Control Plan

Control Plan

When to use

Use this skill when:

• Creating a new Control Plan for prototype, pre-launch, or production
• Reviewing an existing Control Plan for completeness and accuracy
• Updating the CP after a process change, corrective action (D7), or PFMEA update
• Auditing a supplier's Control Plan during qualification or an IATF audit
• Linking PFMEA controls to the Control Plan after FMEA review

Prerequisites

• Process Flow Diagram (required — CP must mirror the process flow sequence)
• PFMEA (required — CP controls derive from PFMEA recommended actions)
• Drawing with ballooned characteristics and tolerance data
• List of special and significant characteristics (SC, CC, KPC, KCC)
• MSA results for measurement systems referenced in the CP (for production CP)

Workflow

Step 1 — Determine the CP type

All three types may coexist during APQP phases. The Production CP is the one submitted as PPAP Element 7.

Step 2 — Build the Control Plan structure

The CP is a table with one row per characteristic per process step. Each row contains:

Header section (document-level):

• Control Plan number and revision
• Part number and revision
• Part name / description
• Supplier / plant
• Supplier code (OEM code)
• Key contact / phone
• Core team (multi-functional)
• Date (original) and date (revised)
• Customer engineering approval (name/date) — if required
• Customer quality approval (name/date) — if required
• Supplier approval (name/date)

Detail columns (one row per characteristic):

Step 3 — Populate from PFMEA

For each high-severity failure mode in the PFMEA:

1. Identify the current prevention and detection controls from the PFMEA
2. Transfer these controls into the corresponding CP row
3. The reaction plan must address what happens if the control detects a non-conformance

Every special characteristic (SC, CC, ★, ◆) in the PFMEA must appear in the CP. Every recommended action completed in the PFMEA must be reflected in the updated CP controls.

Step 4 — Special characteristics — mandatory coverage

OEM symbol conventions vary. Always use the exact symbol specified in the customer's CSR:

• Ford: CC (Critical Characteristic) and SC (Significant Characteristic) — do not use ★ or ◆
• GM: ★ for safety-critical; Δ for significant
• VW / Audi: D (design feature, = CC), E (significant characteristic), I (functional dimension) per FORMEL Q
• BMW: G-SC (significant characteristic), G-CC (critical characteristic) per BMW standard
• Stellantis: CC and SC per MAQMSR — requires AIAG-VDA FMEA format alignment

Using the wrong symbol for the customer's OEM is an immediate finding at PPAP and IATF audit.

For all special characteristics: the reaction plan must specify who is notified, containment action, and when the process can restart.

Step 5 — Reaction plan requirements

Every row in the CP must have a reaction plan. Minimum requirements:

• Who is responsible for taking action
• What immediate containment is applied (tag, sort, hold, stop production)
• Who is notified (supervisor, quality, engineering)
• When production may restart (after what verification)
• Reference to relevant Work Instruction or SOP for the reaction

A reaction plan that says only "notify supervisor" or "quarantine parts" is insufficient — it must specify the next step after notification.