Assignment 8: FMEA

Describe FMEA:

FMEA stands for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis. It is a step-by-step approach for identifying all possible failures in a design, a manufacturing or assembly process, or a product or service. Function often included are:

1. Design
2. Manufacturing
3. Quality
4. Testing
5. Reliability
6. Maintenance
7. Purchasing (and suppliers)
8. Sales
9. Marketing and customer service

Why to use FMEA?

1. It provides a documented method for selecting a design with a high probability of successful operation and safety.
2. An effective method for evaluating the effect of proposed changes to the design and/or operational procedures on mission success and safety.
3. A basis for in-flight troubleshooting procedures and for locating performance monitoring and fault-detection devices.

Where to use FMEA?

1. Development of system requirements that minimize the likelihood of failures.
2.  Development of designs and test systems to ensure that the failures have been eliminated or the risk is reduced to acceptable level.
3.  To help with design choices (trade-off analysis).

When to use FMEA?

1. When a process, product or service is being designed or redesigned, after quality function deployment.
2.  When an existing process, product or service is being applied in a new way.
3. When improvement goals are planned for an existing process, product or service.

How to use FMEA?

1. Assemble a cross-functional team of people with diverse knowledge about the process.
2. Identify the scope of the FMEA.
3.  For each function, identify all the ways failure could happen.
4.  For each failure mode, identify all the consequences on the system.