You can achieved a good quality product when your process is good, consistent and repeatable. And good quality product results customer satisfaction. Layered Process Audits (LPAs) are a tool to help organization to reach at this level by doing audits at all level from shop floor to management level (Layered-by-Layered).
In this article, we will dive into the concept of LPAs, scope, benefits and step-by-step guidance on how to conduct it effectively.
What is a Layered Process Audit (LPA)?
A Layered Process Audit (LPA) is a structured audit method, which involve multiple levels of peoples auditing them using same process at different frequencies.
We can say, it take a reference from process audit.
Other type of audits in manufacturing domain mainly focus on product and compliances. But LPA is focus on process approach and preventing quality issues. It verifies all steps in the process and manufacturing operation including management role.
In an LPA, the “layers” could involve operators, supervisors, managers, and even executives/management. The goal is that the process should execute at all levels correctly and consistently.
Defining Layered Process Audit (LPA)
Layered Process Audits are defined as its unique structure of levels according to organization hierarchy structure. This audit is short, frequently, and check only operational steps and critical points, according to work instructions and procedures.
Key Components of an LPA:
Process Focused: LPAs only focus on checking processes. Are they followed or not? instead of checking product quality alone.
Frequent Audits: They are conducted frequently (daily or weekly), this helps to find out problems early before they make big impact on product quality.
Layered Participation: Audits are conducted by different levels of auditors from same organization.
Standard Checklists: Auditors use a checklist to have a better and consistent audit execution.
Scope of Layered Process Audits (LPA)
The scope of LPAs is specific to the processes being audited. LPAs can be done at various stages of production, example form raw material handling to the final assembly.
Common areas where LPAs are done:
Manufacturing Processes: check weather standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and quality control plans being followed or not.
Safety Protocols: Verifying safety measures are in place and followed or not.
Process Controls: Checking key process parameters (such as temperature, pressure, or cycle times) are within specified limits or not.
Documentation and Traceability: It ensures to have proper documentation such as records and material traceability with processes.
Layered Process Audits are designed for critical process steps therefore it is purely depends on organization to define the scope and frequency of the audit.
Why Do We Perform Layered Process Audits? | Why LPAs Important?
Primary reason to conduct a LPAs is to make sure that our processes are align with standard operating procedures and protocols. Other reasons included as,
1. Ensuring Consistency: LPAs help to confirm that all employees follow defined processes and standards.
2. Identifying Process Variations and Early Detection of Process Issues: Even the best processes can be deviated over a longer period of time. By auditing processes frequently, LPAs help to find out those deviations early before creating any product defects. Also reduces defective products, rework, or customer complaints.
3. Cross-Departmental Involvement and culture of quality: As LPAs involve all levels of organization, which creates ownership, accountability and awareness of quality.
4. Consistent Quality Control: LPAs helps that manufacturing processes remains stable and consistent. This requirement is for some critical industries having stringent quality requirements, such as automotive, aerospace, and medical device manufacturing.
5. Continuous Improvement: LPAs can able to highlight areas where processes can be improved, this leads to have fewer defects, lower costs, and increased productivity.
Benefits of Implementing Layered Process Audits
Implementing LPAs has many benefits to manufacturing organizations. These include:
- Improved Product Quality
- Reduction in Non-Conformances (Defects and customer claims)
- Process Standardization
- Increased Management Involvement
- Employee Awareness
- Supports Certification and Compliance
How Many Levels of Layered Process Audits?
Typically, LPAs involve three levels of the organization, it can be vary depending on the company structure:
1. Level 1 – Operational Level (Supervisors): Supervisors or team leaders conduct daily audits. These audits are quick checks of basic process points, it takes hardly 10-15 minutes.
2. Level 2 – Middle Management: Managers or department heads conduct audits with less frequency, usually weekly. These audits are more detailed and involve a review of both process compliance and results of previous Level 1 audits.
3. Level 3 – Senior Management: Management Executives or high-level managers conduct monthly or quarterly audits. These audits focus on strategic points, overall process effectiveness, and they ensure that corrective actions from earlier audits have been implemented.
Layered Process Audit Frequency Depending on Levels
The frequency of audits is very importance for the success. It may change based on the organizational structure and the processes criticality:
Daily Audits (Level 1): L1 level supervisors do daily checks to ensure immediate issues are caught.
Weekly Audits (Level 2): Department managers review the performance of key processes on a weekly audit.
Monthly/Quarterly Audits (Level 3): Senior leadership or management conduct high-level reviews of the system’s, focusing on long-term improvements.
How Does a Layered Process Audit Work?
To understand how LPAs work, let’s break this procedure into key steps:
Step 1: Create / Prepared Layered Process Audit Checklist
The first step for implementing Layered audit is to create a checklist that aligns with processes we are going to audit. The checklist should be clear and focused on all key process control required to achieve product quality.
What Should Checklist Include?
- Are workstation fulfill all process requirement.
- Verify that the operator is capable of doing process step with proper knowledge and skill.
- Critical process steps or process parameters which impacting product quality.
- Compliance to safety standards and regulations.
- Fulfill all customer-specific requirements (for automotive, this include IATF 16949 requirements).
- Verification that all tools, equipment, and documentation are being used.
Layered Process Audit Checklist or Template
Step 2: Add Responsibility to Multiple Layers | Assign Auditors
This point is important in LPAs to make sure involvement of various levels of management in audit process. such as:
- Supervisors performing daily audits on the shop floor.
- Middle management conducting audits on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
- Executives and upper management performing less frequent audits for example (monthly or quarterly).
Each layer has different level of understanding. But all ensure that the processes should works good and efficient manner.
Step 3: Conduct the Audit
During Layered audit, the auditor observes operations and find out whether process being followed according to the checklist or not. The auditor need to ask questions to operator to check the understanding of procedures, work instructions, and also make sure that the operator uses proper equipment.
The audit should take as long as 15-20 minutes, it should not take much time of operator or creating the downtime in processes.
You can do effective layered process audit by just follow the checklist and verify all points.
Step 4: Document Findings
You need to document all findings in layered audit checklist or audit report while conducting the audit. This includes to identify the deviation and area for improvement and note down those all in your audit report.
The findings are then reviewed and shared with the relevant team members.
Step 5: Implement Corrective Actions & Follow-up
Corrective action suppose to assign if any issues or deviation observed during layered audit. Those action should implement immediately and do the follow-up audit to verify its implementation, compliance and effectiveness.
Step 6: Analyze Layered Audit Data
As LPAs are conducted frequently over a period of time, therefore it is important to analyze those collected date of all audits.
Identifying frequent issues or process deviations from all these past audit data can help management prioritize areas for improvement.
For example, if a particular step in the process is getting NC many times then it is possibly the area where we need to focus on. It can be done by providing some trainings to the operator or can be the process modification needed.
Layered Process Audit Checklist
How to Conduct a Layered Process Audit | Practical Example of Layered Process Audits
Let’s take the example of automotive components manufacturing company producing engine parts:
1. Level 1 Audit: A supervisor verify all process according to checklist and document their results. This will ensures all points related to,
- Work Station
- Operator
- Process
- Product
- System
- Voice of customer
Refer below filled Layered Process Audit report for your reference…
2. Level 2 Audit: Department manager will do this audit in more detailed way. He will review all supervisor audit remark and also verify the point in his perspective. Also some corrective action need to revisit by manager level audit.
3. Level 3 Audit: The plant manager or executive level reviews audit reports of past month. They will looking at process performance results and trends. They mainly focus on whether systemic issues are being resolved and whether all past audits are effective or not.
Best Practices for Successful LPA Implementation
To maximize the effectiveness of LPAs, consider the following best practices:
1. Do the Audit to Key Processes: Layered Audit checklist should focus on critical process topics.
2. Automatic Audit Scheduling and Reporting: : Some organization use layered process audit software to streamline this process and reduced administrative burden on auditors. Automatic reporting and recording is easy to analyze data and finding trends from our past actions.
3. Create a Positive Audit Culture: When we think like this is one of the improvement tool then it is more like to support a positive work culture.
4. Involve All Levels of Management: In Layered Audit, all level of management involves and committed to do the same.
Conclusion
Layered Process Audit (LPAs) is very effective tool to maintain process. This ensures the process is well organize and followed by its operator with knowledge. It helps to create a culture of continuous improvement in manufacturing domain.
This process involves multiple level of management to verify the process risk and contribute to achieved good quality products. The process includes a audit checklist followed by audit results and if any corrective action for making process improvement.
