Fourth Edition Changes Summary Fourth edition released in June 2008 An index is included.

Glossary removed Reinforcement of the need for management support, interest, and review of the FMEA process and results. Define and strengthen the understanding of the linkage between DFMEA and PFMEA as well as defining the linkages to other tools. Revisions to the Severity, Occurrence, Detection ranking tables so that they are more meaningful to real world analysis and usage The suggestion that RPN not be used as the primary means for assessing risk. The use of thresholds on RPN is clarified as a practice that is not recommended. Alternative methods to RPN are introduced that are currently being applied in industry like SO/SOD/SD Additional appendices which have example forms and special case application of FMEA. The focus on the "standard form" has been replaced with several options that represent the current application of FMEA in industry. RPN levels- They don't want a 'set rpn level' to drive improvement [ex.: everything over 100 rpn requires improvement]. But RPN still matters. RPN = Sev X Occ x Det. They've also stated to try to use other methods to drive improvement. Other methods are Sev x Occ, or Sev x Det. Some automotives already have "rpn" levels for these SO-SD ratings in their specific requirements. Occurrence ratings- In light of this AIAG 'bumped up' all the occurrence requirements at least one level: 7 to 10 is still the same; but, 1 to 6 is changed. Before #6 Occ was 5pcs. in 1000; now, in the 4thEd. it is 2pcs. in 1000 (this is a change from 5000ppm to 2000ppm). This rate killing continues through the rest of the levels to #1, where failure is eliminated, not even 1ppm. I don't think they want 1's to mean anything. Aside- In every new edition of the fmea manual they have altered the ratings tables, supposedly for clarity??? The 4th Edition is no exception. Ratings continue to be redefined so they are harder to meet. We'll spend months re-defining our ratings and figuring out how to update our 200+ older version active fmea's to meet the living document clause. DFMEA linkage- 4th Ed. Linkage to the dfmea may mean that severity from the dfmea has to carry over to that item on the pfmea. We've seen too many customer dfmea's where every single item had severity of 7 or 8; now, we'll have to carry their severity over to the pfmea even though the rating is way out of line. Customer SQE's and SRE's will have a field day auditing the 4th Edition fmea's.