FMECA
FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis) and FMECA (Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis) are methods used to identify, describe and examine potential failures in a system/product or process. The FMECA uses also quantitative descriptions of likelihood and consequences for the different failure modes in order to determine the criticality quantitatively.
FMEA or FMECA is preferentially performed on technical systems in the design phase. The purpose of the analysis is to identify parts or characteristics of the system, which should be improved in order to meet predefined requirements to safety or reliability.
It is important to find a suitable level for the analysis. The level should depend on the objective of the FMECA/FMEA and the available technical documentation. Standard forms are often used to document the analysis.
Scandpower has extensive experience with FMEA/FMECA analyses and can provide this service for most technical systems as well as software.
Typical systems are:
- Process systems
- Hydraulic systems
- Pneumatic systems
- Electronic and electrical systems
- Mechanical systems
- Combined systems
Advantages:
- Increased safety and/or reliability
- Avoid time and cost consuming design changes at a late stage in the development
FMECA/FMEA is useful mostly as a survey method to identify effects of major failure modes in a system. It is also often used to prepare for other analyses like the Fault Tree Analysis or the RAM Analysis, which analyse more complex failure modes involving multiple failures, process flows or subsystems.
See www.riskspectrum.com also.