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Layered Process Auditing (LPA) for Manufacturing (Udemy.com)

Build an effective LPA system using practical templates, CQI-8 best practices, and proven implementation strategies

Created by: Ray Harkins

Last updated October 2026

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What you will learn

  • How to plan and implement an LPA system
  • Common questions, templates, and procedures used in an LPA system
  • The essential tools and methods of CQI-8
  • How to train your team on conducting LPA's
  • Keys to successful quality auditing
  • Tracking LPA results, findings and performance metrics
  • Escalating findings from an LPA
  • Tips for a successful launch
  • Risk management
  • Key strategies for reducing defect and variation in your processes
  • Complimentary tools to an organization's Six Sigma efforts
  • How quality audit is a key component in quality improvement and cost saving initiatives

How it compares

Against the other 1,210 rated Udemy courses in Business on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.6 out of 5higher than 74% of them
  • Reviews587#609 of 1,211 by number of reviews
  • Length2.8 hoursshorter than 50% of them
  • Last updatedOctober 2026more recently than 99% of them

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Course Description

Every manufacturing organization depends on consistent execution of critical process steps. Yet over time, procedures drift, shortcuts develop, and important controls are overlooked. The result is increased variation, recurring defects, higher costs, safety risks, and dissatisfied customers.

Layered Process Auditing (LPA) is one of the most effective tools available for ensuring that critical manufacturing processes are consistently followed. Rather than relying solely on periodic quality audits, LPAs engage supervisors, managers, and leadership in short, focused audits that reinforce process discipline, improve communication, and uncover opportunities for continuous improvement.

Whether you're introducing Layered Process Auditing for the first time or improving an existing program, this course will show you how to design, implement, and sustain an effective LPA system.

Why Learn Layered Process Auditing?

An effective LPA program helps organizations:

  • Verify that critical process steps are consistently followed

  • Reduce process variation before defects occur

  • Improve communication between operators, supervisors, engineers, and management

  • Reinforce standardized work throughout the organization

  • Strengthen existing Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives

  • Improve safety, quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction

  • Identify opportunities for continuous improvement at every organizational level

Although Layered Process Auditing is widely used throughout the automotive industry, the principles apply equally well across virtually every manufacturing environment.

What You'll Learn

This course provides a practical, step-by-step roadmap for building a successful Layered Process Auditing system.

You'll learn how to:

  • Build an effective LPA implementation team

  • Develop meaningful audit questions that drive process compliance

  • Create audit schedules and assign audit responsibilities

  • Design escalation procedures for unresolved findings

  • Perform effective layered audits that produce real value

  • Develop metrics for monitoring and improving your LPA program

  • Integrate LPAs into your existing Quality Management System

  • Avoid common implementation mistakes that limit program effectiveness

  • Apply the essential concepts and best practices found in AIAG's CQI-8 Guideline

Rather than simply explaining the concepts, this course shows you how to put them into practice.

Included Downloadable Resources

One of the biggest advantages of this course is the collection of implementation resources you'll receive.

Included are:

  • Sample Layered Process Audit templates

  • Collection of sample audit questions

  • Sample escalation log

  • Additional implementation guidance

These editable resources can be customized for your own organization, saving you significant development time and helping you launch your LPA program more quickly.

Designed for Manufacturing Professionals

This course is ideal for:

  • Quality Engineers

  • Quality Managers

  • Manufacturing Engineers

  • Production Supervisors

  • Operations Managers

  • Continuous Improvement Professionals

  • Plant Managers

  • Anyone responsible for improving process discipline and manufacturing quality

No prior experience with Layered Process Auditing is required.

What Students Are Saying

"This is a great help to me for introducing LPA at my next job. The templates I will customize and use." — Peter B.

"It was a perfect match. I work in a very small company and this tool is a valuable connection between production, maintenance, and QMS." — Rachel M.

"Good overview of LPA for the workplace. I greatly enjoy all of Ray Harkins' courses." — Kris S.

"Thank you, Mr. Harkins, for this informative course and for sharing your valuable insights." — Huang M.

"Great class!" — Antonio D.

With more than 1,700 students enrolled and an average rating of 4.7 stars, this course has helped manufacturing professionals successfully understand and implement Layered Process Auditing within their own organizations.

If you're ready to build an effective LPA system that strengthens process discipline, improves quality, and supports continuous improvement, enroll today and start implementing Layered Process Auditing with confidence.

Sign up today to "Layered Process Auditing" to learn this world-class management tool!!

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Instructor Details

Ray Harkins

Ray Harkins is a senior manufacturing leader, educator, and founder of The Manufacturing Academy, with more than 30 years of experience in manufacturing engineering, quality engineering and management, and operations leadership. He currently serves as a General Manager in manufacturing, overseeing operations, quality, engineering, and continuous improvement while remaining actively engaged in solving the day-to-day challenges faced by manufacturers.

After beginning his career in manufacturing engineering, Ray expanded into quality and operations leadership, working alongside leading industry professionals throughout North America and Japan and touring hundreds of manufacturing facilities. These experiences shaped his belief that manufacturing professionals deserve practical training that they can immediately apply to improve quality, productivity, and their careers.

That philosophy has guided the development of more than 60 online courses covering Lean Six Sigma, Statistical Process Control, Supply Chain Analytics, Manufacturing Leadership, Reliability Engineering, and Operations Management. His courses are used by individual professionals and corporate training departments worldwide and have helped more than 140,000 students build practical skills and advance their careers.

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Reviews

4.6

587 ratings on Udemy

Select a bar to show only those reviews.Select the bar again to show every rating.

By MIGUEL CARMONA HERNANDEZ on 4/25/2025

El curso estuvo muy bien. Me llevo algunas herramientas para aplicar en mi organización respecto a la Implementación de Auditorías LPA, de hecho, ya lo tengo implementado, sin embargo, con lo visto en el curso, podré realizar el proceso de mejora continua a dicho sistema.

By Jesse B Mayes on 5/30/2024

I am familiar with the concept of LPA's. We are going to be implementing LPAs in my department and wanted to brush up. I appreciate the provided templates; these can be easily tailored to our need.

By Eric Smith on 1/7/2024

Good information and well explained. Please remove the last marketing module to be listened to be able to get the certificate, not related to the topic.

By Kris A. Spatchek on 9/7/2023

Good overview of LPA for the workplace. I greatly enjoy all of Ray Harkins courses. They've helped me in Lean Six Sigma Green and Black Belt courses and for recently earning my degree for Quality Assurance Technician.

By Adam Bryer on 4/20/2023

It seems to be a good match, in that it's a stretch, but it is building on areas I have some familiarity with and in which I have some skills. Halfway through I see now that I will need to adapt the specifics to a non-manufacturing scenario, but the general principles are well detailed.

By Don Cinnamond on 11/22/2022

Really liked the points made that really explain what will make this successful and what the pitfalls are. That detail is 100 times more important than the "how to do it" part and it is made very clear. Thanks, excellent short course!

By Emmanuel Kaizemi Heii on 6/5/2022

1.I have learned about the importance of auditing, benefits of auditing , potentials of auditing. 2.I also learned about systematic and sequential planning for the audit. 3.ISO 9001:2015 , ISO 13485 AS 9100 standards of quality. 4.How to facilitate the LPA and how to owner the LPA including the duties of owning LPA. 5. The pyramid of LPA audit frequency and how to create an LPA template.

By Pavan Kumar Naga Sannala on 5/8/2021

Moderate to standard level of expert audit guidance. May add ASQ Auditor Standards next time if possible please. Thanks

By Stephen St.George-Smith on 7/9/2020

Ray’s work is one of the best things in Udemy: excellent structure, and presentation. I am a member of a professional body and they do not provide any training this useful.

By Ed Thompson on 5/15/2020

This fits the philosophy on in-process audits that we do currently. However, we only have the QC Dept. performing these audits and they aren't scheduled or documented as well as they need to be. I find Ray's presentation and knowledge very comfortable to listen to. As the course has progressed, the information is very relevant and Ray continues to present clearly, with good analogies to help with comprehension. I definitely plan to take additional courses from Ray Harkins.

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Overall Score : 92 / 100