Skip to main content

Creating Advanced FMEA

Step-by-step guide to create your first AIAG/VDA-compliant FMEA analysis.

Step 1: Enable Advanced Mode​

  1. Open your project
  2. Navigate to FMEA Workspace
  3. Toggle "Advanced Mode" switch at the top
  4. Click "New Analysis" button

Step 2: Choose FMEA Type​

Select the appropriate type for your analysis:

DFMEA - For design-level failures

  • Battery system not charging
  • Software module crashing
  • Component mechanical failure

PFMEA - For process/manufacturing failures

  • Welding incomplete
  • Paint not adhering
  • Assembly in wrong order

FMEA-MSR - For monitoring & response

  • Sensor failure detection
  • Failsafe activation
  • Alarm triggering

Step 3: Fill Analysis Details​

For DFMEA:​

Component Name: Battery Management System
Design Intent: Safely manage charging/discharging of Li-ion battery
Interface Description: Connects to battery pack (400V DC), vehicle CAN bus
Responsible Engineer: Jane Smith

For PFMEA:​

Process Name: Welding Station 3
Process Step: Spot weld battery tabs to terminals
Process Function: Create electrical connection between cells
Equipment Used: Resistance spot welder Model XYZ-500
Responsible Engineer: John Doe

For FMEA-MSR:​

Component Name: Collision Detection System
Monitoring Methods: Front radar, 3 cameras, ultrasonic sensors
System Response: Emergency braking, driver alert, hazard lights

Step 4: Add Failure Modes​

Click "Add Failure Mode" and fill in:

Required Fields:​

  • Failure Mode: How can it fail? (e.g., "Overcharging")
  • Severity (S): 1-10 scale (1=no effect, 10=catastrophic)
  • Occurrence (O): 1-10 scale (1=extremely unlikely, 10=almost certain)
  • Detection (D): 1-10 scale (1=almost certain detection, 10=cannot be detected)
  • Effects: What happens if failure occurs?
  • Causes: Why might this failure happen?
  • Current Controls: What prevents it now?
  • Recommended Actions: What should be done?

Example:​

Failure Mode: Battery cell overheats during charging
Effects: Thermal runaway, potential fire
Severity: 10 (catastrophic - safety hazard)

Causes:
- Charging rate too high
- Cooling system failure
- Defective cell
Occurrence: 3 (rare with current controls)

Current Controls:
- Temperature sensors every 5cm
- Current limiting firmware
- Thermal fuses
Detection: 2 (almost certain to detect via sensors)

→ Action Priority: HIGH (S=10)
→ RPN: 60
Action Priority Calculated Automatically

You don't set Action Priority - it's calculated from S/O/D per AIAG/VDA rules.

Step 5: Add Action Items (Optional)​

For High Priority failure modes, add specific actions:

  1. Click "Add Action" on the failure mode card

  2. Fill in:

    • Action Description: "Install redundant temperature sensor"
    • Assigned To: "Hardware Team"
    • Due Date: 2024-12-31
    • Priority: Critical

  3. Track progress:

    • Status: Pending → In Progress → Completed
    • Verification method
    • Effectiveness rating (1-5)

Step 6: Review Analytics​

Switch to the Analytics tabs:

Risk Heatmap​

Visual grid showing Severity × Occurrence distribution

  • Red zones: Multiple high-severity failures
  • Green zones: Low-risk areas
  • Click cells to see failure modes

Timeline showing how RPN changes over time

  • Track improvement from actions taken
  • Identify worsening trends
  • See which actions were most effective

Tips for Effective FMEA​

Severity Guidelines​

  • 9-10: Safety hazard, regulatory violation, loss of primary function
  • 7-8: Customer dissatisfaction, loss of secondary function
  • 4-6: Inconvenience, minor performance impact
  • 1-3: No noticeable effect

Occurrence Guidelines​

  • 10: Failure almost certain (>1 in 2)
  • 7-9: High (1 in 3 to 1 in 8)
  • 4-6: Moderate (1 in 80 to 1 in 400)
  • 2-3: Low (1 in 2,000 to 1 in 15,000)
  • 1: Remote (< 1 in 1,500,000)

Detection Guidelines​

  • 10: Cannot be detected
  • 7-9: Very low chance of detection
  • 4-6: Moderate chance of detection
  • 2-3: High chance of detection
  • 1: Almost certain to detect

Common Questions​

Q: Can I convert Simple FMEA to Advanced? A: Not automatically, but you can copy data manually. Advanced FMEA has different structure.

Q: Why is my Action Priority different from expected? A: AP follows strict AIAG/VDA rules. High Severity (≥9) always = High Priority regardless of O/D.

Q: Can I link FMEA to Requirements? A: Yes! Select a requirement when creating the analysis, or link Structure Elements to specific requirements.

Q: How do I export for audits? A: Use the Export button to download Excel format compatible with AIAG templates.

Next Steps​