Effective implementation of an enterprise reliability program with suppliers

Design for Reliability (DFR) programs do not work in an organizational vacuum. To be successful the program should be integrated into what is called an Advance Product Quality Process (APQP) or a Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) process. Advanced product quality planning (or APQP) is a framework of procedures and techniques used to develop products in industry, particularly the automotive industry. It is quite similar to the concept of Design for Six Sigma. When the DFSS and DFR approaches are integrated in your product development processes, the results are an enterprise Quality and Reliability centered culture with great productivity benefits. This paper focuses on the required steps to develop a Design for Reliability Program from the ground zero in an APQP or DFSS design environment and it benefits in terms of warranty cost and time to market.