Quality management
Quality management in PLM: CAPA – the key driver of continuous improvement
By Fredrik Øyen, PLM Engineer · 18 February 2026
While SCAR often focuses on supplier improvements, CAPA addresses the very core of quality management:
Corrective and Preventive Actions.
A successful CAPA process does more than correct errors – it reduces the risk of the same type of error recurring. In a cloud-based PLM solution, CAPA becomes faster, more precise and more closely linked to product data.
What is CAPA – in Norwegian?
We generally use two terms:
- Corrective actions: actions to eliminate the cause of an identified problem
- Preventive actions: actions to eliminate the cause of a potential problem
In practice, the CAPA process handles both.
Why CAPA works best in PLM
CAPA requires:
- root cause analysis
- cross-functional collaboration
- document workflows
- change management
- traceability
- controlled updates to products and processes
These are core capabilities of PLM – making Fusion Manage a natural home for CAPA activities.
Examples of how PLM strengthens CAPA:
1. Direct links to the product structure (BOM).
Actions can be linked to specific parts, drawings or revisions.
2. Automatic links to change processes (ECR/ECO).
When CAPA requires a product change, this can be triggered automatically within the process.
3. Concurrent working.
No one waits for PDFs or meetings – specialist teams work in the same system.
4. Knowledge integrated into the quality system.
CAPA becomes a resource for risk analyses, audits and continuous improvement.
Typical CAPA workflow in Fusion Manage
1. Identification of a non-conformance or risk
2. Severity assessment
3. Root cause analysis (e.g. 5-Why or a fishbone diagram)
4. Planning of corrective and preventive actions
5. Implementation and documentation
6. Effectiveness evaluation
7. Closure and learning
CAPA as a link across the organisation
CAPA connects:
- quality
- production
- engineering
- suppliers
- service and aftermarket
And when all documentation is held in a cloud-based PLM solution, CAPA becomes not an obligation, but a driver of improvement.