FTA-DFMEA Approach in the Management
FTA-DFMEA is an approach aimed at customization of environments. Importantly, it provides varied methods to enhance product configuration. In that matter, customers seek high-quality products that cost little while manufacturers try to minimize production expenses to retain clients, though, gaining profit. FTA-DFMEA ensures methods to address both customers’ and producers’ requirements.
FTA is an organized graphical system, which displays the conditions and factors that may cause an undesired event. The system has a form that can be analyzed and, if necessary, be reconstructed to facilitate easier identification. Notably, in the construction of this system, the events resulting from all the possible causes should be included to be able to provide an approach that is the most valid. Such causes should include the effects of environmental conditions or other occurrences that may influence a specific element (including those events, the occurrence of which is possible in the process, even if they were not identified initially). FTA can be effectively used to:
- Display the logic that results in an undesirable occurrence (system failure);
- Demonstrate suitability for the conditions of reliability;
- Rank the participants leading to the system failure;
- Produce important equipment;
- Track the indicators of the condition of complex systems;
- Cut down and make effective use of the resources;
- As a diagnostic tool to identify and correct the causes of system failure.
In general, the FTA analysis method of compound systems allows analyzing the undesirable system status through the sequence assessment of downstream events that lead to the failure of the entire system. This analysis is important because it is a means of identifying ways to reduce the risks or determining the frequency of system failure.
DFMEA is an analysis of the types, causes, and consequences of failures. It allows breaking down the initially proposed structure of, for example, product or components and improving the product’s data in the course of the FMEA. Importantly, such an analysis is carried out at the design stage of the product lifecycle or during structural improvements. FMEA method enables avoiding the product launch of an item, which has been modified insufficiently. Besides, it contributes to the improvement of the product and makes it possible to think of ways or complex measures to prevent risks.
The integrated approach helps to:
- Identify the weak aspects of the product and implement measures to address the defined weaknesses;
- Obtain information about the risk of failure of the proposed option and its alternatives;
- Refine the product most appropriately from the point of view of its manufacturability, serviceability, and reliability;
- Detect weaknesses of the technological processes;
- Decide on the suitability of the alternative processes.
It should be noted that the effectiveness of any management approach includes a system of performance indicators and efficiency strategy. Moreover, it is necessary to monitor the process of its implementation, conduct an assessment of the results, plan the development and application of corrective actions and leadership decisions. One of the most important points in the appraisal of the effectiveness and feasibility of quality management in an enterprise is the assessment of the associated risks. Such an approach as integrated FTA-DFMEA is the most effective for solving such problems. This is one of the most applicable methods and product improvement processes on such stages of the product lifecycle as the development and preparation for production.