability to support investigations when field issues occur.
Supplier Performance Tracking and Scorecarding: Real-time scorecards display supplier performance across quality acceptance rates (PPM defect rates), on-time delivery, SCAR response time, and field warranty performance. Trend analysis identifies suppliers with deteriorating quality before problems cause line stoppages or vehicle recalls. Segment suppliers into performance tiers to focus development resources on suppliers needing improvement.
For warranty tracking, the system makes it easy to trace field failures to specific supplier lots. This data supports rapid problem solving, drives supplier development initiatives, and informs future sourcing decisions for critical components.
Change Notification Management (PCN/SCN): Suppliers must notify OEMs of any changes to materials, processes, facilities, or subcontractors through Production Change Notifications (PCN) or Supplier Change Notifications (SCN). The system manages the complete change notification workflow including supplier submission of proposed changes, engineering evaluation and approval, validation requirements (revalidation testing, updated PPAP), and implementation tracking. When a brake component supplier notifies of a material change, engineering can quickly evaluate impact, require appropriate validation, and track implementation before changed parts enter production.
Federated Quality Management System: Automotive OEMs operate manufacturing facilities globally across multiple continents. 1factory's Federated (Multi-Org) QMS capabilities manage corporate quality standards while accommodating site-specific requirements. Corporate procedures apply globally, while plant-specific work instructions address unique equipment or local regulations. The dynamic Quality Matrix links IATF 16949 requirements to procedures, ensuring complete coverage across all facilities. Training assignment and tracking becomes automatic, and audit preparation is streamlined significantly.
OEM Return on Investment
PPAP review time drops 50% when all supplier submissions arrive through standardized portals in consistent formats with automatic completeness validation. Engineering teams spend less time chasing missing documents and more time evaluating whether suppliers have adequate process control and capability. SCAR processing accelerates 70% when suppliers work through structured 8D problem-solving workflows rather than email chains.
Supplier performance reporting that once required manually compiling data from multiple systems now generates automatically. Incoming inspection planning adjusts automatically based on supplier performance, reducing inspection workload for excellent suppliers while intensifying scrutiny on problematic suppliers.
Launch delays decrease when APQP and PPAP tracking provides early visibility into supplier readiness issues. Proactive supplier development prevents problems before they impact production schedules. Warranty costs reduce through early identification of supplier quality trends and rapid response when field issues trace to specific supplier lots.
For Tier-1 System Suppliers
Companies Like: Bosch, Continental, Denso, Magna International, ZF Friedrichshafen, Aisin, BorgWarner, Valeo, Aptiv, Lear Corporation, Faurecia, Yanfeng, Adient, Tenneco, and Dana Incorporated
Key Challenge: Producing complete vehicle systems like powertrains, brake assemblies, steering systems, seat assemblies, cockpit modules, and electrical harnesses while managing suppliers and meeting OEM quality requirements. Teams must submit extensive PPAP documentation to OEM customers while receiving PPAP packages from their own suppliers of castings, forgings, stampings, injection molded parts, electronics, and precision machined components. Operating as both customer and supplier in the automotive supply chain, balancing OEM demands for zero-defect quality with their own supplier management challenges.
Tier-1 Solutions
Supplier PPAP and APQP Management: Tier 1 suppliers receive PPAP packages from component suppliers including cast aluminum housings for transmissions and brake calipers, stamped steel brackets and structural components, injection molded interior trim and electrical connectors, precision machined gears and shafts, and electronic control modules. The challenge is ensuring supplier documentation meets not only internal standards but also the specific requirements from GM, Ford, Toyota, or other OEM customers that will flow through in the Tier 1's own PPAP submission.
The platform enables teams to review supplier submissions for completeness, verify process capability meets requirements (typically Ppk ≥ 1.67), and track which suppliers are ready for production. When submitting a complete brake system PPAP to an OEM, Tier 1 manufacturers can reference or forward approved supplier PPAPs for components like calipers, rotors, pads, and master cylinders as part of their system-level documentation.
Manufacturing Quality Control with SPC: Tier 1 manufacturing involves complex assembly operations, machining, welding, and testing. When an operator assembles a seat frame, the system records torque values for critical bolted joints, tracks which components went into the assembly (lot traceability), and verifies functional testing results. Electronic travelers guide operators through each assembly step with work instructions and photos. Operators cannot proceed to the next step until completing required inspections and confirmations.
For machined components, real-time SPC monitors critical dimensions as parts are produced. Control charts update continuously and capability indices calculate automatically. When Cpk values approach minimum requirements or when measurements trend toward specification limits, alerts notify quality engineers and production supervisors before defective parts are produced.
PPAP Creation for OEM Customers: When submitting PPAP to GM, Ford, or other OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers must provide comprehensive documentation including Part Submission Warrant confirming all requirements are met, Dimensional Results from initial sample measurements, Material and Performance Test Results (durability testing, environmental testing, functional verification), Initial Process Studies showing Ppk ≥ 1.67 for all critical characteristics, Measurement System Analysis proving gage capability, Control Plan showing how the process will be monitored during production, Process Flow Diagram, PFMEA identifying potential failure modes and controls, and Appearance Approval Report for visible components.
Customer-specific requirements are accommodated — GM may require additional reliability data, Ford specifies particular test protocols, Toyota requires specific process capability indices. The system generates complete PPAP packages in customer-required formats, including links to supplier PPAPs for purchased components that are part of the assembly.
Statistical Process Control and Process Capability: Automotive customers require demonstrated process capability for critical characteristics. For safety-critical components, Ppk ≥ 1.67 is standard, meaning the process variation must be significantly tighter than specification limits. Real-time SPC provides control charts for all critical dimensions, updating as parts are inspected. Capability indices calculate continuously, and the system alerts when Ppk falls below requirements or when process drift is detected through control chart rules.
Historical trending reveals patterns that predict problems. If brake caliper bore diameters are drifting upward, machine tool thermal drift or cutting tool wear is likely. If weld strength measurements show increasing variation, welding equipment may need maintenance. Early detection enables preventive action before producing defective parts that fail OEM receiving inspection or assembly operations.
CMM Data Collection and Integration: Complex automotive components like transmission housings, engine blocks, suspension arms, or brake calipers have hundreds of critical dimensions requiring CMM verification. The platform integrates with all major CMM brands, uploading measurement data automatically when programs complete. Features match to ballooned drawings automatically, out-of-tolerance measurements trigger alerts, and complete datasets are stored with full traceability.
This integration eliminates hours of manual data transcription per part, reduces transcription errors that can cause incorrect PPAP submissions, and enables real-time process monitoring through automatic SPC chart updates with each CMM run.
Layered Process Audits (LPA): IATF 16949 requires layered process audits where multiple levels of management verify adherence to control plans and work instructions. The system schedules audits automatically, guides auditors through verification checkpoints, captures findings with photos, and tracks corrective actions to closure. Audit results feed into supplier scorecards and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
APQP Deliverable Management: For new product launches, APQP requires specific deliverables at each phase gate. The system tracks completion of Design FMEA, DVP&R, Process FMEA, Control Plans, Process Flow Diagrams, Packaging Studies, MSA studies, and Initial Sample Production. Program managers have visibility into which deliverables are complete, which are in progress, and which are blocking gate approvals.
Quality Management System: IATF 16949 certification and ongoing compliance require comprehensive QMS documentation. The dynamic Quality Matrix links IATF 16949 requirements to procedures, ensuring complete coverage. Training assignment becomes automatic, and audit preparation transforms from weeks of scrambling to hours of report generation.
Tier-1 Return on Investment
PPAP creation time drops from 60 hours to 12 hours — an 80% reduction. Automated CMM data collection eliminates manual transcription of thousands of measurements. Control Plan generation that previously required reviewing multiple spreadsheets and documents now compiles automatically from inspection plans and process data.
Quality improvements protect OEM relationships and reduce warranty exposure. Real-time SPC detects process drift before defective parts are produced. Process capability monitoring ensures Ppk values meet customer requirements before customer audits identify deficiencies. Complete traceability enables rapid response when OEM assembly plants report issues or when field failures occur.
The business impact includes winning more programs by demonstrating superior quality systems to OEM customers, reducing line stoppages at OEM assembly plants through higher first-pass quality, and scaling production volume without proportionally adding quality staff through automation and electronic workflows.
For Tier-2 Component Manufacturers
Companies Like: Precision machining shops, stamping suppliers, die casting manufacturers, plastic injection molding companies, forging suppliers, fastener manufacturers, and component producers supporting automotive Tier 1 suppliers and OEMs
Key Challenge: Producing high-volume precision components for powertrain systems (gears, shafts, housings), chassis assemblies (brackets, control arms, knuckles), brake systems (calipers, master cylinders), and interior systems (brackets, housings, trim components) while meeting tight tolerances, high process capability requirements (Ppk ≥ 1.67), and rapid PPAP turnaround times. Creating complete dimensional inspection reports, demonstrating process capability through SPC, and responding to customer PPAP and engineering change requests faster than competitors.
Tier-2 Solutions
Ballooning and First Article Inspection: Automotive components typically have 100-300 critical dimensions — transmission housings with multiple bore diameters and bolt hole patterns, brake calipers with precise piston bores and mounting surfaces, or suspension components with tight geometric tolerances. Manual ballooning takes 4-6 hours as engineers identify dimensions, add balloon numbers, and document GD&T requirements.
The automated ballooning engine completes this work in minutes, recognizing geometric dimensioning and tolerancing symbols, identifying critical characteristics based on tolerance tightness and customer requirements, and handling complex multi-view drawings. Once ballooning is complete, the system generates inspection plans automatically with appropriate measurement methods for each characteristic.
CMM Data Collection and SPC Integration: CMM operators traditionally finish measurement programs, then spend 2-4 hours manually typing data into spreadsheets for PPAP submissions. For a brake caliper with 150+ measured features, manual data entry is time-consuming and error-prone. The platform eliminates this entirely by integrating with all major CMM brands — Zeiss, Hexagon, Mitutoyo, PCDMIS, Faro, Brown & Sharpe, Keyence.
When CMMs complete measurement routines, data uploads automatically. Features match to ballooned drawings without manual intervention. Out-of-tolerance measurements trigger immediate alerts to quality engineers and operators. Measurement data flows directly into SPC charts, updating control charts in real-time and recalculating capability indices with each inspection.
Statistical Process Control and Process Capability: Automotive customers require Ppk ≥ 1.67 for critical characteristics, meaning process variation must be approximately 40% of the tolerance band. For high-volume production of components like gears, shafts, or housings, maintaining this capability across thousands or millions of parts requires tight process control.
Real-time SPC monitors critical characteristics as parts are produced, with control charts updating continuously. Capability indices (Cp, Cpk, Pp, Ppk) calculate automatically. When Cpk approaches minimum requirements or when Western Electric rules detect process drift, alerts trigger investigations before defective parts are produced. Historical trending identifies patterns like gradual tool wear, machine thermal drift, or material variation that predict quality issues.
PPAP Documentation Creation: When customers require PPAP submissions (typically Level 3 including sample parts and complete documentation, or Level 4 with sample parts and documentation submitted to customer), the platform compiles complete packages including Part Submission Warrant, Dimensional Results from CMM measurements showing all characteristics within specification, Material Test Results and Certifications, Initial Process Studies showing Ppk ≥ 1.67 for all critical characteristics, Measurement System Analysis (Gage R&R) proving measurement systems are capable, Control Plan showing how critical characteristics will be monitored, Process Flow Diagram, and PFMEA showing potential failure modes and prevention methods.
Customer-specific requirements are accommodated — whether GM requires GM-specific PPAP forms, Ford specifies particular capability indices, or Toyota requests additional reliability data. The system generates complete packages in required formats, reducing PPAP creation time from 40 hours to 8 hours.
APQP Phase Deliverables: For new part launches, APQP requires deliverables through program phases. The system tracks completion of feasibility studies, design reviews, Process FMEA development, Control Plan creation, gage procurement and MSA studies, production trial runs, and packaging evaluation. When customers conduct program reviews, complete documentation of APQP deliverables is immediately accessible.
Measurement System Analysis (MSA): Before production launch, Gage R&R studies must prove that measurement systems are capable of accurately measuring critical characteristics. The system guides operators through Gage R&R procedures, calculates %R&R values and number of distinct categories automatically, and generates complete MSA reports for PPAP submissions. For gages with inadequate capability, the system identifies whether variation is due to repeatability (gage precision) or reproducibility (operator technique), guiding corrective actions.
Gage Calibration Management: All measurement equipment must be calibrated on schedule to ensure accuracy. The platform tracks calibration due dates, generates automatic reminders, stores calibration certificates with full traceability, and prevents use of out-of-calibration equipment. When customer auditors request calibration records for gages used during initial sample inspection six months earlier, the system generates reports showing which gages were used, their calibration status, and the certificates proving they were within tolerance.
Engineering Change Management: When customers issue engineering changes, components must be revalidated. The system tracks engineering change notifications, identifies affected parts and processes, manages revalidation activities (dimensional verification, process capability studies, updated PPAP if required), and tracks implementation across production lots. Complete audit trails document when changes were implemented and how revalidation was performed.
Quality Management System: IATF 16949 certification and customer quality requirements demand comprehensive QMS documentation. The dynamic Quality Matrix links IATF 16949 requirements to procedures, ensuring complete coverage. Training assignment becomes automatic, and audit preparation transforms from weeks of manual effort into hours of automated report generation.
Tier-2 Return on Investment
First Article Inspection time drops from 6 hours to 1 hour — an 83% reduction. CMM data transcription is eliminated completely, recovering 100% of time previously spent manually entering measurements. PPAP creation falls from 40 hours to 8 hours — an 80% reduction. MSA study documentation that took 4 hours now completes in 30 minutes with automated calculations and report generation.
Quality improvements protect customer relationships and reduce scrap. Real-time SPC detects process drift early, preventing production of defective parts that would be rejected at customer receiving inspection. Process capability monitoring ensures Ppk values meet requirements before customer audits. Complete traceability enables rapid response when customers report issues or when parts fail in vehicle assembly.
The business impact extends to competitive advantage in winning new business. Manufacturers respond to RFQs faster by generating capability studies and PPAP previews quickly. They demonstrate superior quality systems through real-time data visibility and documented process control. They scale production volume without proportionally adding quality staff through automation and integrated measurement systems.