Companies are researching ways to reduce cost and more efficiently carry out necessary functions for their operations. Reducing cost for suppliers and driving in efficiencies is something all companies try to achieve. A PPAP package is a series of documents that need approval by the supplier and by the customer. This series of documents is summarized into a PSW (part submission warrant). When the PSW is approved it indicates there have not been any identified issues that would prevent the product from being used by the customer or the supplier.

A PPAP (production part approval process) establishes confidence in suppliers and their production process. PPAP does this by understanding all customer engineering design record and specification requirements. Making sure the process has the potential to produce product consistently meeting their requirements during a production run at the quoted production rate. The result of the PPAP is a series of documents that have been gathered and stored in one specific location.

Suppliers are required to have PPAP approval whenever a new or modified component is introduced to production or if the production process is changed. To obtain approval a company must provide evidence that the clients requirements are understood, the product meets the requirements, the process produces a conforming product and that the quality management system will not allow a product to reach the client that is non conforming and can compromise safety and reliability.

PPAP is closely related to the APQP (advanced product quality planning process) which is used to reduce the risk of unexpected failure due to errors in design and manufacture.