客户通知下周来现场审核，依据是 VDA 6.3。不少工厂第一反应是翻检查表逐条对答案，却说不清七要素的整体逻辑。VDA 6.3 是德国汽车工业协会的过程审核标准，把质量能力拆成 P1 到 P7 七个要素，沿产品生命周期从头查到尾。理清这条主线，准备才有方向。
▌ P1 潜力分析：供应商的入场券
P1 只在三种场景启动：新供应商准入、现有供应商上新品或新技术、搬迁。从 P2 到 P7 条款里选 36 个提问单独成表，不打分，只给红黄绿结论：黄灯不超过 7 个且无红灯，完全批准；不超过 14 个且无红灯，有条件批准；出现红灯或黄灯超 14 个，禁止发包。定点前先做 P1，是德系主机厂通行做法。
▌ P2~P4：从立项到量产的项目线
- P2 项目管理（7 问）：项目组织、资源、里程碑、质量策划与变更管理——变更管理和采购是星号条款；
- P3 开发策划（5 问）：要求明确与否、特殊特性识别、跨职能可行性分析、FMEA 策划是否到位；
- P4 开发实现（8 问）：开发计划落实、PPAP 认可、控制计划、量产条件下的产能与设备能力验证、量产移交。P4 通过，项目才算落地。
▌ P5 与 P7：管好供应商，服务好客户
P5 供应商管理 7 问，核心一句：客户怎么要求你，你就怎么要求供应商——只跟批准的供方交易、顾客要求传递到供应链、按目标监控供货绩效、来料检验放行、FIFO 和可追溯。这一环审不好，等于供应链裸奔。P7 客户支持在交付后追问：投诉有没有 8D 闭环？应急计划能不能保供？现场失效的 NTF 流程通不通？交付不是终点，客户满意才是。
▌ P6 批量生产：审核的主战场
P6 体量最大，26 个提问，按六个子要素逐工序查：6.1 过程输入——来料、标识、变更受控；6.2 过程管理——控制计划执行、特殊特性管控、不合格品处置；6.3 人力资源——员工资质与职责权限；6.4 物质资源——设备能力、维护保养、测量设备；6.5 过程效果——目标达成、数据分析、纠正措施闭环；6.6 过程输出——仓储运输、记录放行、按顾客要求交付。星号条款最密集，也是丢分最多的地方。
▌ 评分与降级：星号条款失守比十个普通瑕疵更致命
每个提问按 10、8、6、4、0 五档评分，算总符合率：90% 以上 A 级具备质量能力，80%~90% B 级有条件具备，80% 以下 C 级不具备。门槛在降级规则：总分够 90%，任一星号提问只得 4 分、或任何提问得 0 分，降到 B 级；星号提问得 0 分，直接降 C 级。2023 年第四版提问从 58 个增至 59 个，采购要素进一步强化，审核员资质更严。
记一句：VDA 6.3 不是分数游戏，七要素是一条价值链——任何一环掉链子，客户看到的都是风险。
想审核前把七要素按主线捋一遍？续创 VDA 6.3 陪审辅导帮你带着证据链从容应审。欢迎联系续创信息技术咨询。
The customer announces an on-site audit next week, based on VDA 6.3. Many factories instinctively pull out the checklist and prepare answer by answer — without being able to explain the overall logic of the seven elements, so the preparation lacks focus. VDA 6.3 is the process audit standard of the German automotive industry association (VDA); it breaks a company's quality capability into seven elements, P1 to P7, and audits along the entire product life cycle. Understand that storyline and your preparation gains direction.
▌ P1 Potential Analysis: The Supplier's Entry Ticket
P1 is triggered in only three scenarios: onboarding a new supplier, an existing supplier launching a new product or technology, or a relocation. It selects 36 questions from P2–P7 into a separate questionnaire — not scored, but concluded with a traffic light: no more than 7 yellow and no red means fully approved; up to 14 yellow and no red means conditionally approved; any red, or more than 14 yellow, means no nomination. Running P1 before sourcing is standard practice among German OEMs.
▌ P2–P4: The Project Line From Kick-off to Mass Production
- P2 Project management (7 questions): project organisation, resources, milestone planning, quality planning and change management — change management and purchasing topics are starred questions;
- P3 Development planning (5 questions): are requirements clear, special characteristics identified, cross-functional feasibility analysis done, and FMEA planning in place;
- P4 Development realization (8 questions): development plans executed, PPAP approval, control plans, capacity and equipment capability verified under series conditions, and the handover to production. Passing P4 means the project has truly landed.
▌ P5 and P7: Manage Your Suppliers, Serve Your Customers
P5 Supplier management has 7 questions and one core message: whatever your customer demands of you, demand of your suppliers — buy only from approved suppliers, cascade customer requirements down the chain, monitor delivery performance against targets, inspect and release incoming goods, and ensure FIFO and traceability. Fail here and your supply chain is running naked. P7 Customer support keeps asking after delivery: are complaints closed with 8D? Can the contingency plan keep supply running? Does the NTF process for field failures work? Delivery is not the finish line — customer satisfaction is.
▌ P6 Series Production: The Main Battlefield of the Audit
P6 is the largest element with 26 questions, checking every operation along six sub-elements: 6.1 process input — incoming material, identification and change control; 6.2 process management — control-plan execution, special-characteristic control, nonconforming-product handling; 6.3 human resources — qualifications and responsibilities; 6.4 material resources — equipment capability, maintenance, measuring equipment; 6.5 process effectiveness — target achievement, data analysis, closed-loop corrective actions; 6.6 process output — warehousing, transport, records, release and delivery to customer requirements. The starred questions cluster here — and it is where most points are lost on the floor.
▌ Scoring and Downgrading: One Failed Starred Question Hurts More Than Ten Minor Flaws
Each question scores 10, 8, 6, 4 or 0, producing an overall compliance rate: 90% or above is grade A (quality-capable), 80–90% is grade B (conditionally capable), below 80% is grade C (not capable). The real gate is the downgrading rule: even with 90% overall, a single starred question scoring only 4 — or any question scoring 0 — drops you to B; a starred question scoring 0 drops you straight to C. The fourth edition (2023) raised the question count from 58 to 59, strengthened purchasing content, and tightened auditor qualification requirements.
One line to remember: VDA 6.3 is not a numbers game — the seven elements form one value chain, and any broken link reads as risk to your customer.
Want to walk the seven elements through before the customer audit? CINO's VDA 6.3 audit coaching helps you prepare along the storyline and answer with evidence. Contact CINO Information Technology Consulting.