DESIGN FAILURE

MODE EFFECTS
ANALYSIS
(DFMEA)

Capstone
A CRITICAL QUESTION

Engine or Axle?

•What happens if engine stop working?

•What happens if axle break?

•Which one is more dangerous?

DESIGN FAILURE MODE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
(DFMEA)

PURPOSE OF DFMEA

 Identify, quantify, and reduce design risk

(especially for critical systems)
 Provide a traceable document for making design decisions
 Prioritize which design activities to pursue next
 NOTE: A DFMEA is not a one meeting activity
(It needs to evolve with the product)
 DFMEA INPUTS
• Product Design Requirements
• List of Specifications
• Legal and technical regulations

• Bill of Materials (BOM) and Specific Hardware

• List of components
• Components and/or samples as supplied by the customer

• Product Definition
• Drawings, sketches, animations, and simulations
• Description of systems and components

• Previous Experience
• Experience with similar concepts, designs, and DFMEA
• Customer and supplier inputs
• Design guides and design standards (for example ASME codes)
DFMEA OUTPUTS

• Risk Priority Number (RPN)

• RPN = (Severity) x (Occurrence)
• Systems/components with high RPNs represent high risk items.

• Select/Define Remedial Actions based on design risk

(where to focus additional development/implementation work)
DFMEA METHODOLOGY

(1) List components, subsystems, and/or functions

 Start with the system, then subsystems, and finally components

(2) Document symptoms of failure

 How could the design potentially fail to meet the design intent
 Consider all types of failure (normal operation, start up, shut down,
maintenance, user experience)

(3) Document the potential effects of failure

 How would the design potentially fail to meet the design intent.
 Some symptoms may have multiple effects (make an entry for each)
 DFMEA METHODOLOGY: (CONTINUED)

(4) Document potential causes and mechanisms of failure

• Failure causes and mechanisms are an indication of design weaknesses
• Potential failure modes are the consequences of the failure causes
• A single failure mode may have multiple failure mechanisms
• Don’t be afraid to identify as many potential causes as you can

(5) Rate the severity of the failure effect (linked to the effects)
4 = Catastrophic – failure causes substantial damage to the product itself
or related items (including people), requiring remanufacturing
3 = Critical – failure causes significant damage to the product itself or
related items, requiring repair of existing components
2 = Marginal – failure causes some damage to the product itself or related
items, but limited operation is still possible
1= Negligible – failure causes no significant damage but could be a
nuisance to the operator/user
 DFMEA METHODOLOGY: (CONTINUED)

(6) Rate the occurrence of the failure

5 = Very Probable – observed every time
4 = Probable – observed most times
3 = Occasional – observed multiple times during the project
2 = Remote – observed once or twice during the project
1 = Improbable – could be predicted to occur after hand-off

(7) Calculate the RPN of each potential failure effect

• RPN = (Severity) x (Occurrence)
• What are the highest RPN items?

(8) Classify failures by RPN

(9) Select and describe remedial actions

• These could be design changes, tests, or revised operation procedures
 DFMEA METHODOLOGY: (CONTINUED)

(10) Assign remedial actions

(11) Reassess severity/occurrence of anticipated failures

and update RPN values

Notes:
Revise your DFMEA frequently!
Make your DFMEA an ongoing instructor/team meeting item.
Document your design changes and the rationale behind them.