Launch readiness is one of the most-talked-about and least-disciplined areas in automotive supply. Every supplier has a launch process. Few have a checklist that actually catches the issues that cause real launch disruptions. This article is the checklist that should be running in parallel with PPAP at any Tier 2 supplier shipping into a North American OEM program.
The 18-week structure here matches the typical pre-SOP window for a mid-complexity program. Compress proportionally for shorter timelines, expand for longer. The category sequence stays the same.
Why Launches Fail (and It's Not Engineering)
Post-launch incident analysis consistently surfaces five recurring causes of launch disruption:
- Process variation that didn't appear in PPAP samples. Process performed well during PPAP runs but degrades under production volume and shift variation.
- Sub-supplier readiness gaps that weren't visible to the Tier 1 customer during pre-launch.
- Boundary samples not aligned with customer expectations. Supplier and customer have different interpretations of acceptable quality.
- GP-12 containment effectiveness gaps. Early production containment catches symptoms but not the upstream variation causing them.
- Customer communication gaps that create surprise on minor concerns and prevent them from being resolved before escalation.
All five are launch readiness failures, not engineering failures. The checklist below specifically targets them.
Weeks 18-12: Foundation
Process and PPAP
- PFMEA reviewed with customer-specific severity/occurrence rankings applied
- Control plan submitted to customer for early visibility (not final approval, but transparency)
- Sub-supplier PPAPs scheduled with dates committed
- Boundary samples agreed with customer SQE
- Tooling capability runs scheduled at production rate (not PPAP sample rate)
Customer relationship
- Named customer interface identified (SQE, PSE, plant quality lead)
- First customer-facing program review meeting on calendar
- Customer-specific PPAP requirements documented and tracked
- Customer plant access requirements understood (badging, training)
Weeks 12-6: Validation
PPAP execution
- PPAP samples run on production tooling at production rate
- MSA and capability studies completed with statistically meaningful sample sizes
- All customer-specific PPAP elements addressed
- Sub-supplier PPAPs received and reviewed
- First PPAP submission to customer
Production readiness
- Production operator training completed and documented
- Layered process audit schedule established
- Control plan implemented in shop floor systems
- Inspection equipment calibration current with documentation
- Production scheduling and capacity verified against ramp plan
Weeks 6-2: GP-12 and Early Production Containment
GP-12 (Early Production Containment) is the most underweighted launch phase at most Tier 2 suppliers. The customer expects elevated containment during the first 30-90 days of production with specific verification requirements.
GP-12 elements
- Containment area identified and documented
- 100% inspection criteria established with customer alignment
- Specific inspection equipment and methods documented
- Defect categorization and reporting structure established
- Daily customer reporting cadence agreed
- Containment exit criteria documented (typically 30 consecutive shifts at zero customer-confirmed defects)
Final readiness verification
- Customer Supplier Readiness Verification (SRV) audit completed
- PPAP approval received (PSW signed)
- Production ramp plan reviewed with customer
- Communication escalation protocol documented for early production issues
- Customer-facing single point of contact named
Weeks 2 to SOP
Pre-SOP
- Final shipping authorization confirmed
- Logistics and packaging final verification
- Customer plant receipt confirmation processes verified
- On-call quality response coverage established for SOP week
- Senior leadership engagement plan for first 30 days
SOP day
- Initial shipments verified at customer dock
- Daily quality status report sent to customer
- On-site supplier presence at customer plant (representation or coordination)
- GP-12 containment data tracked
- First-week incident response plan ready
First 30 Days Post-SOP
Often treated as cooling-off period. Should be the most disciplined window of the entire launch. Every defect in the first 30 days has 3-5x the scorecard impact of an equivalent defect at month 6.
- Daily customer communication maintained even when no issues
- Weekly on-site customer meetings during first 30 days
- Defect trending tracked daily, escalated proactively if patterns emerge
- GP-12 containment data reviewed weekly with customer
- Internal launch retrospective scheduled at day 30
When On-Site Launch Support Pays Off
Tier 2 suppliers without a permanent presence at the Tier 1 plant they're launching into systematically underrespond during the first 30 days. Customer communication is reactive instead of proactive, GP-12 data interpretation lags, and minor concerns become escalations because no one is in the room when they surface.
IDS provides launch support engagements specifically focused on the first 30 days at the customer plant — daily customer communication, GP-12 containment coordination, on-site issue triage, and proactive customer-facing reporting that prevents launch incidents from escalating.