Automotive · Tier 1, 2, 3
IATF 16949 compliance built into every workflow.
PPAP, APQP, FMEA, SPC, and MSA work together as one quality system, not five disconnected tools. PPAP sits at the center; the other four orbit it, with data flowing bidirectionally in real time - so an approved DFMEA, a passing gage R&R, and a Cpk study are already wired into the submission package before the customer asks for it. Built for Tier 1, 2, and 3 suppliers from 10 to 500 employees.
The challenge
- !PPAP, APQP, FMEA, SPC, and MSA live in five disconnected tools, so building a submission package means reconciling data across four systems and chasing missing signatures
- !SPC drift is caught after the parts have shipped, because monitoring isn't tied to the control plan or to gage capability
- !A failed MSA quietly invalidates the SPC data behind it, but nobody connects the two until a customer complaint forces a review
- !Customer scorecards - PPM, on-time delivery, OEM-specific metrics - are assembled by hand, usually after the customer has already flagged a slip
- !Incoming-component PPAP status is tracked in a spreadsheet, so a purchase order can release against a supplier with no approved PPAP on file
How Cortrova answers
- ✓Cortrova runs PPAP, APQP, FMEA, SPC, and MSA as one quality system with data flowing bidirectionally in real time - PPAP at the center, the other four orbiting it, so the submission package is always assembled from live, linked records instead of stale exports
- ✓All 18 PPAP elements (PE-01 through PE-18) are managed in-system at any of the five submission levels, from PSW-only to PSW + on-site review, with the Part Submission Warrant generated as the cover sheet
- ✓APQP runs as five phases with automatically scored gate reviews; readiness is calculated from deliverable completeness, action-item closure, and FMEA risk priority numbers, so the program lead sees the true state of a gate, not an optimistic status update
- ✓DFMEA and PFMEA carry AIAG-VDA Action Priority scoring and feed directly into the control plan, which auto-revisions when an ECO lands - one source of truth for the floor
- ✓Continuous SPC watches Cpk and Cp with 1-sigma drift warnings and 3-sigma out-of-control alerts, and a failed MSA automatically flags the SPC data it affects, so capability problems surface before parts ship
- ✓Lot traceability runs raw material through customer delivery, scoping recall containment in seconds; customer scorecards and supplier-PPAP gating come built in, with 65 embedded Trunnion AI agents layered on top - and no automotive upcharge
The quality system
PPAP at the center. Four tools orbit it.
In automotive, the quality system is the brand. Cortrova treats PPAP as the customer deliverable and wires the other four core tools to it directly, so the package is a byproduct of doing the work - not a reconciliation project at submission time.
PPAP - the deliverable
All 18 elements per AIAG 4th edition, at submission Levels 1 through 5, with the PSW generated as the cover sheet and supporting data linked to the lots and studies it came from.
APQP - the plan
Five phases with gate reviews and automated readiness scoring from deliverable completeness, action-item closure, and FMEA RPNs.
FMEA - the risk
DFMEA and PFMEA with AIAG-VDA Action Priority scoring, feeding the control plan and the gate-review math.
SPC - the output
Continuous Cpk and Cp, 1-sigma drift warnings, and 3-sigma out-of-control alerts tied back to the control plan.
MSA - the measurement
Gage R&R integrated with calibration; a failed MSA automatically flags the SPC data it invalidates.
Beyond the core five
Process control, containment, and the supply chain - connected.
Control plans
Linked to PFMEAs and inspection routines, auto-revised on ECOs, so the floor always works from current characteristics and reaction plans.
OEE monitoring
Real-time Availability × Performance × Quality with AI downtime detection and root-cause categorization on every loss.
8D problem solving
Full D0 through D8 lifecycle - team formation, root cause, interim and permanent corrective actions, and effectiveness verification.
Lot traceability
Raw material through customer delivery, so recall containment is scoped in seconds instead of days.
Customer scorecards
PPM, on-time delivery, and OEM-specific metrics with escalation alerts - ready before the customer requests it.
Supplier PPAP
PPAP status tracked per incoming component, with purchase orders blocked from release until an approved PPAP is on file.
How it works
Adopting automotive.
Plan the program (APQP Phase 1-2)
Kick off the program and stand up DFMEA. Phase gates are scored automatically, so readiness reflects real deliverable and action-item status, not a status meeting.
Design the process (APQP Phase 3)
PFMEA and the linked control plan come together with AIAG-VDA Action Priority scoring; the control plan auto-revisions as ECOs land.
Validate and submit (APQP Phase 4 / PPAP)
MSA, initial process studies, and dimensional results flow into the PPAP package; the system assembles all 18 elements and generates the PSW at the chosen submission level.
Run and watch (APQP Phase 5 / SPC)
Continuous Cpk and Cp monitoring with 1-sigma drift and 3-sigma OOC alerts; run-at-rate, scorecards, and lessons learned close the loop and feed the next program.
Compliance frameworks
Built in, not bolted on.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Does Cortrova handle the full PPAP package, or just track status?
It manages all 18 PPAP elements (PE-01 design records through PE-18, the Part Submission Warrant) in-system, per the AIAG 4th edition, at any of the five submission levels - from Level 1 PSW-only to Level 5 PSW with on-site customer review. Because design records, FMEAs, MSA studies, dimensional results, and Cpk data are already linked, the package is assembled from live records and the PSW is generated as the cover sheet rather than reconciled by hand across separate tools.
How does the APQP gate review actually get scored?
Each of the five phases has a gate, and each gate is scored automatically. Cortrova calculates readiness from deliverable completeness, action-item closure, and FMEA risk priority numbers - so a Phase 2 gate won't read green just because a meeting happened; it reads against the approved DFMEA, the PFMEA and control plan at Phase 3, the submitted PPAP at Phase 4, and run-at-rate at Phase 5.
What happens to my SPC data when a gage fails MSA?
MSA is integrated with calibration and tied to the characteristics it measures, so a failed Gage R&R automatically flags the SPC data collected with that gage. Instead of trusting Cpk numbers that came from an unreliable measurement system, you see exactly which charts and studies are affected and can re-validate before that data ever reaches a customer submission.
Is there an extra charge for the automotive-specific quality tooling?
No. PPAP, APQP, FMEA, SPC, MSA, control plans, 8D, lot traceability, customer scorecards, and supplier-PPAP gating are part of the standard platform - same 205+ features and 65 embedded Trunnion AI agents that every sector gets, tuned for automotive. There is no automotive upcharge, and pricing is the flat annual rate with unlimited users.
We're a small Tier 2 supplier - is this too much system for us?
Cortrova is built for Tier 1, 2, and 3 suppliers from roughly 10 to 500 employees, and implementation runs 4 to 8 weeks. You get one connected quality system instead of five spreadsheets and point tools, deployable in the cloud, on-premises, or air-gapped - so a lean supplier-quality team can run IATF 16949 workflows without stitching the evidence together by hand.
In the field
What automotive teams run.
Build a complete, audit-ready PPAP package from live linked records instead of reconciling four systems
Catch Cpk and Cp drift at 1 sigma - before nonconforming parts ship to the OEM
Score every APQP gate automatically on deliverable completeness, action closure, and FMEA RPNs
Scope recall containment in seconds with raw-material-through-delivery lot traceability
Block purchase-order release against any incoming component without an approved supplier PPAP
Have the customer scorecard - PPM, OTD, OEM metrics - ready before the customer asks for it
Get started
Built for automotive.
We'll tailor a demo to your environment and constraints.