FMEA, or FMEA for its acronym in English, is an effective methodology that helps us to predict the ways in which a design or process can fail, and analyze their consequential effects. It is very useful in the design of a new product or service, or to examine the impact of changes in a process/product existing.

What is the Modal Analysis of Failures and Effects?

The Modal Analysis of Failures and Effects FMEA is a structured methodology that allows you to identify potential errors of a design or of the manufacturing process of a  product or service, in order to establish and apply the necessary corrections.

FMEA is an effective tool to evaluate the reliability of a product/system and to quantify and reduce the risk associated to each point of potential failure is detected.

It is a method that complements the good engineering practice, because:

• Analyzes the failure modes, that is to say, it analyses the different ways in which a product or process, you can file a problem that affects its performance or efficiency. For example, the design error in a software or a deficiency in the raw material.
• Analyzes the effects, that is to say, it analyzes the consequences or problems that can generate each failure mode. For example, the cost of a product, the waste within a process and / or damage that may result to a client.

Category or types of FMEA

TO a large scale, the method of FMEA can be of two types:

FMEA design

FMEA design, or Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis DFMEA, examines the likelihood that a product presents a poor performance, reduced their life span or may present safety problems, due to:

– The geometry of the design.

– The properties of materials.

– The ranges of tolerance.

– The involvement of an environment.

– The interaction with other systems or components, etc

DFMEA can be used to evaluate a new design, an existing design that we apply or changes an existing design that you need to change cycle, or work environment.

FMEA process

FMEA, process, or Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis PFMEA allows us to evaluate each phase of the process, with the aim of identifying failures and the potential risks that can cause decrease in the reliability, safety issues, hazards, the environment, etc Normally, these shortcomings have their origin in:

– human error.

– The errors in the methodology.

– The problems in the machinery or materials.

– The errors of measurement, among other causes.

Steps to developing a FMEA

A Modal Analysis of Failures and Effects must be designed with specific details, according to the standards of the company or industry that apply. But in a general way, a procedure of FMEA involves the following steps:

INITIAL STAGE:

• Forming a multidisciplinary team, with specialized professionals with experience in the design process of the product/service, manufacturing, quality control, maintenance, sales, customer service, marketing, etc
• Establish the objectives and scope of the FMEA. Detailed and using flow diagrams.
• Identify the product.
• Detail the operation of the product, its uses and its components.
• To identify the fault (possible and actual). This is done on the basis of the collection of information and the experience of the team members.
• Design a block diagram, which allow them to visualize the components, their functions, and interrelationships.

ANALYSIS PHASE:

• Develop the matrix FMEA for each component and function.
• Include each function, each failure mode and its corresponding effect. You should consider the severity of each effect.
• To analyze the effects of each failure mode.
• To determine the level of risk. Calculating the number priority of risk of each error, on the basis of the severity (S), the probability of occurrence (O) and the tests or criteria for detection (D) of the same.
• To define the consequences or effects of each deficiency.
• Establishing the necessary correction and prevention controls to implement.

LATER STAGE of THE ANALYSIS: should I run the corrective actions.

CONTINUOUS OPTIMIZATION: analysis FMEA should be performed periodically to the increase of the quality.

What are the benefits of using the matrix FMEA?

Apply the methodology of FMEA facilitates the early detection of failures in the design or manufacturing process of a product, which in turn offers the following benefits for the industries:

– Reduce the cost and time of development of the products, services or processes.

– Prevent unplanned shutdowns of the process, thereby avoiding the associated costs and loss of performance.

– To avoid the wrong operation of the product, which also prevents dissatisfied customers and the consequent claims.

– Improve existing products, increasing its competitiveness in comparison to other products.

– Detect various options to reduce the risks.

– Verify and validate the changes in the design or process.

When carrying out the FMEA?

The Modal Analysis of Failures and Effects is carried out, mainly, in the following cases:

– In the design of a new process or product.

– To make changes to an existing process.

– To increase the quality of a process or product.

– To understand the failures or problems in a process.

In addition, recall that the reliability and quality of a product, a service, or an operational process should be examined and optimized continuously. Therefore, it is very useful to perform the FMEA on a regular basis.

Some applications of FMEA

The Modal Analysis of Failures and Effects is one of the most used methods to mitigate the risk and increase the reliability of the processes. It is widely used in the aerospace, automotive, electrical and computer

Between the application of FMEA is the analysis of:

– The systems and software, evaluating each of its functionality and detecting any errors in their designs.

– Equipment and machinery, with the aim of increasing their quality.

– The design of products, before developing the prototype or to start the production.

– The processes of manufacture and assembly.

– The processes of services and each of its stages, before they are put in place and available to the client.

Nucleonova, engineering, sourcing and quality

In Nucleonova we have a team of engineers and qualified technicians with extensive experience to help you and give you response in each of the phases of the project.

We performed a comprehensive management, from conceptual design and detail engineering up to the coordination and supervision of works. We produce the documentation and the technical studies needed in assessments such as the improvement of processes or the Modal Analysis of Failures and Effects FMEA.

In Nucleonova we will help you to analyze and foster the development of your project, product or process. If you want more information, please contact us, we can give you the solution you need.