Page 190 - DMGT524_TOTAL_QUALITY_MANAGEMENT

Unit 12: Failure Mode and Effect Analysis

Begun in the 1940s by the U.S. military, FMEA was further developed by the aerospace and Notes
automotive industries.

Cause and Effect analysis is carried out by the employees of the organization.
The FMEA methodology is a team effort where the responsible engineer involves people
from assembly, manufacturing, materials, quality, service, and other functional areas.

The purpose of FMEA document is to allow all involved engineers to have access to
other’s thoughts and to design manufacture using collective group thoughts, which
promotes team work.

Quite often, the wrong people perform the FMEA. The quality department ends up
developing the documents rather than making design engineers responsible for design
FMEAs and operating personnel responsible for process FMEAs.
FMEA is designed to assist the engineer improve the quality and reliability of design.
Taguchi Methods utilise two-, three-, and mixed-level fractional factorial designs.

12.8 Keywords

Cause and Effect Diagram: A graphical statistical technique used to tie multiple possible causes
to a significant effect that is generally causing a problem is known as a cause and effect diagram.
Cross Functional Teams: Cross functional teams are the teams of employees representing
different functional disciplines and/or different process segments who tackle a specific problem
or perform a specific task, frequently on an ad hoc basis.

Design Engineers: Design engineer is a person or firm responsible for designing a project.
Effect Analysis: Effects analysis refers to studying the consequences of those failures.
Factorial Designs: An experimental design in which two or more independent variables are
simultaneously manipulated is known as a factorial design. This design permits an analysis of
the main effects of the independent variables separately, plus the interaction effects of these
variables.

Failure Mode and Effect Analysis: A technique to find the weaknesses in designs before the
design is realized, either in prototype or production is known as failure mode and effect analysis.
Failure Mode: Manner in which an equipment or machine failure can occur is called as failure
mode.
Risk Priority Number: In Failure Mode Effects Analysis, the aggregate score of a failure mode
including its severity, frequency of occurrence, and ability to be detected is referred to as risk
priority number.

12.9 Review Questions

1. Explain the meaning of FMEA.
2. Discuss the relationship of cause, failure mode and effect with the help of a suitable
diagram.

3. Explain FMEA process with the help of a fishbone diagram.
4. Briefly explain the different stages of FMEA.
5. What are the various benefits of FMEA?

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