FMEA

What is FMEA ?

1. A method which allows for corrective action before

defect occurs

2. A system which integrates the designer’s efforts with

the technician’s operation

3. A method which uses experience systematically for

designing a new system

4. A method of Prediction and Simulation of defect in

quality
 FMEA
Failure Mode and Effect Analysis.
It is one of the techniques of
reliability engineering and is based
on the concept of predicting and
solving Failures/Defects before they
occur
 Brief History of FMEA
1950 – Gruman Corp. – Jet Plane Development (First to develop FMEA method)
1960 – NASA – Apollo Project
The launching of the US Lunar Rocket, the Apollo Project was
started with virtually everything unknown

NASA undertook this project with a concentrated and concerted effort, knowing that
they must succeed on the first try.
HOW DID THEY DO IT?
They laid out anticipated countermeasure against any possible failures which could be
predicted based upon their knowledge and past experience
This method , called FMEA, brought success to the Lunar landing.
Other Application of FMEA.
Automobile Manufacturers: Nissan, Ford, GM, Toyota, Honda, Hyudai etc
Mfg. of Electrical Product: GE, Panasonic, Hitachi, Sony etc
 Outline of FMEA analysis
The basic idea of FMEA analysis procedure is to analyze failures
which are foreseeable from the present design concept but not
to analyze failures after they occurred.
1. Prediction of Failure Foresee what failures are occurred at the
present concept of design. List up all failure
mode modes which are considered to be occurred

2. Ranking and evaluation Put the priority order over failure modes
relatively and select the critical failure mode
of Failure mode

3. Corrective action of Study the contents of corrective action to the

critical failure mode and recommend the
Failure mode correction. Confirm the condition of occurrence
 Type of FMEA and Its Way of Use
Design Outline design Intermediate Design Final Design Process Design Equipment Design
Phase

Drawing Outline of Drawing Trial Drawing (order Drawing of Drawing of Drawing of

(rough sketch) acceptance, approval) Equip. Arr. Process Plan Equip. Design

Use Functional FMEA Feasibility Process FMEA Equipment FMEA

FMEA
&

Type Critical Security Characteristic List List of Major List of Critical

Control Items Part Position
Equipment
 Idea and Merit of FMEA
Idea
With this method, we foresee failures which are likely
to occur at the stage of planning but we do not analyze
or evaluate until after a failure occurs. The idea of
FMEA is to take countermeasure beforehand, by
systematic evaluation so that prior consideration can be
made
Merit
It is possible to predict problems based on to the past and
on the knowledge of people with experience, even if
there is no quantitative reliability data. This method is
applied to the design of a production process is called the
“Process FMEA”
The Objective of Process FMEA

1. Improvement of process with a

high defect rate
2. Improvement of weak points in
process design

When new models start up or new production lines are

added, take corrective action by simulating defects which
will occur.
WHY FMEA
???
 Analysis Step of Process FMEA
Draw System Chart Draw system chart in order that the people who practice FMEA can fully
understand the objective.

Foresee Failure mode List up all the possible failure conditions which can be considered at present
and which likely to occur

Ranking and Evaluation Prioritize the list of possible failures by their potential importance. Then
Failure Mode select the most important potential failure

Corrective Action of Study possible corrective action to avoid the potential failure and advise
Failure Mode correction. Prove failure mode by experiment and confirm the condition
of occurrence.

Progress follow up of Clarify the charger, the term and the division to be requested
Corrective Action
 Process Flow Diagram
Besides a system chart, a process flow diagram ( sometimes called a flow chart) is a visual
representation of all the major steps in a process. It helps us to understand the process better,
identify critical or problem areas and identify improvements. Non value added steps should
be identified and removed. Each step should be assessed with regard to both input and output
variables. In building a process flow diagram, we will use 5 standard symbols

Symbol Definition Example

Start/Stop Receive Trouble Report

Decision Point Approve/Disapprove, Accept/Reject,

Yes/No, Pass/Fail

Activity Cutting, assemble, grinding etc

Connector (to other A

diagram or page) B

Direction of Flow
Describe the objective system ( or line) to be
analyzed in the column, “Name of Process”
according to the process order of the process flow.

(Example) Mount transformer

 Transfer the information from the system chart to FMEA sheet

(Example of FMEA sheet)

Process No. Name of Process
No. Name of Process Function of Process
001 Install Transformer
002 Install PWB Objective Means

003 Soldering of wire 001 Install

004 Binding of wire Transformer
002 Install PWB

003 Soldering wire

Confirm the function of process and describe it in the
column of “Function of Process” . Ask oneself what
is the purpose of this process, why there is this
process and describe the reasons briefly. At this stage
it is good to determine the tools/equipment used
(Example)
Objective - Fix transformer
Mean - Screw driver
 How to describe the Function of
Process, “ Objective” and “mean”
In this case, understand the function of process as “operation: of
process. When implementing FMEA, it is important to clarify the
objectives and means.
Let see the example of installing of power transformer.
The question to be raised is that what is the objective of this
operation and not what is the objective of the transformer.
The objective is to “fix the transformer”
The next question is what means to be used?
The “means” is to use an electric screw driver and a jig for
locating
Describe the foreseeable failure mode in the column,
“Failure Mode”. Utilize the failure data of similar
models and the experiences and the knowledge of the
member concerned and the charge and describe the
mode by foreseeing in what condition, failure
(inconvenience) occurs.
(Example) - Reverse direction of mounting
- Jig not stable
Note → In case the failure mode at this stage can
sufficiently be foreseen, the objective of FMEA can be
attained
 Foresee Failure Mode
In order to achieve the objective of the operation, we select and decide the
means and the overall flow which are most economical and yet reliable.
However, actually there is no definite ground for the means and the
overall flow which are reliable
These will be the point when we consider the failure mode:
1. Make reference to the past data of defect occurrence … particularly
similar model is important
2. Use the knowledge/experience of the experienced personnel … Ask to
attend study meeting
3. 4M (Man, Machine, Material, Method) and Environment (Working
environment, temperature, humidity, lighting condition etc)
It is important at this stage to ask “ What can go wrong with this process”
Note: 1 process may have several failure modes
Describe the effect if the failure to be carried out in the column ,
“ Failure Effect”.
(Example)
Process Failure Mode Failure Effect
Screwing of Power Screw loose Power transistor heat up and broken
transistor to heat sink No sound or ignition

Screwing of front panel Screw loose Front Panel drops

Button cannot operate

Soldering of circuit Cold Solder The product cannot function

Board

Soldering of Tuner Cold Solder Cannot receive radio broadcasting

terminal
Estimate the severity of the effect and give some score. The
guidance of giving the score is as follows:

Extent of Severity Ranking

Very slight defect which customer doesn’t 1~2
care.
Very slight defect which deteriorates the 3~4
appearance
Failure level in the middle extent which 5~6
Causes to deteriorate function in use
Critical failure which causes malfunction 7~8
Fatal failure which causes accident resulting 9 ~ 10
In injury or death and property loss
List up all the possible causes that applicable to each
failure mode in the column “Causes (5 Why)”. If possible
use 5 why concept to find the correct cause.

(Example)
•When the right and left sides of transformers are in
symmetry, “reverse mounting” easily to happen
• When the torque of of fastening screwdriver is
insufficient, this causes “falling off”
• When the temperature of the solder iron is not sufficient,
this will cause cold solder.
 Estimate the probability of the foreseeable mode which
occurs at the process of evaluation points at 1 ~ 10 and
describe points at column “OCC”. Guidance to give the
score is as follows:

Frequency of Occurrence Ranking

Almost impossible 1~2

Probability of failure is low, according to the actual 3~4

result of similar models

There is possibility that failures to occur 5~6

Many failure occurs, according to the actual result of 7~8

similar products

Failure surely occurs 9 ~ 10

Explain what is the current system that control the failure mode
not to occur or if the failure mode occur any filtering system
that can filter out the defect from passing through. Fill up this
information into “Control” column.
(Example)
•Standard Operating Procedure
• Visual Inspection
• Start up check
• None
• etc
Estimate the detection ability of the current process into “DET”
column. The easier to detect the lower the score to be. The
guideline to give the score can be followed as below:

Possibility to detect the problem Ranking

Almost possible to detect the failure at the 1~2
next process even if the failure occurred

Almost possible to detect failure at the post 3~4

process and intermediate inspection, even
if the failure occurred

Possible to detect failures at the final inspection 5~6

and other division

Failure is found when the customer started to use 7~8

The failure is found when the the customer is in using 9 ~ 10

Calculate the Risk Priority Number in RPN column

Formula:

Severity Score (SEV) x Frequency of Occurrence Score

(OCC) x Detection Ability Score (DET)

Note: Therefore during estimating the score for each

category it is advisable not to give the score of 0 (zero)
Prioritize the RPN in order to decide which failure mode to be
tackled first. Pareto Analysis can be applied to decide the cut off
point of serious consideration.

Note: However, sometimes it is necessary to take serious

consideration to higher “level of severity” and difficult to detect
regardless of frequency of occurrence.
 Corrective action
Start to study corrective action from the failure cause which
RPN is higher. The study can be done by engineer, manager and
PIC who know the details of each failure mode.
The corrective action is done to each failure cause.

Failure mode
Failure cause 1 Corrective action 1

Failure cause 2 Corrective action 2

Failure cause 3 Corrective action 3

Recalculate the Risk Priority Number after countermeasure has
been taken. This is called Potential Risk Priority Number (PRPN)
PRPN can be obtained through PSEV x POCC x PDET
PSEV, POCC and PDET should be estimated after the
countermeasure taken and it based on forecast.
 Steps to do FMEA
1. Do process flow analysis
2. Transfer each process to the FMEA sheet at column ‘Process
Name’
3. Describe the function of the process and determine what tools use
for the particular process
4. Describe the foreseeable failure mode
5. Describe the effect if the failure mode happens
6. Estimate the severity of the effect. Give score
7. List up the possible causes applicable to each failure mode
 Steps to do FMEA
8. Estimate the frequency of the failure to happen. Give score
9. Explain what is the current control to avoid the failure or to avoid
the problem pass though
10. Estimate the detection ability with the current process. Give score
11. Calculate the RPN (Risk Priority Number)
12. Prioritize the failure mode based on highest RPN value
13. Start to take corrective action
14. Recalculate the new RPN after countermeasure taken (PRPN)
Potential Risk Priority Number