Failure Modes and Effects Analysis

(FMEA)

Superfactory Excellence Program™

www.superfactory.com

© 2004 Superfactory™. All Rights Reserved. 1

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 The files in the Superfactory Excellence Program by Superfactory Ventures LLC
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 Outline
 What is FMEA?
 History
 Benefits
 Applications
 Procedure
 Exercise
 Summary

© 2004 Superfactory™. All Rights Reserved. 3

 What is FMEA?
 FMEA is an acronym that stands for Failure Modes and Effects
Analysis
 Methodology of FMEA:
 Identify the potential failure of a system and its effects

 Assess the failures to determine actions that would eliminate

the chance of occurrence
 Document the potential failures

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 Failure is ALWAYS a Design
Requirement/Criteria
All Products fail!

Determining how they fail, when they will fail, and why they
are failing will allow a designer to incorporate failure as an
acceptable design constraint.
Failure as an acceptable design constraint = Customer
Satisfaction = Design Quality

© 2004 Superfactory™. All Rights Reserved. 5

 History of FMEA
 Created by the aerospace industry in the 1960s.
 Ford began using FMEA in 1972.
 Incorporated by the “Big Three” in 1988.
 Automotive Industry Action Group and American Society for
Quality Control copyright standards in 1993.

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 From: “Inviting Disaster – Lessons From the
Edge of Technology”
By James R. Chiles
Regarding the continuing failure of rear cargo door on a
DC-10:

“ The design was originally going to use hydraulics, but under

pressure from its client, American Airlines, to simplify and
lighten the DC-10 equipment; McDonnell Douglas shifted to an
electric door closer instead. This worried engineers working for
the builder of the door assembly, Convair Division of General
Dynamics. Convair engineers even sent McDonnell Douglas a
formal document, called a “failure modes effects analysis,”
describing the problem and the disastrous consequences.

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 What are the Benefits?
 Improvements in:
 Safety

 Quality

 Reliability

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 Benefits cont.
 What other potential benefits can be identified?
 Company image

 User satisfaction

 Lower development costs

 Presence of a historical record

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 Applications
 Concept
 Design
 Process
 Service
 Equipment

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 FMEA Procedure
 Assign a label to each system component
 Describe the functions of each part
 Identify potential failures for each function

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 When the Design Fail?

Design failure is acceptable if customers perceive it as

acceptable. Design Failure has a direct effect on Customer
perceptions of Product Quality.
 Periodic Maintenance (oil changes)

 Periodic Replacements (change tires)

 Acceptable End of Life (customer expectations – car replacement

every 8-10 years)

© 2004 Superfactory™. All Rights Reserved. 12

 Reliability Curve
Assuming a part/product is designed correctly, statistically
it should follow a standard bath-tub curve

Infant Chance Wear

Mortality out

Failure Useful Life

Frequency

Time
Infant Mortality – failures don’t usually affect the customer, except DOA
Useful life – failures here are problems
Wear Out – failures here are acceptable
© 2004 Superfactory™. All Rights Reserved. 13
 Causes of Reliability Curve Failure

Early Failure (Infant Chance Failure Wear Out Failure

Mortality)

- Poor Quality Control - Design Errors - Stress Concentration

- Poor workmanship - Insufficient Safety - Corrosion

-
Margins
Insufficient Burn In - Fatigue
-
- -
Undetected Defects
Substandard Materials Creep
-
- -
Misapplication
Contamination Abrasive Wear

- Human Error
- Abuse of Equipment
- Wrong Environment

- Incorrect Packaging
- Lack of Preventive
- Poor Maintenance
Maintenance

- Acts of God

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 Procedure continued
 Determine the effects of the failures
 Estimate the severity of the failure
 Estimate the probability of occurrence

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 Procedure continued
 Determine the likelihood of detecting the failure
 Determine which risks take priority
 Address the highest risks
 Assign a Risk Priority Number
 Update the FMEA as action is taken

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 Design FMEA Analysis
Item and Potential Potential  S Potential O Detection D R Recommended
Function Failure Effects of E Cause(s) C Method & E P Actions
Mode Failure V of Failure C Quality T N
Controls
List Part List the List the List those List these List them for
Name, possible consequences such as: measures each of the
Number modes of of failure on inadequate available to failure modes
and failure part function design, detect identified as
Function and on the improper failures being
next higher materials, before they significant by
assembly etc. reach the the RPN
customer

 = Critical characteristic which may effect safety, compliance with Gov.

regulations, or require special controls.
SEV = Severity rating (1 to 10)
OCC = Occurrence frequency (1 to 10)
DET = Detection Rating (1 to 10)
RPN = Risk Priority Number (1 to 1000)
© 2004 Superfactory™. All Rights Reserved. 17
 FMEA Flow Chart

Assign a label to each process or system component

List the function of each component

List potential failure modes

Describe effects of the failures

Determine failure severity

Determine probability of failure

Determine detection rate of failure

Assign RPN

Take action to reduce the highest risk

© 2004 Superfactory™. All Rights Reserved. 18

 Exercise
 You are the owner of a lawn mowing service.
 Use FMEA to analyze the failure modes associated with
mowing a lawn.

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 Exercise cont.
 Brainstorm for possible failures that can occur while
mowing a lawn
 Determine the effects of the failure
 Assign rankings to each failure
 Determine the RPN

© 2004 Superfactory™. All Rights Reserved. 20

 Exercise cont.
 List the current controls over the process of lawn mowing
 List the recommended actions to reduce severity,
detection, and occurrence
 Assign responsibility and completion dates for each action

© 2004 Superfactory™. All Rights Reserved. 21

 Exercise cont.
 List actions taken
 After actions have been taken, estimate the new rankings
and calculate the new RPN

© 2004 Superfactory™. All Rights Reserved. 22

 Summary
 FMEA is a procedure designed to identify and prevent
potential failures
 Provides cost savings and quality enhancing benefits
 Should be used for all business aspects in both
manufacturing and services

© 2004 Superfactory™. All Rights Reserved. 23