Automotive quality has its own vocabulary. When an OEM plant raises a concern, you will hear terms like containment, controlled shipping, 8D, PPAP, and scorecard within the first hour. This glossary defines the 14 terms every Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 supplier should know, in plain language.
The Core Automotive Quality Terms
Quality Liaison
A qualified quality professional placed on-site at an OEM plant to represent a supplier, communicate with plant personnel, and manage the response to a quality concern in real time.
Containment
The immediate action of isolating suspect or non-conforming parts so they cannot be built into vehicles. Containment is the first step in almost every quality response.
Controlled Shipping (CSL1 and CSL2)
A formal OEM requirement to add a documented, redundant inspection before parts ship. CSL1 is run by the supplier. CSL2 adds an independent third party paid for by the supplier.
Sort
The physical activity of inspecting a batch of parts and separating good from bad. A sort house supplies the labor to do this work.
Rework
Repairing or reprocessing non-conforming parts so they meet specification, instead of scrapping them.
8D
An 8 Discipline problem-solving report the OEM requires after a concern. It documents the team, the problem, interim containment, root cause, permanent corrective actions, and prevention.
PPAP
Production Part Approval Process. The package of documents and samples a supplier submits to prove it can produce a part to specification before mass production begins.
SQE
Supplier Quality Engineer. The OEM plant employee responsible for a supplier quality performance. The SQE is usually the person who raises a concern and tracks the response.
Supplier Scorecard
The OEM rating of a supplier on metrics like defect rate, delivery, and responsiveness. A poor scorecard can cost future program awards.
Boundary Sample
A physical reference part that shows the limit between acceptable and unacceptable, used to keep inspection decisions consistent.
Non-Conforming Material (NCM)
Any part that does not meet the drawing, specification, or standard. NCM must be contained and dispositioned before it can move.
Line-Down
When an OEM assembly line stops because parts are missing or suspect. Line-down charges can run into thousands of dollars per minute.
Escalation
When a quality concern moves up the OEM chain because it was not resolved quickly, often leading to controlled shipping or a new business hold.
Resident Liaison
A quality liaison embedded at a plant full-time or long-term, as opposed to one deployed for a single concern.
Key takeaway: when the OEM calls, these terms are the language of the response. A quality liaison speaks it fluently and manages each step, so the supplier does not have to learn it under pressure.