Failure Modes Effects Analysis or FMEA tool is a powerful method for understanding potential issues and problems to processes, before they happen. Think of it as being a forecasting tool, to allow the team using it, to design quality and safety into a product and process, by eliminating the possible problems that could happen, before they happen!
It has been used extensively in safety critical industries like aerospace businesses, and has become popular in the automotive industry due to the same requirements.
The benefits of an effective and systematic use of the FMEA tool are vast. Notwithstanding the obvious benefits above, FMEAs can create smooth production processes first time, reduced development costs, increased profit margins in production and the ability to successfully win more business, supplying competitive and long lasting product.Additional benefits are:
– Minimize product failures
– Early risk identification
– Track process improvements
– Documented evaluation
– Develop efficient test plans
The FMEA tool is a means of identifying failures before they happen by providing a ‘check list’ procedure that is built around three key questions.
1. What is the likelihood that failure will occur?
2. What would the consequence of that failure be?
3. How likely is such a failure to be detected before it affects the customer?
You can use an FMEA tool template by clicking here. There are numbered steps at the top of each column, which guides you through the typical sequence of completing a Failure Mode Affects Analysis.