CAE Quality Assurance & Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which IATF 16949 clause specifically addresses the management of production part approval (PPAP) requirements?
- Clause 8.3 - Design and Development
- Clause 8.6 - Release of Products and Services (Correct answer)
- Clause 8.4 - Control of Externally Provided Processes
- Clause 9.1 - Monitoring, Measurement, Analysis and Evaluation
Correct answer: Clause 8.6 - Release of Products and Services
PPAP submission and approval falls under Clause 8.6, which governs release of products and services including customer-specific requirements for production approval.
Question 2: In an automotive FMEA, what does the Risk Priority Number (RPN) formula represent?
- Severity × Occurrence × Detection (Correct answer)
- Severity + Occurrence + Detection
- Severity × Occurrence / Detection
- Severity² × Detection
Correct answer: Severity × Occurrence × Detection
RPN = Severity × Occurrence × Detection, with each factor rated 1–10, yielding a 1–1000 scale to prioritize corrective actions.
Question 3: Under NHTSA regulations, what is the maximum number of days a manufacturer has to notify NHTSA after determining a safety defect exists in a vehicle?
- 5 business days (Correct answer)
- 30 calendar days
- 15 calendar days
- 60 calendar days
Correct answer: 5 business days
49 CFR Part 573 requires manufacturers to notify NHTSA within 5 business days of determining that a safety defect or noncompliance exists.
Question 4: A Gauge R&R study reveals that %GRR is 24%. According to MSA guidelines, how is this measurement system classified?
- Acceptable — no action needed
- Marginal — may be acceptable based on application (Correct answer)
- Unacceptable — must be improved before use
- World-class — benchmark for industry
Correct answer: Marginal — may be acceptable based on application
AIAG MSA guidelines classify %GRR 10–30% as marginal, meaning acceptability depends on the application's importance and cost of improvement.
Question 5: Which document in a PPAP submission package captures the statistical evidence that a process can consistently produce parts within specification?
- Design Records
- Initial Process Studies (Cpk data) (Correct answer)
- Dimensional Results
- Material/Performance Test Results
Correct answer: Initial Process Studies (Cpk data)
Initial Process Studies provide Cpk data demonstrating the process capability to consistently produce conforming product, a core PPAP element.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of a Control Plan in automotive quality systems?
- To document engineering design intent
- To describe the system for controlling parts and processes to ensure product quality (Correct answer)
- To assign corrective actions following an audit finding
- To list approved suppliers for a program
Correct answer: To describe the system for controlling parts and processes to ensure product quality
A Control Plan documents the controls — including inspection methods, frequency, and reaction plans — used to ensure process and product quality at each production stage.
Question 7: A tier-1 supplier receives a Supplier Corrective Action Request (SCAR) from an OEM. Which 8D step focuses on confirming that the implemented corrective action has eliminated the root cause permanently?
- D4 – Root Cause Analysis
- D5 – Choose and Verify Corrective Actions
- D6 – Implement and Validate Permanent Corrective Actions (Correct answer)
- D7 – Prevent Recurrence
Correct answer: D6 – Implement and Validate Permanent Corrective Actions
D6 is the step where the permanent corrective action is implemented and validated — verifying that the root cause has been eliminated with data.
CAE Quality Assurance & Compliance 2
Which IATF 16949 clause specifically addresses the management of production part approval (PPAP) requirements?