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Special characteristics matrix template
A special characteristics matrix is a table that lists every special characteristic of a part and follows each one through the documents it has to appear in: the drawing, the process flow, the PFMEA, the control plan, the gauge and its measurement study, and the capability result. This template has a one-page matrix and an Excel file that names the first thing missing on each row, and counts the rows with a gap, so nothing special is left uncontrolled.
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Header fields for part, customer, drawing and level, above a table with 14 numbered rows and columns from characteristic and class to control plan line, gauge study, target, latest capability and gap.Characteristic and symbolProduct or processWhere definedProcess stepPFMEA and control plan linesGauge and measurement studyTarget and latest capabilityFirst gap on each row
When to use it
When to use a special characteristics matrix
- During APQP, once the customer's drawing and requirements are in, to list what has to be controlled and prove it is.
- Before a PPAP submission, to find the gaps while there is still time to close them.
- After a drawing, PFMEA or control plan change, to check the characteristic is still on every document.
- At each program meeting, as a short list of open gaps with owners.
- Not as a replacement for the control plan. The matrix points to it and shows where it is silent.
How to fill it in
- 1
List the characteristics from the customer first
Take them from the customer's drawing and requirements, then add the ones your own PFMEA marks as special. One row each. - 2
Use the customer's symbol
Customers use different symbols and classes, and the customer's drawing legend says what each one means. Put the symbol in the Class column and keep any internal class in a separate column. - 3
Mark product or process
A product characteristic is a feature of the part you can measure. A process characteristic is a setting or condition that controls one, such as weld current. Give each its own row and point process rows back to the product feature they protect. - 4
Fill in where each one lives
Where it is defined on the drawing or spec, the process step, the PFMEA line, the control plan line, the control method and the gauge or monitor. - 5
Record the gauge study and the capability
For product characteristics, say whether the gauge has a measurement system study, then enter the target Ppk or Cpk and the latest result. - 6
Read the Gap column and close the gaps
The Excel file names the first thing missing on each row. Put each gap on the program's open issues list with an owner and a date, and review it until the count is 0.
The chain
What to check at each link, and the gap that shows when it is missing
The Gap column reads the links in this order and stops at the first one that is missing.
| Link | What to find | Gap shown if missing |
|---|---|---|
| Drawing or spec | The characteristic is marked, with the customer's symbol, at the change level in use | No drawing reference |
| PFMEA | A line with the same symbol and the prevention and detection controls | Not in the PFMEA |
| Control plan | A line with the method, sample size, frequency and reaction plan | Not in the control plan |
| Gauge study | The gauge is named and has a measurement system study | Gauge study not done |
| Capability | For a product characteristic, a Ppk or Cpk from a run that meets the target | No capability result, or Capability below target |
Drawing or spec
- What to find
- The characteristic is marked, with the customer's symbol, at the change level in use
- Gap shown if missing
- No drawing reference
PFMEA
- What to find
- A line with the same symbol and the prevention and detection controls
- Gap shown if missing
- Not in the PFMEA
Control plan
- What to find
- A line with the method, sample size, frequency and reaction plan
- Gap shown if missing
- Not in the control plan
Gauge study
- What to find
- The gauge is named and has a measurement system study
- Gap shown if missing
- Gauge study not done
Capability
- What to find
- For a product characteristic, a Ppk or Cpk from a run that meets the target
- Gap shown if missing
- No capability result, or Capability below target
A filled-in example
Illustrative, not a benchmarkAn example (illustrative): ten special characteristics of a seat frame bracket, SB-4410, for Example Motors (made up). CC and SC stand in for a customer's symbols. All references and numbers are invented.
- Ten characteristics: 6 are Covered and 4 have a gap. Seven are product characteristics and three are process characteristics.
- Row 1, hole A position (CC): a Ppk of 1.52 against a target of 1.67, so the gap is Capability below target. It is the same number the made-up warrant stops at.
- Row 5, burr height on edge E (SC): it is on the PFMEA but there is no control plan line, so the gap is Not in the control plan.
- Row 6, hole B diameter (SC): it has a control plan line and a Ppk of 1.40, but its pin gauge has no measurement system study, so the gap is Gauge study not done.
- Row 10, flatness of base (SC): it is on the control plan with a Ppk of 1.45 but missing from the PFMEA, so the gap is Not in the PFMEA.
- The three process characteristics (weld current, press tonnage and oven temperature) are Covered because each is on the PFMEA and the control plan and has a monitor marked as checked. This sheet asks for a capability result on product rows only.
Four rows, four different missing links, each with a clear next step. Nobody has to read three documents side by side to find them.
Common mistakes
Listing only what is on the drawing
Your own PFMEA may mark characteristics the customer did not. Add them, with your own class in a separate column.
A symbol that changes between documents
If the drawing says one thing and the control plan another, the floor follows the control plan. Use the same symbol on every document.
Capability without a gauge study
A Ppk built on a gauge nobody has studied hides gauge error inside the process. Check the gauge first.
Leaving process characteristics out
Many product features are held by a process setting. If only the product row is listed, the setting that protects it can drift unwatched.
Not updating after a change
A matrix that is out of date is worse than none, because people trust it. Update it with every change to the drawing, PFMEA or control plan.
Download the template
Free to use: print it, copy it and edit it for your team. Enter your name and work email once to download.
Run this template in LeanSuite
In LeanSuite quality checks run as digital checklists with number limits, an out-of-spec answer can raise a tag or start a CAPA automatically, and KPI Builder tracks quality KPIs against targets.
See it in a 45-minute demoIn the lean glossary
FAQ
Special characteristics matrix template: common questions
A feature of a product or a process that your customer or you have decided needs extra control, usually because it affects safety, regulatory compliance, fit or function. Customers use different symbols and classes for them, so use the ones on your customer's drawing.
Your customer's. They differ between customers and the customer's legend says what each means. This sheet has a Class column for the symbol and nothing in it is a default.
This sheet asks for one only on product characteristics. Process rows are Covered when they pass the drawing, PFMEA, control plan and gauge or monitor links. Your customer may ask for a capability result on process rows too.
It reads each link in order and shows the first one missing: drawing reference, PFMEA, control plan, gauge study, then capability for a product row. If every link is present and the latest capability meets the target, the row is Covered.
No. The control plan says how each characteristic is controlled on the floor. The matrix shows whether every special characteristic is on the control plan, the PFMEA and the drawing, and whether it has been proved.
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- Work order template for maintenanceA work order template for maintenance: one form per job from request to handback, and a log of response, completion and backlog by priority.
- Six big losses worksheetWhere a machine's planned time goes: the six big losses in minutes, ranked, with A, P, Q and OEE worked out.
- Andon response logEvery andon call with response and fix times, flags against your targets, and counts by type and station.
- Changeover checklist25 checks for every changeover, a record of planned and actual times, and a log of changeover time against target.
- Kanban sizing calculatorHow many kanban cards each loop needs, per part, with the change from today's cards and what the loop holds in days.
- Kaizen event trackerEvery kaizen event on one sheet: status, roles, the metric against target, open actions and the 30, 60 and 90 day checks.
- Standard work audit checklist24 checks of a job against its written standard, ten timed cycles, and each gap sorted by cause before anyone acts.
- TWI job breakdown sheetThe TWI Job Instruction breakdown of a job into important steps, key points and reasons, with a worked example and the four steps.
- Standard work combination tableOne operator's manual, machine, walk and wait time on a time chart against takt, with machine cycles and a process capacity sheet.
- Lead time worksheetProduction lead time from the inventory waiting at each step, value-added time and process cycle efficiency, plus an order traced from order to delivery.
- Waste walk checklist (TIMWOODS)32 things to look for across the eight wastes, with where and how much, and a findings log with dot votes, owners and dates.
- Maintenance KPI trackerMTBF, MTTR, availability and PM compliance per asset and month, plant figures from the totals, planned maintenance % and backlog in weeks.
- Daily huddle agendaA 15-minute start-of-shift stand-up in six timed blocks, with yesterday's SQCDP results, today's plan, actions and escalations.
- DMAIC project charter templateThe Define-phase charter on one page: problem and goal, metrics, scope, team and phase dates, with savings and a tollgate checklist.
- Water spider route plan (mizusumashi)A water spider's fixed route: stops with arrival times, what is delivered and collected, route time against the cycle, cart load and a trip log.
- Cost deployment matrixWCM cost deployment on paper and in Excel: loss quantities by process, causal and resultant losses, the cost of each loss, a Pareto and the projects that recover them.
- Equipment criticality analysisAssets scored 1 to 5 on six criteria with your own weights, ranked and sorted into classes A, B and C with a safety override and a suggested maintenance strategy.
- Bottleneck analysis worksheetEffective capacity per station from cycle time, parallel units, availability and yield, the bottleneck, takt and utilization, a queue cross-check and the five focusing steps.
- Fault tree analysis templateA drawing area with the FTA symbols, an event table with probabilities and minimal cut sets, and the gates worked out bottom-up in Excel.
- 5G investigation sheetConfirm the facts before naming a cause: 5W1H, the five G's with 20 prompts, the gap against the principle and the standard, and the countermeasures.
- Yokoten tracker (horizontal deployment)Copy a proven improvement line by line: the source result, each candidate's own before and after, its share of the source's improvement and the standard updated.
- Coaching kata template (improvement kata storyboard)The learner's storyboard (target condition, current condition, obstacles, PDCA cycles) and a fold-over card with the coach's five questions.
- SMART goals templateWrite a goal, test it against the five SMART letters, then track progress toward the target against the time used.
- Lean readiness assessment templateTwenty statements in four factors, scored 1 to 5 by several people on their own, with averages, the spread between them and the actions.
- Nemawashi template (stakeholder plan)Plan the one-to-one conversations before a decision: who to talk to in what order, their concerns, what changed and where they stand.
- Breakdown analysis reportOne equipment breakdown from the stop to the 90-day check, plus a breakdown log with repeat flags, MTBF and MTTR by asset and a Pareto of causes.
- Heijunka box planner (production leveling)Weekly demand turned into containers a day, takt, pitch and slots, a leveled sequence of products and the heijunka box, with a check that the changeovers fit.
- Future state value stream map worksheetThe eight future-state questions worked through in order: takt, pitch, flow, supermarkets, the pacemaker and the mix, with an EPEI check and current against future lead time.
- Value stream plan (VSM action plan)The future-state map cut into loops, each with an objective and a measurable goal, and its kaizen bursts turned into owned, dated projects on a 12-month timeline.
- Kaizen project plan (Gantt chart)One improvement project as a Gantt chart: tasks by phase with owners, predecessors and working days, a 16-week grid, milestones and a status from planned against actual % done.
- Escalation matrix templateWho is called for each type of issue and after how long, with severity rules, contacts and an escalation log.
- Visual management audit checklist29 checks of whether anyone can tell normal from abnormal at a glance, scored by group, with a trend and actions.
- Employee recognition program templateDesign a recognition program on one page, then run it: points per action, prizes, budget, a points ledger, a monthly leaderboard and a fairness check by team and shift.
- Lean transformation roadmapA plant-wide lean program on one sheet: six phases with exit criteria, six workstreams by quarter over 24 months, the model line, metrics with baseline and target, cadence and risks.
- Obeya room plannerPlan the walls, owners, cadence, agenda and rules of an obeya, then run the weekly review of KPIs, problems, actions and milestones.
- Continuous improvement software evaluation scorecardCompare CI software vendors: a must-have gate, eight weighted criteria scored 1 to 5, points out of 100 and a rank, with a demo script and reference questions.
- Lean principles assessment templateThe five lean principles as 25 things you can see on one value stream, answered yes, partly or no on a walk, with a score per principle, the next step and a trend over walks.
- Employee engagement survey templateA short anonymous pulse survey for shop floor staff: 14 statements in six drivers, two open questions, results by driver and team, and the actions.
- Hansei reflection sheet (lessons learned)A written look back at one finished project, event or launch: goals against results in numbers, causes rather than blame, lessons to keep or change, and where else they apply.
- Safety cross calendarA month drawn as the green cross, colored each day by the most serious safety event, with totals and days since the last injury.
- Daily kaizen routine boardA team's 10 to 15 minute daily routine at the board: one problem from each person, small fixes with one owner, counted every week.
- Weekly maintenance schedule templateNext week's maintenance jobs, scheduled only when ready, loaded against each craft's hours by day, with schedule compliance and break-ins at week end.
- Operational excellence assessment templateThe ten principles of operational excellence as 30 behaviors and practices you can see, scored 1 to 5 by several people, with the spread, the three lowest principles and an action plan.
- Scrum meeting agenda templateTimed agendas for the five scrum meetings, a sprint planning sheet, a retrospective sheet, and an Excel sprint backlog with a burndown.
- Toyota Production System (TPS) house templateThe TPS house for one plant or value stream: roof, two pillars and foundation, with what you do today, the evidence, a status and the next step for each element.
- EPEI and batch size calculatorHow often each part can come round on a shared machine (EPEI) and how big each batch must be, from demand, cycle times and changeovers, now and after SMED.
- Process capacity sheet templateEach machine in a part's routing with manual, auto and tool change time, its capacity per shift, and the step that limits the cell against demand.
- Team charter templateA one-page charter for a standing team: purpose, scope, roles, the KPIs it owns, which decisions it makes itself, norms and cadence.
- Chaku-chaku line plannerPlan a load-load cell: time each machine, load and walk, check that every machine is ready when the operator comes back, compare the cell cycle with takt and size the crew.
- Standard operating procedure (SOP) templateA full SOP in the hierarchical step format, from purpose and scope to the steps, records, revision history and approvals, with review checks and an SOP register.
- Process improvement method selectorEight questions about one problem, an example rule that suggests a method and a matrix of nine methods: when each fits, the usual team and time, and the template to start with.
- Safety pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the incident pyramid to safety standards on one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Autonomous maintenance 90-day model area planAM steps 0 to 3 on one model machine in 13 weeks, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves for months 4 to 12.
- Professional maintenance (PM) 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from breakdown analysis to a running PM calendar on one model machine, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Environment and energy pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from waste and energy maps to area standards on one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Focused improvement 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the loss Pareto to standardized fixes on one model line, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Logistics and customer service pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the current-state map to pull on one model value stream, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- People development pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the skills matrix to trained cover on critical tasks in one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Cost deployment pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the loss map to costed, ranked projects in one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Moving from Excel to one system checklistA 34-point checklist and a file inventory for moving trackers from spreadsheets to one system: keep, move, connect or retire, clean, pilot, run both, retire.
- Prioritization matrix templateScore up to 20 improvement ideas on weighted criteria, rank them, test the ranking with equal weights and place each one on an effort and benefit grid.
- Cost per unit worksheet (manufacturing cost per good unit)One product's cost per good unit by materials, labor, machine and overhead, the gap to target, and which cost lever is worth most a year.
- Manufacturing KPI dashboard templateWeekly plant numbers in, 14 KPIs out: OEE and its parts, first pass yield, scrap, on-time delivery, recordable rate, cost and absence, each against a target.
- Training matrix template with expiry datesPeople by required trainings with expiry dates, OK, due, expired and missing flags, compliance by person and area, cover per training and a renewal list.
- Downtime reason codes template26 starter codes mapped to the six big losses, a log with drop-downs, a Pareto by code and by loss, and a code card for the line.
- Kaizen event preparation checklistEverything that has to be ready before a kaizen event and done after it: 44 items with owners and due dates from 6 weeks before day 1 to 30 days after, five go or no-go gates and a day-by-day agenda.
- Critical spare parts list and stocking levelsAssets ranked by consequence, each part classed and given a stocking policy, and min and max worked out from usage and lead time, with the downtime each stock-out would cost.
- Tier 2 meeting agenda and escalation sheetA 15-minute tier 2 agenda in ten timed blocks, fixed roles and rules, escalation triggers with time limits, and a log that ages every escalation and sends the answer back down.
- Forklift operator training and evaluation recordPer-operator training and evaluation record, a register with three-year due dates and refresher triggers, and a weighted practical evaluation scoresheet.
- REBA worksheet (Rapid Entire Body Assessment)Score up to six postures with REBA: body-part drop-downs, Tables A, B and C as lookups, final score and action level, and a before and after comparison.
- ISO 45001 internal audit checklist44 audit questions for the plant floor in 16 safety topics, each with its ISO 45001:2018 clause, the evidence to look for and the sample to take, plus 12 worker interview prompts, a findings log and a summary by clause.
- Plan for every part (PFEP) templateOne row per part: supplier, pack, container, usage, lead time and locations, with ABC classes, market and line kanban counts and a lineside space check.
- Changeover matrix templateA from-to matrix of changeover minutes with the clean each transition needs (allergen, colour, format), and a weekly planner that totals the order and suggests a shorter one.
- Overhead crane inspection checklist: frequent and periodic34 crane checks tied to OSHA 1910.179: an operator's pre-shift card, frequent and periodic inspections with signed records, a deficiency and tag-out log, and a register of next due dates.
- Maintenance job plan templateOne job planned on one sheet: steps and craft hours, parts checked against stock, tools, lockout and permits, documents, a ready check for the schedule, and technician feedback.
- Reorder point and safety stock sheet (many parts)Safety stock, reorder point, order quantity and an order list for up to 500 parts, worked out from each part's own demand and lead time history.
- OSHA compliance calendar (general industry)37 recurring federal OSHA duties with the paragraph, interval, owner, next due date and an overdue flag, plus a 12-month view and counts by owner.
- TRIR and DART rate trackerMonthly hours, OSHA 300 case counts and near misses in; rolling 12-month TRIR and DART rate, a case budget against your target and a trend chart out.
- Energy use and EnPI trackerMonthly electricity, gas and fuel in one unit, a 12-month regression baseline, expected against actual energy for each month, an EnPI ratio, the running saving and the tests that say whether the model can be trusted.
- FIFO lane sizing sheetThe maximum for a FIFO lane from the stop it must cover, in whole containers, with length, refill and wait checks for up to eight lanes.
- Machine guarding inspection sheetA machine register with due dates and a status per machine, 21 checks tied to OSHA 1910.212, .219 and .147, a guard opening check against Table O-10, and an action log.
- Condition monitoring route sheetA route of measuring points with baselines, alert and alarm limits, a check interval from the P-F interval, readings with rising and overdue flags, and an exceptions list worst first.
- Fire extinguisher inspection checklist and logThe 8 monthly checks for each portable extinguisher, plus a log with the hydro test interval from OSHA Table L-1, annual and 6-year due dates and open issues.
- Quad chart templateA project on one page in four boxes: idea and owner, problem, approach, and cost, schedule and result.
- Toolbox talk topics (52 weekly topics)52 weekly toolbox talk topics, each with a one-line key message and a discussion question, and a tracker for the year.
- Loss tree worksheetBreak one big loss number into area, line, machine, loss type and cause, and stop at the cause a team can fix.
- Equipment register templateOne row per asset, with hierarchy, criticality, PM strategy and owner, and a check that flags what is missing.
- Machine history record templateOne record per machine: components and their life, every breakdown and repair with cost, MTBF and MTTR, and a repair-or-extend check.
- Compressed air leak survey logWalk sheet, printable leak tags and a tracker that puts an annual cost on every leak and follows it to a verified fix.
- Project savings validation checklistThe gate between a project's claim and a reported saving: 20 checks, a claims register and a six-month sustainment check.
- Emergency action plan templateA written emergency plan for a plant: site facts, roles and backups, warden coverage, scenario steps and a drill record.
- Risk register templateOne scored list of operational risks with owners, actions and dates, a heat map and a review log.
- Hot work permit templateA hot work permit with a precautions checklist, fire watch record and close-out, plus an Excel permit log.
- Confined space entry permit templateA confined space entry permit with checks, an air test log, an entry log and cancellation, plus an Excel register.
- Energy loss matrix templateSeven types of energy loss by six energy sources with a cost in each cell, an action plan and an idle-period shutdown checklist.
- Management safety tour formA leader's scheduled safety walk: observation form, operator interview, tally, actions, rota and a tour log with a dashboard.
- Hazard prediction worksheetA pre-task worksheet: score what could go wrong at each step of a job, add a countermeasure and score again.
- Chemical inventory and SDS register templateA register of every chemical on site with its hazard class, safety data sheet and label, and a check that incompatible products are kept apart.
- Safety committee meeting minutes templateMinutes for a safety committee: attendance, nine agenda items, an action log that carries open actions forward, and monthly numbers.
- Environmental compliance audit checklistAn internal environmental audit: 37 questions with what to look for, a findings log with classes and a score by section.
- Vehicle inspection checklist53 checks for a truck, tractor or trailer, each tied to the federal rule it comes from, with a defect log.
- Pre-trip inspection checklistA driver's 42-check walk-round in order, with the driver vehicle inspection report for the end of the day.
- Silica exposure control plan templateA written silica plan for general industry: tasks, controls and housekeeping, plus monitoring, medical surveillance, training and a 31-check plan audit.
- OKR template for manufacturingObjectives with three or four key results each, scored 0 to 1.0 from baseline and target every month, cascaded to facility, department and person with an Other bucket for work that serves no objective.
- Goal cascade and alignment templateA one-page cascade tree from company to person with the catchball reply on every card, and an initiatives list that shows how much work serves a goal and how much sits in Other.
- Monthly business review template (operations review agenda)A 90-minute operations review in nine timed blocks: who speaks when, the KPIs each block reviews with red or green, a prep checklist for every presenter and a log of decisions and actions.
- Rolling action item list (RAIL) templateA single running list of actions kept from meeting to meeting, with a weekly review sheet and age counts.
- Lessons learned templateA one-page lessons log, a 45 minute session guide and an Excel register that shows which actions are done, open or overdue.
- Packing list templateA one-page packing list with a pack checklist, and an Excel file that works out volume, shipped to date and back order.
- Meeting minutes templateA one-page minutes form and an Excel log of decisions and actions with owners, due dates and status.
- Sign-in sheet templateA training and meeting sign-in sheet, a visitor sign-in and out sheet, and an Excel register of attendance and visitors on site.
- Purchase order templateA one-page purchase order and an Excel version that adds up the lines, checks the approval limit and tracks what is still to come.
- Action plan templateA one-page action plan and an Excel tracker with percent done, status and a weekly timeline.
- Maintenance request form templateA one-page request form and an Excel log that times each answer against a priority target.
- Maintenance log templateA maintenance log page and an Excel log that totals cost, downtime and planned work and flags repeat breakdowns.
- Preventive maintenance schedule templateA PM schedule with next due dates and status, and an Excel calendar of the jobs and hours in each month.
- Machine setup sheet templateA setup sheet with limits, a first piece check and setup minutes, and an Excel log of setups against a standard.
- Work instruction templateA one-page work instruction with key points and step times, and an Excel training record that flags re-checks.
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A shift handover sheet, a red tag log, a changeover checklist for one machine: if your team uses it on the floor, ask.