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LPA software · Automotive

Layered process audit software for automotive plants

Short answer

Layered process audit software is the system that runs a plant's LPAs. It schedules each audit to every layer of leadership, puts the questions on a phone at the station, scores the answers and turns every No into an action with an owner. In an automotive plant it must handle three shifts, a question set per process and customers who ask for proof the audits happened.

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A paper LPA program breaks in three places: the night shift audit nobody does, the binder of findings nobody reads, and a question list unchanged since the last complaint. Software fixes the schedule and the record. It does not write the questions or walk to the station for you, so this page covers both: what to check by process, how often each layer goes, a worked month and what to ask of any LPA software.

New to LPAs? Start with the method, then come back to choose how to run it. Read the layered process audit guide.

By process

What an automotive LPA checks, process by process

A good LPA question checks a control from the PFMEA or control plan, and can be answered by looking. The controls differ by process, so presses, weld cells, molding and harness work each need their own questions. These are starting points; take yours from your PFMEA, control plan and recent escapes.

Where an automotive LPA looks, process by process

  1. StampingDie, first-off part, press limits
  2. WeldingWeld schedule, tip dressing, teardown test
  3. Injection moldingProcess sheet, regrind, drying
  4. CrimpingCrimp height, pull test, applicator
  5. TorqueTool and calibration, sequence, NOK parts
  6. AssemblyWork instruction, training, test fails

On every process

  • Error-proofing verified
  • Open containment followed
Processes found across automotive plants, not one plant's layout. Two checks run across every one of them; the rest come from each process's PFMEA and control plan.

  • Stamping

    • The die in the press is the one on the job and the die set sheet, and the setup was signed off.
    • The first-off part was checked and released before the run, and the record is at the press.
    • Shut height, feed and tonnage monitor limits match the setup sheet.

  • Welding

    • The weld schedule or program number on the controller matches the parameter sheet for this part.
    • Tips were dressed at the set interval, and the dress counter or log shows it.
    • The teardown or chisel test due this shift was done and recorded.

  • Injection molding

    • Press settings match the approved process sheet, and any change is on a signed deviation.
    • Regrind is within the ratio the process sheet allows, and the blender or hopper is labelled.
    • Material was dried to the time and temperature on the sheet, and the dryer log is filled in.

  • Crimping

    • Crimp height was measured at setup and at the set frequency, inside the limits on the spec card.
    • The pull test for this terminal and wire size is done and recorded at the control plan frequency.
    • The applicator and terminal reel match the setup card for the part number.

  • Torque

    • The tool at the station is the one the control plan names, inside its calibration date.
    • Fasteners are run in the sequence on the work instruction, and the controller shows OK for each one.
    • Parts the controller flags as not OK go to the red bin and are not re-run without the rework instruction.

  • Assembly

    • The work instruction at the station is the current revision, and the operator follows its order.
    • The operator is shown as trained for this station on the skills matrix.
    • Leak, function or end-of-line test fails are handled the way the reaction plan says.

On every process

Error-proofing verified

Every device was challenged at the start of the shift with its master or reject part, the result is recorded, and a failed device was handled as the reaction plan says. A bypassed sensor is the costliest No an LPA can find.

On every process

Open containment followed

If the station is under containment (a sort, a 100% check, extra marking), it is still done as written, with its tags and records. Containment that quietly stops is how a complaint comes back.

Who audits, how often

Layers and frequency

Most automotive plants run four layers. Each layer up audits less often but sees more of the plant, and checks that the layer below does real audits. A common pattern, not a rule: set yours by risk and by what customers ask.

  • Layer 1: Team leader

    How often
    Every shift, on every line
    What they add
    The station's core questions
    Time per audit
    About 10 minutes

  • Layer 2: Supervisor

    How often
    Weekly, on each line of their shift
    What they add
    The same questions, plus: are the layer 1 audits real and their Nos closed?
    Time per audit
    About 15 minutes

  • Layer 3: Area manager (production, quality, maintenance)

    How often
    Monthly, rotated across lines and shifts
    What they add
    Fresh eyes, and repeat findings that need more than a quick fix
    Time per audit
    About 20 minutes

  • Layer 4: Plant manager

    How often
    Monthly
    What they add
    Whether every layer audits on time and whether findings get closed
    Time per audit
    About 20 minutes

Fewer audits higher up, wider view

  1. 4. Plant managerMonthly
  2. 3. Area manager (production, quality, maintenance)Monthly, rotated across lines and shifts
  3. 2. SupervisorWeekly, on each line of their shift
  4. 1. Team leaderEvery shift, on every line

The layers from the top: Plant manager, monthly; Area manager (production, quality, maintenance), monthly, rotated across lines and shifts; Supervisor, weekly, on each line of their shift; Team leader, every shift, on every line.

Each layer up audits less often, sees more of the plant and checks that the layer below audits for real.

AIAG CQI-8, Layered Process Audits

The automotive industry guideline for an LPA program: who audits, how often, how questions are chosen and how results are used. A guideline, not a certification standard.

IATF 16949 manufacturing process audits (clause 9.2.2.3)

Every manufacturing process is audited over each three-year calendar period, on every shift where it runs, with the shift handover sampled, checking that the PFMEA and control plan are in use. Where a customer prescribes an approach, such as LPAs, that approach applies.

Customer-specific requirements

Many vehicle makers and tier 1 customers write LPAs into their customer-specific requirements, sometimes with layers, frequency or questions spelled out. Where they do, their numbers are the minimum.

Summaries in our own words, not the documents' text. Check your copy of IATF 16949, CQI-8 and each customer's current requirements.

Worked example, illustrative

A worked month: three shifts, two lines

Illustrative numbers, not a benchmark. A plant runs two assembly lines on three shifts, five days a week, so 20 production days in the 4-week period. The schedule follows the layer table above. Answers are yes, no or N/A; the Nos are the findings.

  • 1. Team leaders

    2 lines x 3 shifts x 20 days

    Planned
    120
    Done
    114
    Questions asked
    912 (114 x 8)
    Nos
    27
    Leader minutes
    1,140 (114 x 10)

  • 2. Supervisors

    3 supervisors x 2 lines x 4 weeks

    Planned
    24
    Done
    22
    Questions asked
    220 (22 x 10)
    Nos
    9
    Leader minutes
    330 (22 x 15)

  • 3. Area managers

    3 managers x 2 lines, once a month

    Planned
    6
    Done
    4
    Questions asked
    40 (4 x 10)
    Nos
    3
    Leader minutes
    80 (4 x 20)

  • 4. Plant manager

    1 per line, once a month

    Planned
    2
    Done
    2
    Questions asked
    20 (2 x 10)
    Nos
    1
    Leader minutes
    40 (2 x 20)

  • Total

    152 planned, 142 done, 1,192 questions, 40 Nos, 1,590 leader minutes

  • 38Audits planned a week
  • 93.4%Completion, done ÷ planned
  • 3.4Findings per 100 questions
  • 6.6Leader hours a week

Audits done of audits planned, by layer

Example numbers
  1. 1. Team leaders114 of 120 done
  2. 2. Supervisors22 of 24 done
  3. 3. Area managersLowest4 of 6 done
  4. 4. Plant manager2 of 2 done

Layer 1, team leaders: 114 of 120 done. Layer 2, supervisors: 22 of 24 done. Layer 3, area managers: 4 of 6 done. Layer 4, plant manager: 2 of 2 done

Completion is 93.4% overall. The miss that matters is the lowest bar: managers skipping is what the floor notices first.

Nos found per 100 questions, by layer

Example numbers
  • Layer 1: 3 per 100 questions
  • Layer 2: 4.1 per 100 questions
  • Layer 3: 7.5 per 100 questions
  • Layer 4: 5 per 100 questions

Layer 1: 3 per 100 questions. Layer 2: 4.1 per 100 questions. Layer 3: 7.5 per 100 questions. Layer 4: 5 per 100 questions

3.4 per 100 questions overall. Higher layers find more per question: fresh eyes are the point of layers.
  • 152 audits planned, 38 a week. 142 were done, so completion is 142 ÷ 152 = 93.4%.
  • Those audits asked 1,192 questions and found 40 Nos: 40 ÷ 1,192 x 100 = 3.4 findings per 100 questions.
  • Per 100 questions, layer 1 found 3.0, layer 2 found 4.1, layer 3 found 7.5 and the plant manager 5.0. Higher layers find more per question: fresh eyes are the point of layers.
  • 24 of the 40 Nos were fixed on the spot and 16 went on the list with an owner and a date.
  • Leader time was 1,590 minutes, 26.5 hours in the month, or about 6.6 hours a week for an audit of both lines on every shift.
  • Layer 3 did 4 of its 6 audits. If nobody raises it, the floor learns that managers skip, and layer 1 slips next.

What happens to a No

  1. 1At the station

    Answer No, write what you saw

    From what you see, not from the records alone.
  2. 2Decision

    Can it be fixed now?

    Yes:
    fix it with the operator
    No:
    log it before you leave
  3. 3Before you leave

    Owner and due date

    The finding becomes an action with an owner and a date.
  4. 4Decision

    Same No on several shifts?

    Yes:
    the cause is in the process
    No:
    close it when done
  5. 5Problem solving

    Root cause or 8D

    Then audit the fix at every layer.
In the example month, 24 of the 40 Nos were fixed on the spot and 16 went on the list with an owner and a date.

Buyer's checklist

What LPA software has to do, and how LeanSuite does it

Ask every vendor the same questions, us included. LeanSuite's answers are copied word for word from its own product pages.

  1. Start from the checklist you already have

    Your questions come from your PFMEA and control plan. Software should take them as they are.

    In LeanSuite

    “Build the checklist in Lean Creator, or let the AI draft it.” Audit Management

    “Upload it as a PDF, or describe the audit, and Lean AI builds a digital version.” Audit Management

  2. Schedule each layer on its own cadence

    One checklist, four layers, three shifts. If the schedule lives in someone's head, night shift is dropped first.

    In LeanSuite

    “Schedule it in Daily Standard Work to a person, a role or a machine, with a repeat rule.” Audit Management

    “digital T-cards for layered process audits, scheduled by cadence, red until done, every finding tracked to an action” Kamishibai Board Software

  3. Make a missed audit visible

    Completion by layer is the first number a customer asks for, and the first to slip.

    In LeanSuite

    “Missed audits show in red.” Audit Management

  4. Audit at the station, with evidence

    An LPA answered from the office checks paperwork, not the process.

    In LeanSuite

    “Auditors see checks on a calendar or Kanban board and complete them on a phone or tablet, with photo evidence where required.” Audit Management

  5. Score every audit and show completion

    Scores and completion by layer and line show which area is drifting.

    In LeanSuite

    “Each report shows its score and pass or fail, and a live dashboard shows completion across the plant.” Audit Management

  6. Turn every No into an action, and repeats into problem solving

    A finding with no owner is not a fix. A No that keeps coming back needs a root cause.

    In LeanSuite

    “Every non-conformance can start a fix. A rule on the answer can do it automatically, or you can do it in one click” Audit Management

    “systemic issues run through 8D or DMAIC in Kaizen & Projects” LeanSuite for automotive

  7. Keep a record you can show

    Customers and auditors ask to see audits on every shift and findings closed.

    In LeanSuite

    “Every audit, finding and corrective action is time-stamped and logged.” Audit Management

Audit ManagementKamishibai board software

Before and after

Paper and whiteboard, next to software

The same program, run from binders and a T-card rack, then from software.

  • The schedule

    On paper: A spreadsheet rebuilt each month.

    In software: A repeat rule per layer, assigned to a person, a role or a machine.

  • A missed audit

    On paper: Noticed at month end, if at all.

    In software: Shows in red on the day it is missed.

  • The answer

    On paper: A tick, sometimes added after the shift.

    In software: Answered at the station on a phone, time-stamped.

  • Findings

    On paper: Written in the margin.

    In software: Each No starts an action with an owner.

  • Trends

    On paper: Typed into Excel weeks later.

    In software: Reports track completion and common non-conformances.

  • Changing a question

    On paper: Reprint every binder and hope the old sheets are gone.

    In software: One checklist, scheduled to every layer: one copy to change.

What LPA software does not do

Whatever any vendor says, us included.

  • It does not write your questions. Those come from your PFMEA, control plan, escapes and the people on the line.
  • It does not make a plant meet IATF 16949 or customer requirements. It holds the schedule and the record; people still audit.
  • It does not replace a leader at the station. An audit closed from a desk is a paper audit, only faster.
  • It does not fix findings. Closing them is a plant habit, reviewed at the tier meeting.

Free templates

A question bank to start from

Try a printable list on one line for a few weeks, then move the questions that earn their place into software.

Compare layered process audit softwareThe buyer's guide compares seven LPA tools, LeanSuite included, on scheduling by layer, question rotation, failed checks, reporting and pricing.Read the buyer's guide
  • Moura logo
  • Marelli logo
“Great user-friendly software! It's covering everything that WCM or similar Lean Programs are asking to do, in a very effective way.”
Marelli logoElena M.Global Head of Marelli Manufacturing System Automotive

FAQ

Questions about LPA software

  1. It holds the checklists, schedules each layer on its own cadence, lets auditors answer on a phone at the station, scores each audit, shows missed audits and turns every No into an action with an owner and a date.

  2. An LPA is a few minutes at one station, repeated every shift by several layers, on the controls most likely to fail. A manufacturing process audit is a full audit of one process against its PFMEA, control plan and records, by a trained auditor, far less often. A product audit checks finished parts against requirements. An LPA program replaces neither.

  3. Few enough to answer in about ten minutes: often 8 to 10 for layer 1, plus two or three system questions for the higher layers. A half-hour audit gets skipped on a busy shift.

  4. Keep a core set for the highest risks, such as error-proofing and open containment, and rotate the rest from a bank. When a question has been Yes at every layer for a few months, swap in a newer risk, such as last month's complaint. Change a few at a time so scores stay comparable.

  5. Fix it on the spot with the operator if you can. If not, log it with an owner and a due date before you leave. If the same No returns on several shifts, the cause is in the process: take it into a root cause analysis or an 8D, then audit the fix at every layer.

  6. LeanSuite is not a certification and does not make a plant compliant. It helps you run and evidence the routines IATF 16949 and your customers call for, such as layered process audits, with a time-stamped record of every check and action.

See your LPA checklist running in LeanSuite

Bring one line's LPA checklist and see it scheduled, answered on a phone and followed to closed actions.

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