Application of FMEA for Root Cause Analysis

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is one of the most effective analytic tools (methodology) to identify Potential Factors in a system, which is:

Product or Design – to achieve the desired Quality
Work System – Process Safety and Operational Efficiency
Machine – Equipment Reliability and Maintainability, as well as Life Cycle Costs

FMEA was born as a tool to identify Potential Failure and help to improve the system – such as Processes, Equipment, and Products in the Design Phase, which we will call 1st Look FMEA.

On the other hand, applying FMEA for Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a tool for analyzing Possible Causes and also helps to improve the existing (current) system—2nd Look FMEA.

Two types of Failures

Analytical Approach

2nd Look Process FMEA Worksheet

Step 0 Team Organization (3-5 Cross-Functional Team Members)
Step 1 List of All Components of the System – Reliability Functional Block Diagram
- Visualize Process Functional Flow & Structure (by Component Level)
Step 2 Analyze Potential Failure Mode – Deviation from Required Conditions & Verify Failure Mode (Deviation)
Step 3 Analyze the effects of the system Relationship Between Quality Defect and Failure Mode
Step 4 Evaluate “Severity Rating” (1 – 10 pts)
Step 5 Analyze (Potential) Causes of Failure Mode (Deviation)
Step 6 Evaluate “Occurrence Rating” (1 – 10 pts) by Loss Tree (Daily Production Record)
Step 7 Review the Current Control System. Investigate the Current Maintenance Level
Step 8 Evaluate “Detection Rating” (1 – 10 pts)
Step 9 Calculate Risk Priority Number (RPN)
- RPN=Verification Criteria x Severity Rating x Occurrence Rating x Detection Rating
Step 10 Create Actions for High-Risk Failure Mode
Step 11 Assign Who & by When taking Actions & Record Countermeasures by M-P Record
Step 12 Evaluate Actions for Reducing Risk of Failure Mode Summarize the Results