Layered Process Audit
Layered Process Audit (LPA) is a tool for the consistent implementation of process standards and thereby improves the quality and quality assurance of the processes . This type of audit is officially recognized by the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) as a process audit . In January 2014 the AIAG published the second version (2nd edition) of the volume CQI-8 with the title "Layered Process Audit Guideline". In the USA, LPA is already required by some large automobile manufacturers and suppliers and is increasingly being implemented by German companies.
history
Before the year 2000 there was no reference to the term Layered Process Audit (LPA) in the literature or on the Internet. The first known application of LPA was in Kokomo, Indiana at a DaimlerChrysler, LLC transmission manufacturing facility. It is believed that DaimlerChrysler got the idea to implement LPA through Toyota.
Tom Lasorda, former CEO and President of the Chrysler Group and now CEO of Fisker Automotive, took an approach from Toyota and developed today's Layered Process Audit. LPA was used for the first time in Kokomo, Indiana, in a plant for the production of drive trains.
functionality
In a simplified way, LPA represents a chain of simple checks using checklists, which ensure through direct auditing, evaluation and discussions at the workplace that the decisive work steps are carried out reliably. The implementation and results of the audits are made visible and transparent for everyone on site using a corresponding visualization .
The LPAs should be carried out by the different management levels (layers) and other managers according to a precise schedule. This guarantees that every process is viewed from different perspectives and from different management levels. Well-designed LPAs help eliminate human errors, create capable process standards, and ensure that parts and products are manufactured that do not require rework.
Since the reviews are usually repeated daily or at a different frequency and carried out by all management levels, it is very likely that process errors or their causes will be found early. If the LPA checklists have been aligned to the actual challenges of the process and not just to the requirements of the customer, LPA will independently minimize process deviations and the process will deliver reliable results.
Use
- Systematic identification of causes that prevent the implementation of the standards
- For managers and employees, there is a greater understanding of the process and clarity about the important standards or rules
- Employees develop a greater sense of responsibility for the implementation and improvement of processes
- Managers take their responsibility and management tasks more seriously
- the focus in root cause analysis shifts from people to organization, leadership or processes
- affected employees actively participate in finding solutions and suggestions for improvement
- By formulating the test points for the LPA checklists, the required standards are clearly defined and, if necessary, reference is made to further specification documents
- other internal audits that check the standard can be partially replaced by LPA and the required effort can be reduced
procedure
The auditors of each layer check the agreed process standards at fixed intervals using checklists. Any deviations found are corrected immediately, if necessary, or the appropriate measures are initiated. The implementation and results of the audits are made visible and transparent for everyone on site using appropriate visualizations.
literature
- Elmar Zeller: Layered Process Audit (LPA) - guidelines for implementation . 1st edition. Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich 2013, ISBN 978-3-446-43790-6 .
Individual evidence
- ^ AIAG: Layered Process Audit Guideline , 1st edition, AIAG: Southfield 2005, p. 8.
- ↑ AIAG CQI-8: 2014 - CQI-8: Layered Process Audit Guideline (Secured file - cannot be printed). Retrieved October 21, 2019 .
- ↑ Toyota, Environmental Report 2001 (PDF; 888 kB). Toyota website. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
- ↑ International GmbH, Layered Process Audit ( Memento of the original from August 18, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Website of TQU International GmbH. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
