Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) is a systematic and structured methodology used to identify potential failure modes of a system or product from the bottom up and analyze their impact and criticality. FMECA is an expansion of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) methodology that includes criticality assessment.
FMECA includes the following steps:
1. Identifying Failure Modes: The first step is to identify potential failure modes of the system or product. A failure mode is when a component or system fails to perform its intended function in accordance with expected performance requirements.
2. Defining Fault Effects: After the failure modes are determined, the effects or consequences of each failure mode are determined. This includes understanding the impact of each failure mode on the performance, functionality, safety, reliability or other aspects of the system or product.
3. Assigning Severity Levels: Each fault type is assigned a severity level based on the potential impact of its impact. This is usually done on a numerical scale or with a qualitative description and is used to prioritize the importance of different failure modes and determine which modes are acceptable and which are not.
4. Analysis of Causes of Fault: The causes of each failure mode are analyzed and the underlying causes are determined. This includes examining factors such as design errors, manufacturing defects, environmental conditions or human errors. Root causes are identified to guide corrective and preventive measures.
5. Determining Failure Mode Probability: The probability of occurrence of each failure mode is evaluated. Factors such as historical data, expert opinions or reliability estimates can be used to determine the probability of occurrence.
6. Evaluation of Detectability: The ability of each failure mode to be detected or identified before it causes undesirable consequences is evaluated. This includes detection methods, monitoring systems, inspection or testing that can effectively detect or prevent failure mode.
7. Criticality Calculation: Criticality is determined by evaluating the severity level, probability of occurrence and detection ability together. This provides a quantitative or qualitative measure of the risk associated with each failure mode. The higher the criticality, the greater the importance and priority for the failure mode. It is important that the criticality assessment is carried out in accordance with the criteria of the relevant standards / customer / manufacturer company.
FMECA helps organizations identify potential types of failures of the system/product, understand their impact, and prioritize measures to mitigate risks and improve the reliability, safety, and performance of the system or product. This analysis method is widely used in various industries such as aerospace, automotive, defense, healthcare, manufacturing and engineering.