Manufacturing & Process template
PPAP Submission Template: Build & Export Free
Assemble a PPAP submission (the part, the evidence and the PSW) for customer approval, then export a print-ready PDF, free to start.
Free to try · No credit card · Exports a clean PDF
A live PPAP rendered from this template, and yours opens the same way, in your brand, and exports to a clean PDF.
Overview
What is PPAP?
PPAP, the Production Part Approval Process, is the standardized package a supplier submits to demonstrate it can consistently produce a part to all the customer's requirements before regular production is approved. It's an AIAG core tool, standard across the automotive supply chain and used well beyond it.
A PPAP submission gathers the evidence into a defined set of elements (the design records, the DFMEA and PFMEA, the process flow and control plan, measurement systems analysis, dimensional and material/performance results, sample parts and more), topped by the Part Submission Warrant (PSW), the one-page summary the customer signs off. There are five submission levels that determine how much of that evidence is actually sent.
PPAP is closely tied to APQP and to the FMEA and control plan, and it plays the same role in automotive that a First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) plays in aerospace: proving a part and its process are approved for production (more below).
The fields
What to include in a PPAP submission
A PPAP that gets approved is complete and traceable to the design record. These are the elements reviewers expect, and all of them are in the template.
PPAP header
The part, the customer, the submission level and the revision, so the submission is identified and controlled.
Part and design record
The part identity and the design record (drawing and revision) the submission is built against.
Submission level
The PPAP level (1–5) that determines how much of the evidence is submitted versus retained.
Element index and status
The checklist of the PPAP elements with the status of each: submitted, retained or not applicable.
Dimensional results
The dimensional measurements against the design record, showing the part meets the drawing.
Material and performance results
The material certifications and performance or functional test results required.
Process documentation
References to the process flow, PFMEA and control plan that show the process is defined and controlled.
Measurement and capability studies
The measurement systems analysis (MSA) and any process capability studies.
Sample parts
The sample or master sample parts that accompany the submission.
Part Submission Warrant (PSW)
The signed PSW summarizing the submission and declaring the results: the top sheet the customer approves.
Step by step
How to complete a PPAP submission
Four passes take you from a blank template to a submission ready for customer approval.
Identify the part, customer and level
Add the PPAP header: the part, the design record and revision, the customer, and the submission level that sets how much evidence you'll send.
Gather the elements
Work through the element index, pulling together the design records, DFMEA/PFMEA, process flow and control plan, and marking each element submitted, retained or not applicable.
Record the results
Add the dimensional results against the design record, the material and performance test results, and the MSA and capability studies.
Complete the PSW and export
Fill in and sign the Part Submission Warrant summarizing the submission, then export a print-ready PDF for customer approval.
Which one
PPAP vs. first article inspection (FAIR)
Both prove a part is approved for production, in different industries. One is the automotive package; the other the aerospace report.
PPAP
The automotive (AIAG) production part approval package (design records, FMEAs, control plan, measurement studies, results and a signed PSW) that a customer approves before production.
Use for automotive part approval against customer PPAP requirements.
First Article Inspection Report
The aerospace (AS9102) report that verifies a first production part against every drawing requirement to prove the process can make it.
Use for aerospace first-article verification against AS9102.
See the First Article Inspection Report template →Get it right
Common mistakes to avoid
- Submitting the wrong PPAP level for what the customer actually requires.
- Missing elements from the submission set, or marking them applicable with no evidence.
- A signed PSW that isn't backed by the supporting results.
- Dimensional or test results that don't trace to the current design record.
- Not re-submitting a PPAP after a design, process, tooling or source change.
- Treating PPAP as paperwork instead of proof the process can make conforming parts.
Questions
Frequently asked
What is PPAP?
PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) is the standardized package a supplier submits to prove it can consistently produce a part to the customer's requirements before production is approved. It's an AIAG core tool, standard in the automotive supply chain, and includes the design records, FMEAs, control plan, results and a signed Part Submission Warrant.
What are the PPAP elements?
PPAP defines a set of elements a submission must cover, including the design records, engineering change documents, DFMEA and PFMEA, process flow, control plan, measurement systems analysis, dimensional results, material and performance test results, sample parts, and the Part Submission Warrant. The customer and level determine which are submitted versus retained.
What are the five PPAP submission levels?
Level 1 submits the PSW (and sometimes an appearance approval) only; Level 2 the PSW with limited samples and data; Level 3 the PSW with samples and full supporting data (the common default); Level 4 the PSW and whatever the customer specifies; Level 5 the PSW with samples and full data reviewed at the supplier's site. The level sets how much evidence is actually sent.
What's the difference between PPAP and FAIR?
PPAP is the automotive (AIAG) production part approval package; FAIR is the aerospace (AS9102) first article inspection report. Both prove a part and its process are ready for production and verify results against the design, but they follow different industry standards and formats.
What is a Part Submission Warrant (PSW)?
The PSW is the one-page summary and declaration at the top of a PPAP submission. It identifies the part and the reason for submission, summarizes the results, and is signed by the supplier. It's the sheet the customer reviews and approves to authorize production.
Related templates
Read the guidePPAP: the Production Part Approval Process explained
PPAP is the automotive process for proving a supplier can make a part to requirement, consistently, before mass production. Here’s what the submission contains, the 18 elements, the PSW, and the five submission levels.
Read the guide →Documents that go with a PPAP
Control Plan
Documents key process steps, product or process characteristics, controls, measurement methods, sampling and reaction plans used to manage manufacturing quality.
Open template →FMEA
Structures failure-mode analysis by documenting functions, potential failure modes, effects, causes, controls, risk evaluation and recommended actions.
Open template →First Article Inspection Report (FAIR)
Documents first-production inspection results against engineering requirements to verify that the manufacturing process can produce conforming output.
Open template →Build your PPAP now
Fill in the fields, apply your brand, and export a clean PDF. Free to start.
Note: This template gives you a structured starting point for a PPAP submission; the exact elements, level and format required are set by your customer. You remain responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the submission and its supporting evidence, and for meeting your customer's PPAP requirements before you submit it.