Your Reliability Engineering Professional Development Site
One of the more important topics in the FMEA body of knowledge is how to audit the effectiveness of FMEAs. Performing FMEAs properly and to a high quality standard is essential to obtaining the best possible results. This FMEA Q and A goes to the heart of FMEA effectiveness audits.
“Without a good question, a good answer has no place to go.”
Clayton Christensen
Carl and Fred discussing the organization of the reliability activity and the benefits and shortcomings of locating reliability in different departments.
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Carl and Fred discuss the subject of DFR from the long-term point of view. An effective DFR program takes time, and cannot be done with shortcuts. However, it is very much worth the effort.
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In this article, we use problems and solutions to learn about FMEA controls. In the intermediate problem, we continue examining the door latch-pin failure of the DC-10 cargo door, as an example to identify FMEA controls. In the advanced problem, we analyze a fictitious FMEA relating to potential safety of someone trying to unjam a snowblower.
A common error in FMEA procedure is to make entries in the Controls column that the FMEA team believes need to be done, but are not currently planned or in place. Why is this error so prevalent? Maybe the question should be why do we limit entries into the prevention or detection control column to actions or methods that are currently planned or in place?
“Never mind your mistakes. One day they will become your most prized possessions.”
Abhijit Naskar
Is it a good idea to do one generic FMEA for wiring harnesses, and use it as a reference for other FMEAs for similar applications? What about interfaces? These questions are discussed and answered in this FMEA Q and A article.
“We live in the world our questions create.”
David Cooperrider
The DC-10 case study continues by asking for causes to the door latch-pin failure. The advanced problem poses a realistic and especially challenging circumstance that FMEA teams can experience.
“Judge a man by his questions, not his answers.” Voltaire
Carl and Fred discussing the subject of error proofing and how it can be used to make robust designs and manufacturing processes.
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Does a cause description need to be a design or manufacturing deficiency? Why? This is one of the more important questions to consider if you want to achieve quality FMEAs.
“The effort to get at the truth has to precede all other efforts.”
Albert Einstein
Carl and Fred discussing the underlying philosophy of Design for Reliability (DFR) and identifying the essence and scope of DFR.
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In this Q and A article, a reader asks a challenging question about the linkage between FMEA boundary diagrams and Design FMEAs. There are many linkages between different elements of FMEAs, and this question/answer highlights one of the key linkages.
“In all affairs, it’s a healthy thing to hang a question mark on the thing you have long taken for granted.”
Bertrand Russell
Can you identify the effect of the door latch-pin failure in this case study? The loss of the aft cargo door on the American Airlines DC-10 aircraft will be the focus of this Problems and Solutions article. This real-life case study is being used to practice identifying FMEA elements.
Why do you think FMEA procedure requires effects to be taken to the system or end user? Why not describe the consequence only at the local level. If a bolt in a complex system fails, the parts that the bolt was clamping together may come apart. Isn’t that enough?
“Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences.”
Norman Cousins
Carl and Fred discussing the role of passion in everything you do. Tapping into your personal passions when presenting or communicating connects with people and helps get your message across.
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In this Q and A article, a reader asks an interesting question about whether or not to update a System FMEA, when making subsequent changes to lower-level items. This is an excellent question, and shows the reader has good insight into the application of FMEA.
“Judge a man by his questions, not his answers.”
Voltaire