DESIGN FAILURE MODES

AND EFFECTS ANALYSIS

(DFMEA)
PRESENTED BY

Denis J. Devos BA, BESc, MEng, PEng

Devos Associates Inc.
University of Western Ontario
October 17 2012
Devos Associates
Advisors to the Automotive Industry

Setting the Stage

Design FMEA
Effects and Severity
Causes and Probability
Controls and Effectiveness

Automotive S,O,D guidelines

Special Characteristics

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Introduction

In todays competitive environment, quality goods

and services is not enough

We must anticipate failure and nonconformance,

and prevent these events before they occur.

Studies of vehicle warrantee

campaigns have shown that
more disciplined use of the
DFMEA would have prevented
many of these campaigns

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Lets Recap
Potential Failure Mode
Potential Effects of the Failure

Severity

Potential Causes/Mechanisms
of the Failure

Occurrence

Current Design Controls

Prevention, Detection

Detection

Where S, O, D, numbers are unknown,

estimate high".
(also called fear of the unknown!)

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Start the FMEA early

As soon as concepts are developed
Start from an existing DFMEA, and focus on
differences

Continually update as the design evolves

Completed before drawings are released
DFMEA becomes an
input to Process FMEA

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Define the
Subsystem
Reliability
Tools/Analysis

Design
Testing
RISK
Assessment

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What is an FMEA?
A tool to focus discussion within a team
A graphical approach to collecting data
A logical flow:

Failure

Effect

Cause

Control

A repository for corporate learning about a

process throughout the life cycle

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The FMEA Team

The lead design engineer is responsible to
assemble a team from all disciplines (often a Core
Team and Support Team):

Design engineers
Process engineers
Testing engineers
Purchasing
Suppliers

QA
Sales
Field Service
Maintenance
Customers

The DFMEA is a catalyst to promote discussion

and exchange of ideas among all stakeholders

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Customer of the FMEA

Design FMEA

Design engineers, other system design teams

Manufacturing Process Engineers
Process FMEA

End User
Downstream manufacturing operations
Service and maintenance operations
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Consider a Refrigerator as a System

System Refrigerator
Subsystem

Compressor Subsystem
Insulation
Door Subsystem
Ice-Maker Subsystem
Components (ice maker)

Plastic bucket in the door

Plastic tube
Plastic push handle
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Column 1 Process Function,

Requirements
Part Number, name and description of the

process step
Include the function of the item which
meets the design intent. Include
information relating to the environment
where the item operates

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Column 1 Process Function, Reqts

Describe in terms that can be measured
Answer the question what is this item
supposed to do?

Functions:
Measureable, can be verified/validated
Includes additional constraints or design
parameters such as reliability specs,
servicing specs, weight, size, location

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Process Function Requirements

Functions:
Describe functional intent or engineering
requirement

Representation of all wants, needs,

requirements, spoken and unspoken, for
all customers and systems.
Remember: Functions cannot
FAIL if they do not have
measurable specifications

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Process Function Requirements

Describe in terms that can be measured
Answer the question what is this item
supposed to do?

Written as Verb-Noun-Measureable
Store fluid, six litres, with zero leaks
Conduct current, 10 amps
Open door with 100 Newtons of effort
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Process Function Requirements

(Gasket) Seal the door flush with zero leaks
(Door Stop) Stop the door at 120 open
(Levelling Feet) Level the Refrigerator to a
front-to-back differential of 2 inches and a
side-to-side differential of 1 inch.

(compressor) Cool the compartment to 1 C

fully packed with 1.5 Litre water bottles in an
ambient of 45 C, 80% RH continuously for 10
years.

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Column 2 Potential Failure Mode

How could this component, subsystem fail

to meet the design intent?

Describe the potential nonconformances
only for that function.
A mode here can be the cause of a
downstream process error, or the result of
an upstream process error
Potential failure modes can occur only
under certain operating conditions, and/or
certain customer situations

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Column 2 Potential Failure Mode

How can the process fail to meet the intent
of the Functions column?

Typical Examples

No Function
Partial/Over Function/Degraded over time
Intermittent Function
Unintended Function

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Example
Jack for changing a flat tire:
Raise vehicle to X feet above the ground, within Y
minutes, using Z maximum force, under all weather
conditions
No Function

Does not raise the vehicle

Partial/Over/Degraded

Does not raise to X, takes longer

than Y, uses more than Z force,

Intermittent function

Inoperable in the rain

Unintended function

None Known

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Example
Windshield Wipers:
Return to the rest position and remain after being
switched off, within 5mm from the rest position
measured from the mid-point of the blade
No Function

Switch doesnt turn off the wiper

Wipers dont remain in rest position

Partial/Over/Degraded

Wipers rest off-location

Wipers drift their position over time

Intermittent function

Wipers out of position below 0C

Unintended function

Wipers turn off when actuating turn signal

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Example
Refrigerator Light:
Light turns off when the door is closed, for 10 years
No Function

Door doesnt engage the switch

Switch does not turn off the light

Partial/Over/Degraded

Switch wears out before 10 years

Door partially engages the switch

Intermittent function

Switch intermittently turns off the light

Unintended function

Bulb overheats, melts the plastic cover

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Column 3 Potential Effects of Failure

Describe the failure as perceived by the customer
State if the failure impacts on safety or product

regulations
Express the effects in terms of the specific
component or sub-system being analyzed

A part can fracture, causing the

assembly to vibrate, resulting in
intermittent operation. This could
cause degradation over time and
premature failure.

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Potential Effects of Failure

Ask: If this failure mode happens, what will be the
effect onF.

Operation, function, of the items sub-components?

Operation, function, of the assembly
Operation, function, of the sub-system or system
Operation, safety, drive-ability of the vehicle
What will the customer see and experience?
Compliance with government regulations?

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Potential Effects of the Failure

Effect on the (internal or external) customer.

Assess if the failure could result in
noncompliance with safety, other regulations
Remember relationships a failure mode
could negatively impact subsequent
operations
Describe these modes
in terms of what the
customer perceives.

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Sentencing Technique

leads to
FAILURE
MODE

CAUSE

could
result in
EFFECT

due to

Remember: Relate cause back to

failure mode, not back to effect

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Example Cold Air Leaking from the Door

Q: What could cold air leaking from the door result in?
A: Increased energy consumption (effect)
Q: What could cold air leaking from the door be due to?
A: A kink or twist in the door seal
Cold air leaking from the door can result in increased
energy consumption (effect)
Cold air leaking from the door can be due to a kink or
twist in the door seal (cause)

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Column 4 Severity of the Failure

How serious is the effect of the failure.
Use a 1 to 10 scale
Use the voice of the customer to get as

accurate an assessment as possible

Design teams should customize its definitions
of severity to best suit their needs, as long as
consistency is achieved
Severity can only be reduced through design
changes. (process redesign is rare)

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Column 5 - Classification
Used to identify Special Characteristics which
may require additional design controls and
validation testing, (and manufacturing controls)

When Severity is 9 or 10, a potential Critical

Characteristic exists. Enter pCC here

Used to communicate Team assessment to the

Product Designers for additional consideration
and inclusion in design documentation

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Column 6 -Potential Causes of Failure

What could cause the failure mode?

What circumstances could cause the failure?
How could the item fail to meet specifications?
How could the item not deliver its function?
How could item interactions be incompatible,
mismatched or unsynchronized?

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Design Deficiency 1: The product is

manufactured properly, but poor design

Material specification unsuitable for application

Material hardness specified too low
Specified lubricant too thick
Actual stresses higher than design loads
Specified torque is too low, too high
Inadequate design life assumption
Excessive heat, vibration, noise

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Design Deficiency 2: The product design

leads to poor manufacturing

Is orientation, alignment important to function?

Are engineering tolerances compatible with

manufacturing capabilities?

Can components be assembled upside-down

or backwards?

Design-for-Assembly
Design-for-Manufacturability
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Design Deficiency 2: The product design

leads to poor manufacturing
Examples:

Specifying heat-treatment such that some lots

of steel cannot be properly machined

Symmetrical Design that allows a part to be

installed backwards or upside down

Wrong fastener used because the design is

too similar to a more standard fastener

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Column 7 Probability of Occurrence

What is the service history, field experience with

similar components, subsystems, systems?

Is the component a carry-over or similar to a past

design?

Is the part very new or different from the past?

Has the application of the part changed?
Are there environmental, customer use changes?
Have reliability studies been used to estimate the
expected failure rates for the application?

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Overlaying Probabilities
Often, a failure event does not necessarily cause
the failure mode.
Example: leaving the refrigerator door open may
lead to the overheating of the compressor, if its a
hot summer day (more than 30C)
Two Probabilities: Leave the door open 1%
It happens to be a hot summer day 10%
What is the probability of the failure mode?
It is usually simpler to assume 1-to-1 correlation
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Column 7 Probability of Occurrence

Use a consistent ranking chart

Be careful assigning numbers 1,2,3. The

difference between 1 and 3 is a factor of 50.

When Severity is between 5-8, and

Occurrence is between 4-8, a potential
Significant Characteristic exists. Use pSC

The group decides the number, or rounds up

to the next higher number.

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Column 8-9 - Current Design Controls

Prevention Design Controls

Product Design features that prevent the

Cause/Mechanism or Failure Mode from
occurring or reduce the rate of Occurrence

Detection Design Controls

Product Testing and analysis to qualify a

product before it is released to production

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Column 8 Prevention Design Controls

Controls to prevent the failure, or lessen the
probability of occurrence

Asymmetry in part design features

Special grades of raw materials, etc.
Redundancy
Vibration dampening materials
Lubrication, feedback control systems
One-part designs, combined functions
Design Standards/Guides, Best Practices
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Column 9 Detection Design Controls

Controls to detect the failure during testing (DV
controls), or mitigate the failure if it occurs in use

Design Reviews
Reliability Analysis
Simulation
Lab Testing, Accelerated Life Testing
Field Testing
Failsafe designs pressure relief valves
Feedback, faults, alarms
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Watch Out!
If a potential cause is overlooked, a
product with a design deficiency may
go into production!

Look at all Failure Modes as a way of

detecting overlooked causes

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Column 10 Effectiveness of Detection

Consider the effectiveness of analyses and tests:

Design Analysis methods

Simulation, FEA
Tolerance stack-up studies
Material Studies
Team design reviews

Design Development Tests

Experiments, Lab Testing
Prototype Testing
Durability, life cycle tests
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(continued)
Experience with similar designs
Number of samples to be tested
Statistically significant samples sizes
One prototype, because of cost and complexity

Timeliness of testing & evaluation

Early in the concept stage
At prototype stage
Just prior to engineering
design freeze

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Lets Recap
Potential Failure Mode
Potential Effects of the Failure

Severity

Potential Causes/Mechanisms
of the Failure

Occurrence

Current Design Controls

Prevention, Detection

Detection

Where S, O, D, numbers are unknown,

estimate high".
(also called fear of the unknown!)

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Advisors to the Automotive Industry

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Column 13 Responsibility & Timing

It is important that recommended actions

always be expressed as specific tasks, and
assigned to individuals with a specific time line.

The Design Team Leader or Product

Engineer
must ensure that all actions have been
implemented and properly addressed.

Reconvene the team, and recalculate the new

RPN resultant from the process improvements.

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FMEA Follow-Up

Team leader should ensure that all Recommended

Actions are properly assigned, executed, and
closed-out.

After completion, FMEA should be compared to

objectives for process, product, and organization.

Results can be incorporated with APQP team sign

off, or Management Review.

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Appendix:
Special Characteristics

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Introduction

All products and processes have characteristics

that need to be controlled.

Some Special Characteristics require extra

attention and control to prevent nonconformance

Special Characteristics have high impact upon:

Product & Process Safety

Compliance with Regulations

Customer Satisfaction
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Special Characteristics - Symbols

Characteristics are Special or not

Special Characteristics can be considered in two
categories:

Safety or Regulatory Critical Characteristics (CC)

Critical to Function and
Customer Satisfaction Significant Characteristics (SC)

Special Characteristics are assigned symbols and

deployed down through drawings and other documents

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EXAMPLE
Effect

Classifi Indicates
-cation

Safety/
Regulatory
Customer
Satisfaction

CC

Mfg./
Assembly

CC

Impact on
Design CC

Mfg. /
Assembly

SC

Impact on
Design SC

Mfg. /
Assembly

SC

Critical
Characteristic
Significant
Characteristic

(blank) Not a Special

Characteristic

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DFMEA
Actions
Required
Criteria
Sev: 9 - 10 Special
Controls
Sev: 5 8 Special
Occur: 4-10 Controls
Sev: 5 8 Process
Occur: 4-10 Controls
Sev: 9 - 10 Process
Controls
Routine
control
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Critical Characteristics - CC
Critical Characteristics - CC

Impact upon safe use and function

Impact compliance with governmental regulations
Design Controls

Process Controls

Special Materials
Safety Factors
Fail-safes
Special Analysis
Special Testing

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Special Tooling
Materials Inspections
Product Testing
Product Inspections
Special Torques
Assembly Sequences
48

Significant Characteristics - SC
Significant Characteristics - SC

Critical to customer satisfaction

Characteristics sensitive to manufacturing variation
Special manufacturing controls required to
assure compliance

Design and Process Controls

as for Critical Characteristics

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Significant Characteristics
Two Approaches
Significant to Customer Satisfaction
Significant Sensitivity to Variation

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Design For Six Sigma

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Not Significant Characteristics

Features are robust to
manufacturing variation

Customer Dissatisfaction remains

about constant over the design
tolerances

Tolerance

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Target
Value

Tolerance

51

Taguchi Loss Function

There is an increasing loss to society as
deviation from a target value increases

Loss increases to
the right and left
of the target

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Loss Function Consider a Train

Schedule
Increasing Loss
X

Train Leaves earlier:

people arrive on-time
and miss the train

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to Society

Published
Train
Departure
Time

Train Leaves later: no

one misses the train,
but train arrives late
and misses connections
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Significant Characteristics
Features are sensitive to
manufacturing variation

Customer Dissatisfaction increases

sharply as features depart from the
designed target values

Tolerance

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Target
Value

Tolerance

54

Special Controls

Every effort must be made to eliminate Special

Characteristics through design actions to improve
product robustness.

Special Characteristics are confirmed after all

design/process alternatives are exhausted and
when Special Controls have been identified

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