12 Mar, 2026
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accessory part

customer-specified additional component(s) that are either mechanically or electronically connected to the vehicle or powertrain before (or after) delivery to the final customer “(e.g., custom floor mats, truck bed liners, wheel covers, sound system enhancements, sunroofs, spoilers, super-chargers, etc.)

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advanced product quality planning (APQP)

product quality planning process that supports development of a product or service that will satisfy customer requirements; APQP serves as a guide in the development process and also a standard way to share results between organizations and their customers; APQP covers design robustness, design testing and specification compliance, production process design, quality inspection standards, process […]

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aftermarket part

replacement part(s) not procured or released by an OEM for service part applications, which may or may not be produced to original equipment specifications.

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authorization

documented permission for a person(s) specifying rights and responsibilities related to giving or denying permissions or sanctions within an organization. Source: IATF (https://www.iatfglobaloversight.org/)

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challenge (master) part

part(s) of known specification, calibrated and traceable to standards, with expected results (pass or fail) that are used to validate the functionality of an error-proofing device or check fixtures (e.g., go / no-go gauging). Source: IATF (https://www.iatfglobaloversight.org/)

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control plan

documented description of the systems and processes required for controlling the manufacturing of product (see Annex A). Source: IATF (https://www.iatfglobaloversight.org/) Annex A: Control Plan Source: IATF 16949 terms and definitions A control plan covers three distinct phases, as appropriate: a) Prototype: a description of the dimensional measurements, material, and performance tests that will occur during […]

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customer requirements

all requirements specified by the customer (e.g., technical, commercial, product and manufacturing process-related requirements, general terms and conditions, customer-specific requirements, etc.) Source: IATF (https://www.iatfglobaloversight.org/)

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design for assembly (DFA)

process by which products are designed with ease of assembly considerations. (e.g., if a product contains fewer parts it will take less time to assemble, thereby reducing assembly costs). Source: IATF (https://www.iatfglobaloversight.org/)

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design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA)

combination of two methodologies: Design for Manufacture (DFM), which is the process of optimizing the design to be easier to produce, have higher throughput, and improved quality; and Design for Assembly (DFA), which is the optimization of the design to reduce risk of error, lowering costs, and making it easier to assemble. Source: IATF (https://www.iatfglobaloversight.org/)