A Note on the Benefits of FMEA

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) can improve the Quality and Reliability of a product’s design, enable compliance with customer specifications and support the drive for efficiencies and cost savings in production.

There are many benefits of applying FMEA within your business but here are just a few of the benefits that DataLyzer customers typically report:

 ·        Early identification/prevention of potential product/process failure modes

·        Supports Root Cause Analysis - at design and in-process stages

·        Enhanced intervention capability - at design and in-process stages

·        Improved product/process reliability and quality

·        Reduced scrap, waste, rework and recalls!

·        Maximized productivity and resource utilization

·        Reduced cost and risk with increased profitability

·        Provides standardized method for risk management and prevention

·        Enhanced customer and regulatory compliance capability

·        Improved customer satisfaction

·        Improved analytical and reporting capability

·        Supports and enables continuous improvement

·        Historical intelligence improves current and future engineering knowledge

·        Promotes collaboration with the exchange of hard-earned valuable knowledge

 What DataLyzer customers are saying:

“TF-AMD has worked closely with DataLyzer over the past years to continuously improve our process control solutions in our global operations. DataLyzer is now completely integrated into our manufacturing environment and has proven to be a very trustworthy partner.”

WK Lau, IT & Quality Engineer, Global Operations, TF-AMD

“We use DataLyzer to maintain a growing number of SPC charts for our semiconductor wafer fab. Some charts are monitored daily, some are used only for troubleshooting; whilst others exist more-or-less to “see if we can find anything”. Recently, we added the FMEA module.

Right now, I’d say that DataLyzer is helping us mostly by providing a glimpse into how our troubleshooting and product/process development might eventually work.”

Douglas Preble, Process Engineer, Microchip Lowell, USA

Cost is a very important part of the product development phase. Not getting the design or production right, by not using methods like FMEA can even result in costly recalls, waste and in some cases, high-profile brand damaging legal proceedings.

 Some of the most expensive product recalls reported in the public domain include:

 ·       Johnson & Johnson spent c$100m to recall 31m bottles of Tylenol in 1982

·        Bridgestone/Firestone recalled 6.5m tires costing Ford c$3b in 2000

·        Merck recalled their arthritis drug in 2007 costing c.$4.85m in settlements

·        Sony Batteries in Dell laptops were recalled costing both companies c$400m

·        A million+ Cadbury-Schweppes chocolate bars were recalled in 2006 costing c20m

·        Toyota forced to recall 8.1m cars due to potential problems with mats costing c$1.2b

·        Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Smartphone recalled in 2016 costing c$5.3b

·        2019. The decision to ground all Boeing 737 Max planes could cost Boeing billions!

(Sources: Bloomberg article, The Most Expensive Product Recalls. Kiplinger article, 10 Biggest Product Recalls of All Time)

Clearly, recalls can be damaging in many and various ways and the above examples begin to show why FMEA and other quality control methods are so vital in preventing this.

DataLyzer provide a world-class FMEA software solution which is easy to use and set-up and which is also extremely cost-effective. If you’d like to learn more, perhaps to take a free, supported trial, email me at [email protected]

About DataLyzer           

Partners in Continuous Improvement, DataLyzer provides a turnkey solution to help manufacturers to achieve zero defects, including:

·        Expert consultancy, advisory and training services

·        Training in the theory/application of Quality systems like FMEA, SPC, MSA and OEE

·        An integrated, modular suite of best-in-class software solutions

·        Global installation and training services with continuing support and advice

Integrated Solutions include:

FMEA/Ballooning/Control Plan; real-time SPC and OEE, with Gage Management, (for Calibration and MSA studies), COA, (for reports like FAIR, ISIR and PPAP), 8D and CAPA.

We also offer integrated dashboards, providing advanced enterprise and supplier performance monitoring, analytics and reporting capability.