ABSTRACT

FMEA and fault tree analysis (FTA) are the two techniques most oen used to identify critical process parameters or steps. Of the two, FMEA is by far the more frequently used technique. A team of individuals familiar with the process being analyzed should be assembled to perform the FMEA. Each step from a process tree, ow chart, or process map is analyzed for potential failures. Table 22.1 shows a standard FMEA form. Steps in completing a FMEA include:

1. Identify all of the potential failure modes-ways in which a process could fail-for each process step. Each process step could, and usually does, have several failure modes.