What a VDA 6.3 process audit looks at
VDA 6.3 is a process audit method widely used in the automotive supply chain, and it is common with customers that follow German OEM practice. Rather than checking only whether a procedure exists, it asks whether the process actually delivers a conforming product, from project management and planning, through supplier management and production, to customer care.
The audit is organized into process elements (P2 to P7, covering project management through customer care and service). Questions are scored on the evidence the auditor sees, and the results are rolled up into an overall rating. Gaps in a few critical areas can pull down the whole result, which is why preparation matters.
Because auditors follow a product and its process on the floor, the audit rewards plants where operators, supervisors and quality all describe the same process the same way. It punishes plants where the paperwork says one thing and the line does another.
Where internal VDA 6.3 audits help
- Before a customer or third-party VDA 6.3 audit. A realistic internal audit shows you how the process will look to an outside auditor.
- As your manufacturing process audit approach. If your IATF 16949 audit program calls for manufacturing process audits, VDA 6.3 is a well-recognized way to run them. See our IATF 16949 internal audits.
- After a customer complaint or escape. A process audit of the affected area often finds why the control plan did not catch the problem.
- When a new product or process launches. Early audits catch planning gaps while they are cheap to fix.
What we do with your team
- Prepare. We review the customer's requirements, your process flow, FMEA, control plan and work instructions, and agree which product and process to audit.
- Audit on the floor. We follow the process the way an auditor will, talking with operators and checking the evidence behind each answer.
- Score honestly. You receive question-level findings with the evidence behind them, so you can see why a point was lost.
- Build the action plan. We help you prioritize and assign owners, and work through corrective action with the people who run the process.
- Coach your auditors. If you want to build in-house capability, we coach your people through live audits so the method is not a one-time event.
Our approach is the same as on every engagement: practical and on the floor. The goal is a process that holds up when the auditor leaves and the pressure comes off.
Signs your process audit approach needs work
- Operators on different shifts describe the same process differently.
- The control plan, FMEA and work instruction do not match what happens at the station.
- Reaction plans exist on paper, but nobody can show the last time one was used.
- Defects from earlier problems never made it back into the FMEA or control plan.
- The same audit findings return after each audit.
If two or more sound familiar, an internal VDA 6.3 audit is likely to be a good use of a few days. It is also a good way to see how your plant looks to a customer's auditor, with time left to fix what you find.
What we do not do
We support internal process audits and preparation. We do not issue VDA certifications or qualifications, and we do not reproduce customer or VDA copyrighted material. If your customer or contract requires a formally qualified VDA 6.3 auditor, confirm that requirement with them before you plan the audit. We are an independent consultancy and are not affiliated with or endorsed by VDA or any automotive manufacturer.
Results you can ask us about
Process audits are most useful when they lead to fixes that hold. At EFI in Elkmont, Alabama, accounting for every scrapped piece and driving real corrective actions took scrap from 7% to 0.1%. At Froetek in McMinnville, Tennessee, internal audits and monthly accountability check-ins helped the plant pass Stage 1 and Stage 2 of its IATF 16949 transition with only two minor findings. Read the case studies.