FMEAs
FMEAs represent one of the most commonly used tools in reliability assessment programs. In a survey published by what is now the Reliability Information Analysis Center (RIAC), nearly 70% of respondents identified FMEAs as one of the most important reliability tasks in use for reliability programs. Their flexible yet organized approach are probably what makes the FMEA a tool of choice for many reliability professionals.
Developed during the design stage, FMEAs are procedures by which:
• Potential failure modes of a system are analyzed to determine their effects on the system.
• Potential failure modes are classified according to their severity (FMEAs) or to their severity and probability of occurrence (FMECAs).
• Actions are recommended to either eliminate or compensate for unacceptable effects
When introduced in the 1960s, FMEAs were used primarily to assess the safety and reliability of system components in the aerospace industry. During the 1980s, FMEAs were applied to manufacturing and assembly processes by Ford Motor Company to improve production. Today, FMEAs are used for the design of products and processes as well as for the design of software and services in virtually all industries. As markets continue to become more intense and competitive, FMEAs can help you to ensure that new products, which consumers demand be brought to market quickly, are both highly reliable and affordable.
The principle objectives of FMEAs are to anticipate the most important design problems early in the development process and either to prevent these problems from occurring or to minimize their consequences as cost effectively as possible. In addition, FMEAs provide a formal and systematic approach for design development and actually aid in evaluating, tracking, and updating both design and development efforts. Because the FMEA is begun early in the design phase and is maintained throughout the life of the system, it becomes a diary of the design and all changes that affect system quality and reliability.