Control Plan Creator
AIAG CP 4th Ed. 2024
Ensuring Quality at Every Step of Your Process — APQP-aligned, PPAP-ready, IATF 16949 compliant
What is a Control Plan?
A Control Plan is a structured, living document that summarises the methods used to control product characteristics and manufacturing process parameters. Its primary purpose is to ensure every output consistently meets customer requirements by minimising variation at the source — not by detecting defects after they occur, but by keeping processes stable and predictable.
A Control Plan does not replace detailed work instructions or operator standards — it is the road map that ties together which characteristics are measured, how they are evaluated, how often samples are taken, and what to do when something goes out of control. It is one of the five core APQP deliverables and a mandatory submission item in all PPAP packages (Levels 2–5).
The three types of Control Plan
- Prototype: Developed during the concept and design phases. Controls are preliminary and focus on dimensional and material feasibility. Used to guide prototype builds before tooling is defined.
- Pre-Launch: Created after design is frozen but before full production approval. Covers trial runs and pilot builds. Controls are more detailed and reflect actual production intent.
- Production: The final, approved document used on the shop floor during mass production. Must be kept current throughout the life of the program and updated whenever the process, product, or risk assessment changes.
History & Origin
The Control Plan was formalised as part of the automotive industry's effort to align quality practices across OEMs and their supplier base. Its evolution closely tracks the development of the APQP framework and IATF certification requirements.
The Automotive Industry Action Group establishes standardised quality toolkits to reduce supplier variation across the Big Three (GM, Ford, Chrysler).
AIAG publishes the first official Control Plan Reference Manual as part of the APQP documentation suite.
AIAG and VDA jointly publish a harmonised FMEA methodology. Landmark change: the Risk Priority Number (RPN) is eliminated and replaced by the Action Priority (AP) system. This tool implements the official AIAG-VDA 2019 AP logic.
AIAG publishes the 4th and most recent edition of the Control Plan Reference Manual. Key additions include mandatory Error Proofing / Poka-yoke column, and alignment with IATF 16949:2016 §8.5.1.1.
The toolbar at the top of the page contains all the actions you need to manage your Control Plan:
- New Clears all fields and starts a blank Control Plan.
-
Load
Opens a previously saved
.jsonfile and restores the Header, Matrix, and revision history in read-only mode. - Load Example Loads a pre-filled example so you can explore the tool. Also opens in read-only mode.
- Revise Only available when a document is in read-only mode. Opens a dialog to register a new revision — date, description, and author — then unlocks all fields for editing.
-
Save
Downloads the complete Control Plan as a
.jsonfile, including all items and the full revision history. Use this file to reload or share the document later. - Export PDF Generates and downloads a fully formatted PDF report containing: the Header information, the Control Plan matrix, and the revision history.
This tool generates a fully AIAG-VDA 2019 compliant Control Plan that can be exported to PDF for PPAP packages or internal quality records.
- Step 1 — Import your PFMEA (optional): Upload the Excel exported from the Sigma Exacta FMEA tool. Failure modes, S/O/D scores, and Action Priority are pre-populated automatically.
- Step 2 — Complete the Header: Go to the Control Plan Tool tab and fill all required header fields. These are mandatory for any PPAP submission.
- Step 3 — Fill the Matrix: Add rows for each characteristic. Define Op. No., characteristic type, special characteristic classification, spec/tolerance, sample size and frequency, and control method.
- Step 4 — Review Action Priority (AP): AP (High / Medium / Low) is calculated automatically from S/O/D. Ensure High-AP rows have robust controls and explicit reaction plans.
- Step 5 — Review Results: Switch to the Results tab. The finalized Control Plan table will be displayed automatically based on your inputs.
- Step 6 — Save & Export: Click
Save to download a
.jsonfile, or Export PDF to download a complete, print-ready PDF covering the Header, matrix, and revision notes.
- AIAG generic: SC ◆ (Special Characteristic), CC △ (Critical Characteristic)
- Ford: ★ Key Product Characteristic (KPC), KCC Key Control Characteristic
- Stellantis / Chrysler: YS (Safety / Gov. Regulatory), YC (Regulatory / Compliance)
- GM: HI (High Impact), S/R (Safety / Regulatory)
Import Data from PFMEA (AIAG-VDA 2019)
Upload the Excel file generated by the Sigma Exacta FMEA tool to automatically populate Process Name, Failure Modes, S/O/D scores, Action Priority, and Prevention / Detection Controls.
Control Plan Header
| Rev. Date | Description of Change | Changed By | Approved By |
|---|
| Op. No. | PFD Ref. | Process Name | Machine / Device | Char. No. | Char. Type | Characteristic | Special Char. | FMEA Ref — Failure Mode (read-only) | FMEA AP (ref) | Spec / Tol. | Eval. Technique | Gage / Fixture No. | MSA Ref. | Sample Size | Sample Freq. | Control Method | Error Proofing / Poka-yoke | Reaction Plan | Work Instruction Ref. | Where Recorded | Responsible |
|---|
Control Plan Results
This table is generated automatically and synchronously from the Control Plan Tool tab.