A “Systems Approach” to FMEA

Traditional Difficulties
By and large, Maintenance Departments are operating in “Catastrophic Mode”. There appears to
be no end to the fires in site. The belief is, we need to work overtime to perform PM or, we need
to hire more craftsmen. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Maybe your facility has not been performing preventive maintenance for a year, two years, or
more. Equipment is breaking down due to lack of PM. Preventive Maintenance Work may not
have a high enough priority. Tasks that are being done instead of PM are thought to be more
important when they are not. Planning and Scheduling of all maintenance work is non existent.
Your spare parts and materials organization is inadequate. All of these things lead to a complete
breakdown in the maintenance organization. Moreover, facilities and maintenance costs are
exploding well beyond the budget.

For Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) to work, several key processes need to be in place.
This article will address these key processes as well as our systems approach to failure modes
and effects analysis.

RCM / FMEA Preparations

There is some work that can be retrieved before the RCM Team arrives.
• Equipment Lists – Printed by Building or Process Area then by System
• Existing Preventive Maintenance Task Sheets or Job Plans
• P&ID’s
• Electrical – Main Substation, Substations, and MCC Rooms
• Plant, Process, and System Layout Drawings
• Equipment Nameplate Data – Database

This information will assure the FMEA Process will flow efficiently. Just as important, site
management and craftsmen will benefit from this exercise. Before the RCM Team arrives, walk-
downs of the systems can be completed.

The RCM Team needs to make sure they have this information in hand. A project gantt chart
should be developed with all of the tasks identified, man hours assigned to the tasks, start dates
for all tasks, and RCM Team Members and Site Personnel assigned to the tasks. The site
management needs to decide what areas or processes are critical to the business. These
processes and systems should be addressed first. The gantt chart should display this.

A folder needs to be set up in a computer database.

• Site/Facility Name
o FMEA Database
o New Job Plans
o General / Misc Files

A Risk Matrix Chart needs to be developed. Each site needs to identify what systems are critical
or very serious to the Business. These systems will be your “A” priority systems. Next, the “B”
priority systems. These systems are those that are serious to the business but not absolutely
critical. We then have the “C” priority systems. These are those systems that are not so serious
to the business. Also, these systems may have 100% redundancy. Finally, we have the “D”
priority systems. We consider running to failure as an option of maintenance.

Three categories of risk are used - Safety & Environmental, Economics, and Maintenance.
These categories are defined by the site or business. A cross section of management should be
involved with this – Accounting, Operations, and Maintenance. The question, “How will the
failure of this equipment affect our business?” needs to be asked during every FMEA Interview.

The Likelihood of Failure is developed to review the “Mean-Time-Between-Failure” (MTBF) of

a system or piece of equipment. Examples would be: 1 is MTBF is less than 1 Year, 2 is MTBF
> 1 year but < 3 years, 3 is MTBF > 3 years but < 7 years, and 4 could be Not Very likely.
Again, these are site defined and should represent the Site or business operation. See Figure 5
for details.

You will need a place, on site, to work. We have found that approximately 400 square feet of
space is required. It’s good to have five (5) cubicles set up complete with computers, Lan
Connections, and a telephone. In some cases, there may be two or three laptop computers to
compliment two Desktop Units. This is a good mix in order to allow work to be completed in
the field or at home.

Several people need to be involved in the process. An RCM program manager keeps everyone
focused on the company’s goals and mission. Moreover, there will be several reporting steps.
These reports will be discussed with the site craftsmen, front line supervision, and site
management.

An interviewer has an important role in the process. Not only interviewing the customers but
keeping them focused on the task at hand – the system being reviewed. This person should have
a well rounded maintenance background in order to understand the functions of the systems.
When the FMEA Interview process has been completed, this individual will assist the Job Plan
Developer

A Job Plan Developer is another vital role in the process. This individual will be reviewing any
information available concerning the process and facilities equipment and systems. This
includes any manufacturer’s O&M Manuals, Existing PM Job Plans, CMMS Equipment History,
and the internet. Once again, this individual should be experienced in maintenance operations.

Someone to walk down the systems will be necessary. In many cases, this will be how we gather
equipment nameplate data. Moreover, Motor Control Centers and any other electrical equipment
information will be gathered and entered into the Site database folder. All of this is essential to
the success of the program. This individual should be experienced in maintenance operations.

The site needs to dedicate two employees to the program. Usually, well experienced
maintenance employees are moved into these two positions. They should have experience with
the site CMMS System as well as good computer skills. An Equipment Database will need to be
 set up concerning the “Parent – Child Relationships” of the equipment. These employees will be
the site RCM Technicians. Initially, their job will be to assist in the entire FMEA Process. This
may include assisting with the FMEA Interviews and Walk-downs. These individuals will be
reviewing the Equipment Database – looking for duplicate pieces of equipment – finding out
what has not been identified in the system – and ultimately, cleaning up the database and adding
equipment that is not in the database.

When the FMEA Process has been completed, these employees will continue to monitor the
RCM Program – the Preventive and Predictive Maintenance Tasks. They will be performing
many, if not all, of the predictive maintenance technologies.

RCM
Manager

Interviewer Job Plan System RCM RCM

Developer Verifier Tech 1 Tech 2
Fig. 1

The Interview Process

System ID Information
The FMEA Interviews are paramount to a successful RCM Program. Start with the most
important systems. What are the high priority processes? Within those processes, what are the
priority systems? Our FMEA Interview starts with identifying the Site and Location. The
location is the building number or process ID. Then we identify the system by name. Using the
CMMS identification number and description is our starting point. If the system is not identified
in the CMMS, cleaning up the equipment database begins here. We assign an ID number and a
description. It is important to note here that an equipment numbering standard needs to be
followed. This will increase the usability of the CMMS.

Other system specific information is identified up front. The equipment manufacturer, model
number and serial number are documented. Most of this information is gathered during the
system walk downs. If there is any redundancy of equipment, this is documented. We identify
whether or not the system has 100% redundancy or less. This is an important question. In some
cases, the system owner may have valuable information which could lead to re-engineering a
particular system. The system, at one point, may have had 100% redundancy but, due to process
requirements or changes, there may only be 50% redundancy or less.

The final questions for this portion of the FMEA Interviews are: “Does this system operate
24/7?” and “Are there any Off-Peak Hours Shutdowns or Set-backs?”. Systems that operate 24
hours a day – 7 days a week will have a different approach concerning preventive and predictive
maintenance tasks. So, we identify the off-peak hours shutdown and set-back for the week days
and weekends.
System Parameters
The next step is to identify where the system begins, and where the system ends. First is to
determine what is supplied to the system – “the System Ins”. Next, what does the system supply
or provide? – “the System Outs”.

System In System System Out

Components

Now, we identify the “System Components” or equipment. As previously mentioned, care needs
to be taken in order to assure that all equipment within a specific system is identified. P&ID’s
and electrical schematics are valuable in identifying everything within the boundaries of the
system. In some cases, a walk-down of the system is required. This accomplishes three
important tasks. First, you need to identifying everything in the system – every piece of
equipment or component both electrically and mechanically. Second, confirm all the “System
Ins” and “System Outs”. Finally, the site personnel need to be involved with the FMEA
Interviews. Perhaps they have not seen the system or equipment for quite some time or they may
be seeing the system for the first time. So, walking down the system – following every piping
run, conveyor, or electrical power and control wiring is completed.

System Function
What is the function of the system? The system may have only one function. However, it may
have a primary function and one or more secondary functions. We identify these functions by
stating specifically what the system is designed to do.

Our next step is to ask “How can the system fail to meet its function?”. We look at the design
purpose of the system. What is the system designed to do? – To provide? – To accept? These
are called “Functional Failures”. We begin each Functional Failure with “Fails to”. Each
Functional Failure has its own set of “Failure Modes”. Each Failure Mode has its own set of
“Failure Causes”.

Here is where we need to be very careful. We make sure that every possible Failure Mode and
Failure Cause is identified. The System Parameters exercise proves valuable. The importance of
the P&ID’s, Electrical Schematics, and the System Walk-down is coming into play. We cannot
stress enough the importance of identifying every piece of equipment or component within the
boundaries of the system. This will aide in the development of Job Plans.

Criticality Ranking
How important is this particular system to the business? Several issues need to be taken into
consideration. If this System fails, will there be any Safety and Environmental Consequences?
Will there be any Economical Consequences? And, will there be any Maintenance
Consequences? The Site personnel will provide valuable input concerning these issues and how
they relate to a specific system.

Previous equipment and system history will be of great value. If you are presently utilizing a
CMMS, Equipment and System History should be available. If not, You will need to depend on
the memory of Operations and Maintenance Supervisors, Operators and Craftsmen. Identify
what specifically has failed – what broke. Moreover, how often does it happen – the Likelihood
of Failure.

Comments Section
In the “Comments Section” we enter any information that would assist in the overall Reliability
of the System. This could be continuous breakdowns concerning the same piece of equipment.
Root Cause Failure Analysis or Cause Mapping has not been performed to address these issues.
The equipment continues to break down – Maintenance continues to make the repairs. Nothing
is being done to prevent the break downs.

System and equipment information can be entered. This could be existing equipment
identification other than the system information entered on the “System Information” tab e.g.,
Fan and Motor Information, Instrumentation Information, Spare Parts Information, Where
mechanical and electrical feeds are originating, etc.

FMEA Interview is complete

At this point, the group reviews what has been discussed concerning the system. Starting with
the “System Information” tab, we move through the FMEA to assure we have not forgotten any
part of the system or process. Reviewing the “System Ins/Outs” is very important. We cannot
stress enough that care needs to be taken to assure every piece of equipment / component is
identified and addressed.

Reviewing the Functional Failures and Failure Modes needs to be done to assure we have
identified every possible way in which the system or process can fail. All Failure Modes need to
be addressed with a Preventive Maintenance Task or a Predictive Maintenance Task.

FMEA Report
Every FMEA has a standard report. This report shows the System Information, System Criticality
Ranking, System Ins and Outs / System Components, System Function with the System
Functional Failures and Failure Modes, and finally, the Job Plans and Comments. This report is
usually 4 to eight pages long – depending upon the size of the system.

System Walk-Down Report

We also have a report that is used for the System Walk-Down. This report is used in the field to
verify system equipment / components. When this report is returned to the FMEA Interviewer,
the FMEA is updated to show the most recent data available.
Job Plans
Existing Job Plans need to be reviewed. What PM and PdM is currently being done? Are we
performing the right tasks – at the right frequencies? The RCM Team needs to determine what
PM and PdM Tasks need to be done. Remember, we want to be performing the right tasks at the
right time. The FMEA report is reviewed to assure every piece of equipment or component is
addressed. The Job Plan(s) are developed and documented. A Standard for the Job Plans and
Description needs to be developed. Each Job Plan is assigned a Job Plan Number. A description
of the Job Plan is formatted in such a way that it is easy to locate in a database.

Templates
Our program also features a “Templates” tab. In this section, templates have been developed for
common systems that every site or facility incorporates in its business. Among these are:

Air Handling Systems Fuel Oil Distribution Systems

Exhaust Systems Cooling Tower Systems
Vacuum Systems Chemical Feed Systems
Boiler Systems CoGen Systems
Boiler Feedwater Systems Sanitary Waste Systems
Natural Gas Systems Water Softener Systems
Electrical Sub-Stations DI Water Systems

These templates are pulled in to an FMEA to assure an efficient flow of the FMEA Process. We use the
template as a starting point for the Interview.