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Home » Articles » on Tools & Techniques » Inside FMEA

Inside FMEA

With the Inside FMEA series of articles, my intention is to bring to life the subject of FMEA, and provide value to readers from all levels of experience.

Whether you are new to FMEA, or an FMEA expert, it is my sincere desire that each and every person who reads Inside FMEA articles will discover new insights about FMEA, and experience improved success in FMEA applications.

The first article, called “Welcome to Inside FMEA”, will introduce the series, and provide a glimpse of what is to come.

Readers are encouraged to contact me with any questions about FMEA, or feedback on Inside FMEA articles. Questions, feedback, and ideas for future articles can be sent to carl.carlson@effectivefmeas.com. I will personally respond to all questions and feedback.

I’m excited to bring this new series to Accendo, and hope you enjoy reading the articles, as much as I enjoy writing them. As I say to readers of my book, "best wishes for effective FMEAs."


Carl S. Carlson

by Carl S. Carlson 2 Comments

Quality Objective 5: TEAM

Many ideas grow better when they are transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.  Oliver Wendell Holmes

In this article, I will outline how to evaluate an FMEA against the FMEA Quality Objective for FMEA Team. I’ll include relevant information from the chapter in the FMEA Preparation series called “Assembling the Correct FMEA Team.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA Tagged With: FMEA Quality Objectives

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

Quality Objective 4: Lessons Learned

Every failure is a lesson learned about your strategy. Thomas Edison

In this article, I will discuss how to evaluate an FMEA against the FMEA Quality Objective for Lessons Learned.

By definition, a “lesson” means “something learned by study or experience,” and “learn” means “to gain knowledge or understanding of by study, instruction or experience.”

What are Lessons Learned?

Lessons Learned are specific data from the field (or from manufacturing plant history in the case of Process FMEAs) that documents relevant information about failures, from which knowledge can be gained and used in support of future product programs. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA, on Tools & Techniques Tagged With: FMEA Quality Objectives

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

FMEA Quality Objective 3: Interfaces

A picture is worth a thousand words. An interface is worth a thousand pictures. Ben Shneiderman

In this article, I will outline how to evaluate an individual Design FMEA (DFMEA) against the FMEA Quality Objective for Interfaces. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA Tagged With: FMEA Quality Objectives

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

FMEA Quality Objective 2: SCOPE

“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” – Yogi Berra

As summarized in the first article in this series, “New Series – The Quality of FMEAs,” each month, I will write an article focusing on one of the 14 FMEA Quality Objectives. The intent is to provide insights and application tips for evaluating how well an FMEA meets the quality objectives. By learning to apply FMEA quality objectives, you can help to ensure that product designs and manufacturing processes are safe and reliable. If you didn’t read the introductory article, now is a good time to read it, since it explains FMEA Quality Objectives, and how they are used to create high-quality FMEAs.

In this article, I will outline how to evaluate an individual FMEA against the FMEA Quality Objective for Scope. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA, on Tools & Techniques Tagged With: FMEA Quality Objectives

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

FMEA Quality Objective 1: FMEA PLAN

Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning   Thomas Edison

As summarized in the first article in this series, “New Series – The Quality of FMEAs,” each month, I will write an article focusing on one of the 14 FMEA Quality Objectives. The intent is to provide insights and application tips for evaluating how well an FMEA meets the quality objectives. By learning to apply FMEA quality objectives, you can help to ensure that product designs and manufacturing processes are safe and reliable. If you didn’t read the introductory article, now is a good time to read it, since it explains FMEA Quality Objectives, and how they are used to create high-quality FMEAs.

In this article, I will outline how to evaluate an FMEA Plan against the FMEA Quality Objective for FMEA Plans.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA Tagged With: FMEA Quality Objectives

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

Principles of Effective Teaching – A Summary

“I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.” — Socrates

Reliability engineers, FMEA team leaders, and other quality and reliability professionals are often called upon to teach the principles of reliability or FMEA. If you want to convey knowledge to another person, you are teaching. If you want to learn from another person who is teaching, you will benefit from learning these principles.

What is effective teaching?

Effective teaching results in the target knowledge and skills being conveyed to the student, with each student having a working knowledge of the content, and able to apply the subject matter successfully. You have successfully taught a subject when students understand the material and have attained the ability to apply the skills for the subject being taught. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

New Series – The Quality of FMEAs

“Quality is not act.  It is a habit.”  – Aristotle

This month will begin a new series of articles on the quality of FMEAs, part of the Inside FMEAs series. The series will provide insights and application tips for evaluating how well an FMEA meets quality objectives. The intent is to create FMEAs that add value by accomplishing the objectives for FMEA, not filling out a form.

What is an FMEA Quality Objective?

We’ll begin with definitions from the Oxford English dictionary. “Quality” is defined as “the standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something.” “Objective” is “a thing aimed at or sought; a goal.”

Building from the above definitions, FMEA quality objectives are specific goals or aims that measure the degree of excellence of an FMEA. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA Tagged With: FMEA Quality Objectives

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

Key Teaching Principle # 11: Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!

As covered in the first article in this series, Principles of Effective Teaching, reliability engineers, FMEA team leaders, and other quality and reliability professionals are often called upon to teach the principles of reliability or FMEA. Whether you are a student who wants to enhance your learning experience, an instructor who wants to improve teaching results, or an engineer who wishes to convey knowledge to another person, this series will offer practical knowledge and advice.

“Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.”   Confucius

Like any task in life, it is essential that instructors prepare well for each course being taught.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA Tagged With: teaching

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

Key Teaching Principle # 10: Application

As covered in the first article in this series, Principles of Effective Teaching, reliability engineers, FMEA team leaders, and other quality and reliability professionals are often called upon to teach the principles of reliability or FMEA. Whether you are a student who wants to enhance your learning experience, an instructor who wants to improve teaching results, or an engineer who wishes to convey knowledge to another person, this series will offer practical knowledge and advice.

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.  Leonardo da Vinci

Key Teaching Principle # 10 compels the instructor to ensure that each and every student learns how to apply the material being taught, in a variety of realistic scenarios. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA Tagged With: teaching

by Carl S. Carlson 2 Comments

Understanding FMEA Compensating Provisions

Risk is a function of how poorly a strategy will perform if the “wrong” scenario occurs. Michael Porter

The use of Compensating Provisions in FMEA is a key part of many FMEA standards. Regardless of what FMEA standard you are using, everyone who aspires to doing FMEAs properly should understand the role of mitigating the risk of very high severity.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA Tagged With: FMEA

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

Key Teaching Principle # 9: Constructive Feedback

As covered in the first article in this series, Principles of Effective Teaching, reliability engineers, FMEA team leaders, and other quality and reliability professionals are often called upon to teach the principles of reliability or FMEA. Whether you are a student who wants to enhance your learning experience, an instructor who wants to improve teaching results, or an engineer who wishes to convey knowledge to another person, this series will offer practical knowledge and advice.

Provide constructive feedback to students

“True intuitive expertise is learned from prolonged experience with good feedback on mistakes”  Daniel Kahneman

Key Teaching Principle #9 is the instructor always answers questions in a meaningful way, and provides consistently positive critiques to students to enhance their learning. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA Tagged With: teaching

by Carl S. Carlson 2 Comments

Key Teaching Principle # 8: Pace of Teaching

As covered in the first article in this series, Principles of Effective Teaching, reliability engineers, FMEA team leaders, and other quality and reliability professionals are often called upon to teach the principles of reliability or FMEA. Whether you are a student who wants to enhance your learning experience, an instructor who wants to improve teaching results, or an engineer who wishes to convey knowledge to another person, this series will offer practical knowledge and advice.

Manage pace of teaching to optimize learning

“The way we spend our time defines who we are.”  Jonathan Estrin [Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA Tagged With: teaching

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

Key Teaching Principle # 7: Clarity

As covered in the first article in this series, Principles of Effective Teaching, reliability engineers, FMEA team leaders, and other quality and reliability professionals are often called upon to teach the principles of reliability or FMEA. Whether you are a student who wants to enhance your learning experience, an instructor who wants to improve teaching results, or an engineer who wishes to convey knowledge to another person, this series will offer practical knowledge and advice.

Speak with Clarity and Confidence

It isn’t about the words you say. It’s about the energetic message you send. Pete Carroll [Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA, on Tools & Techniques

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

Key Teaching Principle #6: Stories

As covered in the first article in this series, Principles of Effective Teaching, reliability engineers, FMEA team leaders, and other quality and reliability professionals are often called upon to teach the principles of reliability or FMEA. Whether you are a student who wants to enhance your learning experience, an instructor who wants to improve teaching results, or an engineer who wishes to convey knowledge to another person, this series will offer practical knowledge and advice.

Strengthen Your Message with Stories

The shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story.  Anthony de Mello

Key Teaching Principle #6 is the instructor uses stories and personal experiences to deepen learning.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA Tagged With: teaching

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment

Key Teaching Principle #5 Convey Interest and Passion

As covered in the first article in this series, Principles of Effective Teaching, reliability engineers, FMEA team leaders, and other quality and reliability professionals are often called upon to teach the principles of reliability or FMEA. Whether you are a student who wants to enhance your learning experience, an instructor who wants to improve teaching results, or an engineer who wishes to convey knowledge to another person, this series will offer practical knowledge and advice.

Conveying Interest and Passion When Teaching

“A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron.” Horace Mann

What is Interest and how does it enhance learning?

The definition of interest is “a feeling that accompanies or causes special attention to something or someone.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Articles, Inside FMEA Tagged With: teaching

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Articles by Carl Carlson
in the Inside FMEA series

Logo Info

Information about FMEA Icon

Inside FMEA can be visually represented by a large tree, with roots, a solid trunk, branches, and leaves.

- The roots of the tree represent the philosophy and guiding principles for effective FMEAs.
- The solid trunk of the tree represents the fundamentals for all FMEAs.
- The branches represent the various FMEA applications.
- The leaves represent the valuable outcomes of FMEAs.
- This is intended to convey that each of the various FMEA applications have the same fundamentals and philosophical roots.

 

For example, the roots of the tree can represent following philosophy and guiding principles for effective FMEAs, such as:

1. Correct procedure         2. Lessons learned
3. Trained team                 4. Focus on prevention
5. Integrated with DFR    6. Skilled facilitation
7. Management support

The tree trunk represents the fundamentals of FMEA. All types of FMEA share common fundamentals, and these are essential to successful FMEA applications.

The tree branches can include the different types of FMEAs, including:

1. System FMEA         2. Design FMEA
3. Process FMEA        4. DRBFM
5. Hazard Analysis     6. RCM or Maintenance FMEA
7. Software FMEA      8. Other types of FMEA

The leaves of the tree branches represent individual FMEA projects, with a wide variety of FMEA scopes and results.

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