Production process analysis (overview)
Plain-language summary
The heart of the audit — a structured walk of the actual series production process to judge how robustly it makes conforming parts, broken into six sub-elements.
What the clause is really asking
This is where the process audit earns its name. The risk being controlled is that a process which looked fine on paper does not actually run robustly day to day. Using a process (turtle) approach, the auditor follows the real flow from incoming inputs through each step to the finished output, examining inputs, the process steps, people, equipment/material, process management, and results. The six sub-elements (P6.1–P6.6) give it structure.
What auditors look for
The auditor goes to the shop floor and follows the part, not the file. At each step they consider the turtle: what comes in, what comes out, who does it, with what equipment, by what method, and how it is measured. They sample real records, watch real operations, talk to operators, and test whether controls actually work under normal and abnormal conditions. P6 typically carries the most weight in the overall result.
Typical evidence
Control plans and work instructions at the line; setup/first-off records; process and inspection records; operator qualification matrix; maintenance and calibration records; reject/scrap and rework data; traceability and FIFO/handling evidence.
How to comply — recommendations
Make the floor match the documents and the documents match reality. Ensure every step has clear, current instructions and that operators can explain what good looks like and what to do when it isn't. Keep records honest and current, controls effective, and the chain from input to output visibly under control. Prepare by walking your own process as an auditor would, turtle by turtle, before they do.
Common nonconformities
Floor practice diverging from control plan/work instructions; controls present on paper but not effective in use; weak handling of nonconforming product; gaps between steps where risk is uncontrolled; records that don't reflect what actually happens.
Related clauses
IATF 16949 8.5 (production and service provision), 8.5.1.1 (control plan); ISO 9001 8.5.1
Qlause provides interpretive guidance only and is not a substitute for the standard. Refer to your licensed copy of the relevant standard for the authoritative text.