FMEA Types and Their Usage

A Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) can basically be classified into one of
three possible types: process, functional, or component. All three of these FMEA types
assess the impact of failures on system performance and safety to determine which
failure modes require efforts to prevent, mitigate, or detect occurrence. The selection of
a particular FMEA type indicates the intended scope of the analysis.

For example, you might choose to limit your assessment of possible failures to those
that can occur during the manufacturing or assembly process of a product. Or, you
might choose to limit it to failures that prevent you from meeting the functional
requirements for a product design. When a comprehensive assessment of a product
design is required, you will not want to limit your assessment in any manner but rather
consider all possible failure modes for all system components. Your choice of the type
of FMEA to create will result in the appropriate framework being set up for your
assessment.

Overview of FMEA Types

To be able to choose the appropriate FMEA type, you need to fully understand how the
three types differ from one another.

 Process FMEA. Examines the ways that failures in a manufacturing or assembly

process can affect the operation and quality of a product or service. A process
FMEA can be performed at any level to evaluate possible failure modes in the
process and limitations in equipment, tooling, gauges, or operator training. The
information collected can help to determine what can be done to prevent
potential failures prior to the first production run. You can then take actions to
reduce your exposure to risks deemed unacceptable.
 Functional FMEA. Examines the intended functions that a product, process, or
service is to perform rather than the characteristics of the specific
implementation. When a functional FMEA is developed, a functional block
diagram is typically used to identify the top-level failures for each block in the
diagram. For example, a functional FMEA would consider that a capacitor is
intended to regulate voltage and then analyze the effects of the capacitor failing
to regulate voltage. It would not analyze what would occur if the capacitor fails
open or fails shorted.
 Component FMEA. Examines the characteristics of a specific implementation
to ensure that the design complies with requirements for failures that can cause
loss of end-item function, single-point failures, and fault detection and isolation.
Once individual items of a system (piece-parts, software routines, or process
steps) are identified in the later design and development phases, component
FMEAs can assess the causes and effects of failure modes on the lowest-level
system items. Component FMEAs for hardware, commonly referred to as piece-
part FMEAs, are the most common type.
Sample Component FMEA in Relex FMEA

FMEA Process
The goal of any FMEA is to review a system or process to define the ways in which
failures can occur and indicate the resulting effects of these failures on the system. An
inductive, bottom-up method is generally used to evaluate the potential for failures.
Selection of a FMEA type provides the organized framework that is vital to targeting
potential failures. For example, a comprehensive analysis of a complex system such as
an airplane may consist of separate component FMEAs for each subsystem. The results
for these subsystems would then be “rolled up” into an overall system-level FMEA.
When criticality analysis of failure modes is performed, plans of actions can be defined
for resulting risk categories. High-risk failure modes might require the formulation and
implementation of plans to eliminate the possibility of their occurrence. Medium-risk
failure modes might require the design and installation of various types of detection
mechanisms. Low-risk failure modes might require no immediate action.
Sample Criticality Matrix in Relex FMEA

FMEA Standards
FMEA standards provide general FMEA forms and documents, identify criteria for the
quantification of the risk associated with potential failures, and offer general guidelines
on the mechanics of completing FMEAs. Many different FMEA standards are available
to support the evaluation of hardware systems, process control systems, software, and
more. Some industries prefer certain FMEA standards. Aerospace and defense
companies generally use either the MIL-STD-1629 FMECA or SAE ARP5580 FMEA
standard. Automotive suppliers use the SAE J1739 standard or the Automotive Industry
Action Group (AIAG), DaimlerChrysler, Ford, or GM FMEA automotive standards.
Other industries typically adopt one of these standards, sometimes customizing it to
meet their own requirements. Relex FMEA supports all common FMEA standards and
provides for easily customizing them or combining them to meet your own unique
needs.

Summary
FMEAs are best begun during the conceptual design phase, long before specific
hardware information is available. Consequently, a functional FMEA is typically the
first type created. This is especially true for large, complex products or processes that
are more easily understood by function than by the details of their operation. Variations
in design complexity and data availability dictate not only the FMEA type but also the
level of detail at which data is collected and analyzed.

FMEAs for complex systems often include multiple approaches. For example, analysis
may begin with the creation of a functional FMEA. As the design process continues, an
interface FMEA may be created to examine interconnections between system elements.
Finally, analysis may progress to component FMEAs for some or all system assemblies.
With its ability to support multiple FMEAs in one System file, Relex FMEA allows you
to perform analysis for various portions of the system at whatever level is needed. When
FMEAs are begun early in the design phase and are maintained throughout the life of
the system, they become a diary of the design, documenting all changes that affect
system quality and reliability. For additional information about Relex FMEA, visit
www.relex.com/products/fmeafmeca.asp.