"Your Guide for FMEA Information"
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Tips For Effective Design FMEAs
No one really wants to generate hundreds of pages of output when
generating a FMEA report and even if they did, few would ever read it or
make full use of all this information. Although some customers or
contracts may require you to perform a Failure Mode Effects Analysis
that covers every fine detail of your design, in most cases this would not
be the best use of your time. In fact, you could waste a lot of time on parts
of your system that have little or no effect on the overall functionality if
they failed, and your limited resources could have been better spent
looking at areas of your design that pose a much higher risk.
So, where is the best place to focus your time and energy when
performing a FMEA? While not everyone may agree, and there are
probably other things that could be added to the list, here are some good
areas to focus when performing a FMEA. Again, the goal is to not just do a
bunch of busy work and complete the task, but instead, to spend our
limited resources where we can get the biggest bang for the buck, and
influence our design so that it becomes much more robust.
generating a FMEA report and even if they did, few would ever read it or
make full use of all this information. Although some customers or
contracts may require you to perform a Failure Mode Effects Analysis
that covers every fine detail of your design, in most cases this would not
be the best use of your time. In fact, you could waste a lot of time on parts
of your system that have little or no effect on the overall functionality if
they failed, and your limited resources could have been better spent
looking at areas of your design that pose a much higher risk.
So, where is the best place to focus your time and energy when
performing a FMEA? While not everyone may agree, and there are
probably other things that could be added to the list, here are some good
areas to focus when performing a FMEA. Again, the goal is to not just do a
bunch of busy work and complete the task, but instead, to spend our
limited resources where we can get the biggest bang for the buck, and
influence our design so that it becomes much more robust.
Good Areas to Focus When Performing a FMEA
- New hardware or functionality should be analyzed.
- Look at any modifications to your existing design.
- Any equipment that is being used for a different purpose or in a
different environment than it was originally intended (e.g. a new
application of existing technology).
- A brand new design or new technology.
- Anything with a history of significant field problems.
- Wherever there may be safety concerns.
As a general rule, a great question to ask your designers, system engineers
or other members of the team: "What concerns you most about the
design?" Listen to the answers and then make sure that your FMEA effort
covers these areas. The bottom-line is that FMEAs or FMECAs cost time
and money and your limited resources should be focused where you
anticipate the highest risk.
or other members of the team: "What concerns you most about the
design?" Listen to the answers and then make sure that your FMEA effort
covers these areas. The bottom-line is that FMEAs or FMECAs cost time
and money and your limited resources should be focused where you
anticipate the highest risk.
FMEA Home
What is FMEA?
How FMEA is Done
Types of FMEA
Benefits of FMEA
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FMEA Examples
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FMEA RPN
What is FMEA?
How FMEA is Done
Types of FMEA
Benefits of FMEA
FMEA Books
FMEA Software
FMEA Examples
Other Resources
FMEA RPN
