Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA)
Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA) enables you to anticipate potential
problems in product design or manufacture and assesses the effects they might
have on the production process and, more importantly, on consumers and members
of the public. There are three types of FMEA which may be used at different
stages in the development process -
- System FMEA
- Design FMEA
- Process FMEA
FMEA's are used assess the risk of injury, customer complaints, or process
failures and ensure that adequate precautions have been taken to reduce the
risk. Risk reduction strategies may include:-
- Providing consumers with adequate warning of known hazards
- Design validation to ensure that the design requirements have been
achieved
- Design changes to mitigate the effects of failure (fail safe design)
- Error proofing the design to prevent incorrect assembly, operation or
maintenance
- A production control plan that ensures non-conforming product is not
supplied
- An effective Quality Management System that eliminates errors and
omissions in the production process that may cause product failures
Stunell Technology helps client apply the FMEA process, and provides training
for engineers and engineering managers involved in the process
FMEA Methodology
The FMEA process assesses the risk of failure by considering:-
- Severity of the consequences if the particular failure mode
occurred
- Occurrence - The probability that the 'cause of failure' will be
present
- Detection - The ability to detect when the causes of failure are
present and make an effective intervention
Each of the three risk factors are assessed independently using standard
rating scales, and multiplied together to estimate a Risk Priority Number (RPN).
System FMEA
System FMEA's are used to anticipate and prevent failures in complex systems
by -
- Recognising potential failure modes and their consequences
- Identifying the critical characteristics and functional requirements for
the components and sub-systems
- Identifying the need for redundant systems
- Ensuring adequate warning is given of sub-systems and component failures
System FMEA's are therefore used to develop the specification of components and
sub-systems, and help identify and resolve potential problems at the interface
between different sub-systems.
Design FMEA
Design FMEA's focus on the design of individual components, assemblies or
complete products and are used to identify the potential consequences of
component failures due to errors in product design or manufacturing.
The design FMEA to is used to:
- Identify the potential consequences of component or systems failures
- Identify the need for design improvements and fail safe design
solutions
- Develop a comprehensive design validation plan, ensuring that the design
goals have been achieved
- Identify the 'critical characteristics' of the product which must be
controlled in production to prevent product failures and ensure compliance
with legal requirements
Process FMEA
The process FMEA is used to identify the potential consequences of errors and
omissions in the production process, which may result in 'process failure' or
cause component failures after the product has been supplied to the
consumer.
The Process FMEA is used to-
- Identify the potential consequences of errors and omissions in the
production process
- Error proof the production process and develop process improvements
- Develop the production control plan
FMEA Support and Training
FMEA training is provided for engineers and engineering managers, as
'in-house' or 'public' courses in association with the Excel Partnership and
is delivered by an engineer with practical experience of product development in
the automotive industry.
You can contact us for a quotation
or download a course brochure
here
We are also able to facilitate FMEA teams, using the knowledge and experience
of your own staff to develop System, Design or Process FMEA's as required. For
further information about this call us now on +44 (0)1772 452240) or
E-mail (info@stunell.com)
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