The Case for Generic FMEAs and Strategies for using them in XFMEA

One of the primary strengths of this approach is that you can see all possible previously used or configured options, and then select the ones that are most appropriate for the current design. Since you can select and add many options at once, this can significantly speed up the pre-population step for FMEA preparation/facilitation.

Reference projects

 

The ability to link and manage FMEA analyses from reference projects allows companies with multiple design FMEAs of similar systems to control common subsystem and component level FMEAs from one centralized location. You can then reuse these FMEAs in as many active projects as necessary. Additionally, you can use this approach of defining once and reusing in many places in other approaches where you can assemble FMEAs in a much more modular or process-driven environment.

When linking from a reference project, the entire common FMEA is re-used in the new location, and you can also add unique local FMEAs for any applications or functions that vary from the common FMEA. Due to the limitation of reusing each analysis in whole, you need to strategically approach how you structure these analyses. There are two primary methods for doing this.

1. Define the generic function-failure-effect-cause-control chains so as to only capture those functions and following definitions that can apply across the intended range of reuse.
2. Break down function-chains into a much more modular approach, where you have multiple analyses to pull from to assemble any given FMEA. For example, you could break them down where one level contains common design requirements, and then have different platform applications based on usage criteria, material specifications, environmental considerations or adherence to specific standards.
   
   

Either of these approaches will still require evaluation from the team post-assembly or reuse to consider whether there are additional FMEA records that the team is required to address or where concerns remain. In this case, XFMEA offers multiple methods of resolution. You can add a local analysis to the item where you have the FMEA. This method allows the team to define additional concerns while still maintaining an active link to the reference project source. Alternatively, the team can break the link to the originating reference material, thus allowing the team to modify the information as they would any other standard FMEA approach. Figure 2 shows an item with both a local FMEA and a linked FMEA from a reference project.

Figure 2. Item with Local FMEA and Reference FMEA
 

As stated above, there are many methods that you can follow to appropriately reuse information to help guide your FMEA process and allow your team to focus on where the identified risk is and, with minimal vetting effort, help to develop a strategy for a design process that continuously improves itself with every new generation of FMEA.

Restore points

 

The concept behind using restore points is to reduce your system configuration, and each FMEA within your system, down to the basic requirements and common approaches, and then use that as your starting point for your next revision. This requires maintaining and updating the baseline after each completed FMEA. However, it also has the strength of completely carrying over your system configuration (BOM) as well as common requirements, functions, failure modes and beyond.

Import methods

 

There are a myriad of ways to import information into XFMEA to reuse, or utilize information that is either inside the repository, coming from another ReliaSoft software product, or from external sources. In this way you can use existing Excel documents, prior XFMEA projects or external databases as potential starting points. The internal reuse from within XFMEA grants you the most flexibility, with methods to pull in selected hierarchy items and/or portions of, or entire FMEA analyses, along with filtering criteria, and search features. Additionally, you can import the BOM and reliability data from a prediction completed in ReliaSoft Lambda Predict or build from the systems that are represented in ReliaSoft XFRACAS. Figure 3 shows two ways of importing data from other projects from within XFMEA.

Figure 3. Import Examples

As stated above, there are many methods that you can follow to appropriately reuse information to help guide your FMEA process and allow your team to focus on where the identified risk is and, with minimal vetting effort, help to develop a strategy for a design process that continuously improves itself with every new generation of FMEA.