1. Purpose of the gate
A design win is not yet a business. A vehicle maker's supplier choosing a silicon carbide module for an inverter program, or an industrial customer choosing a gallium nitride transistor for a server power supply, brings a set of obligations: the customer's own quality manual, specific tests and audits, documentation formats, change notification rules, packaging and labelling requirements and expectations about supply over the life of the program. This gate makes those obligations explicit and accepted before the supplier commits to meeting them.
The approval route is the central agreement. For automotive customers it is usually the production part approval process, with a submission level, a control plan, a process flow, failure mode analyses and a part submission warrant. Some customers accept a reduced submission based on an already approved family, and industrial customers may approve by qualification report and audit or through a distribution channel. The route decides which documents, audits and samples are needed and therefore when volume can ship.
The gate criteria are that the customer program is confirmed, that the customer-specific requirements are reviewed and accepted, and that the approval route is agreed, including production part approval where required. Accepting a requirement that cannot be met, or discovering one after the part is frozen, is the risk this gate is there to remove.
10 more sections for registered members.