To choose an auto parts manufacturer in India, check that it holds a recognised automotive quality system, shows process capability on parts like yours and follows a formal approval route for new parts.
Auto parts are less forgiving than general engineering. A part that passes a sample inspection can still fail a customer line if the process behind it is not stable.
Does the supplier hold the right quality system?
Many automotive customers expect IATF 16949 certification, which builds on ISO 9001 with automotive requirements. Read what IATF 16949 is and why auto buyers require it for the background.
A certificate is a starting point. Ask for the certificate scope, the issuing body and its expiry date. Check that the scope covers the process that makes your part. Aftermarket buyers may not need the full standard, but the same ideas apply: documented control of the process.
What evidence of process capability should you ask for?
Ask for capability data on the critical dimensions of a similar part. Indices such as Cpk show how comfortably a process sits inside the tolerance. Ask for the sample size and the period behind the figure.
Also ask about measuring equipment and gauge studies. A good supplier checks that its gauges can measure the tolerance reliably, and it records results over time, not just at the first article.
Request a control plan and a process flow chart for a current part. They show how the supplier manages each step from material to packing.
How should new parts be approved?
Automotive customers use a production part approval process, usually called PPAP, to confirm that a supplier can make the part to the drawing at production rate. Our guide to PPAP submission levels explains what each level contains.
Agree the level before the first order. Include material certificates, dimensional results, capability studies and any required test reports. Do not release volume production before approval.
Where are auto parts made in Gujarat?
Gujarat has a wide base of auto component suppliers, from machined and forged parts to castings and sheet metal. See what auto components are made in Gujarat for the range. Sanand near Ahmedabad is known for its automotive plants, but the location is less important than the supplier's system.
Check material traceability, packing and labelling too. Many automotive customers want parts labelled by lot and protected from corrosion in transit.
Make sure you confirm that the supplier is a real manufacturer, using the test in trader or manufacturer, and audit the plant. See what a factory audit should contain.
Material data is another point. Automotive customers often ask suppliers to report the substances in each part, and some require data entry in a shared material data system. Ask the supplier whether it can supply that data, and whether it keeps records of its own sub-suppliers. A shop that buys castings or forgings from outside must be able to trace them. Ask for the same level of control from its suppliers that you expect from the shop itself. Finally, ask how the supplier handles engineering changes, because an unannounced change to a process or a material is a frequent cause of a sudden quality problem.
Next step
We shortlist auto parts makers, audit their systems and check capability data and first samples against your drawing. Book a free sourcing review with your part drawing and your customer's requirements.