FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) is a systematic, proactive quality tool used to identify potential failure modes in a product or process, assess the severity of their consequences, evaluate the effectiveness of current controls, and determine areas that require priority improvement.
The way in which a product or process could potentially fail — "what could go wrong"
The consequences of a failure mode on the system, subsystem, or end user
Systematically evaluating risks and determining priorities for improvement actions
| Type | Full Name | Focus Area | Application Phase | Primary Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFMEA | Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis | Product design reliability and safety | Product design and development | Design Engineer |
| PFMEA | Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis | Manufacturing process capability and consistency | Process design and development | Manufacturing Engineer |
| MFMEA | Machinery/Equipment FMEA | Equipment reliability and maintainability | Equipment design/procurement | Equipment Engineer |
| SFMEA | System FMEA | System-level functional safety | System design phase | System Engineer |
FMEA is a critical output within the five phases of APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning):
Jointly published by the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) and the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA). Introduces the 7-step method and Action Priority (AP) concept, replacing the traditional RPN ranking approach. This is currently the most authoritative FMEA reference for the automotive industry.
The automotive industry quality management system standard published by the International Automotive Task Force. Section 8.3.5.2 explicitly requires organizations to apply FMEA methodology in product and process design.
An FMEA recommended practice guide published by SAE International, providing detailed guidance and scoring criteria references for Design and Process FMEA.
An international standard for FMEA/FMECA published by the International Electrotechnical Commission, applicable to all industries. Provides a general framework and guidelines for the methodology.
Effective FMEA requires cross-functional team collaboration:
Organizes and facilitates FMEA activities
Provides design intent and technical information
Provides process capability and experience
Provides field failure data and analysis