Risk management through Failure Mode Effects Analysis

Lately, we are being increasingly confronted with Failure Mode Effect Analysis (also known as FMEAs). An FMEA is a system for analysing the design of a product or system, for the purpose of identifying potential product or system errors and then taking steps to prevent these (i.e. risk management).

Identifying failure

All FMEA processes start with identifying “failure modes”, so the way in which a product/process code fails. For us in the springs industry, these “failure modes” come down to identifying the effect of when a spring breaks or simply stops working over time.

FMEA was a fairly new concept for Alcomex, but now that we are becoming increasingly involved in making customer-specific springs and thinking with the customer about a system solution, it is becoming ever more important. That is why FMEA has become increasingly central within Alcomex and Alcomex has mastered the “language” of FMEA. This enables Alcomex to better determine Risk Priority Numbers (RPN) within spring projects.

RPN = (Severity) x (Frequency of occurrence) x (Likelihood of detection)

  • Severity: How severe is the failure?
  • Frequency of occurrence: How often can this occur?
  • Likelihood of detection: How likely is it that they are noticed when they occur?

Advising customers regarding their spring solution

BY performing an FMEA, we show customers which failures/errors have the greatest impact on the design, which are unlikely to be identified and what Alcomex can offer as a solution for prevention.

The engineers within the Technology department of Alcomex describe FMEA projects as “super fun to do”. It allows them to dive very deep into the technology, whereby broad professional knowledge and expertise are crucial. Of course, we want to keep things clear at the core, which is why we focus on KISS (keep it stupid simple).