Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is a

team-based methodology for identifying

potential problems with new or existing designs.
It was used to identify and correct safety
hazards.
FMEA identifies the mode of failure of every
component in a system and determines the
effect on the system of exact potential failure.
By failure, we mean inability to meet customer
requirements.
 There are many variations in FMEA
methodology & all are aimed at
accomplishing three things,
1) Predicting what failures could occur,
2) Predicting the effect of the failure on the
functioning of the system,
3) Establishing steps that might be taken to
prevent the failure.
 FMEA is a top-bottom approach,
Which starts with identifying the required
functions,
Identifies the components to provide
functions,
And for each component lists all the possible
modes of failure.
It is useful in identifying the critical areas of
design.
 The three factors are considered in
developing a FMEA.
1) Rating for severity of failure,
2) Rating for occurrence of failure,
3) Rating for detection of failure.
 Usual practice is to combine the rating for
three factors into a risk priority number(RPN)
RPN= (severity of failure)x(occurrence of
failure)x(detection of failure)

Value of RPN can vary from a maximum of

1000 to a minimum of 1.
 Consider the result of a FMEA analysis shown
in table below.
The table shows the results of FMEA analysis.
Failure Severity Occurrence Detection RPN
mode

A 3 4 10 120
B 9 4 1 36
C 3 9 3 81
 Comparing the failure modes A,B & C.
A has nearly four times the RPN of B, yet B
has a severity of failure that would cause
complete shut down of the system
Failure by A would cause only slight effect on
product performance.
Failure mode-C has over two times the RPN
of B, but the severity of failure is low.
 Certainly failure B is more critical than A &
should be given proper attention for design
of the product.
 It is a systematic method to identify
undesired events(faults) in a system.
Basically, it is a logic diagram in which logic
gates are used to determine the relations
between input events & output events.
 Consider the failure of lawn mover engine.