An integrated structural framework to cost-based FMECA: The priority-cost FMECA

The Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) methodology is a widely recognized tool for the study and reliability analysis of a design or process. Many authors in the field have emphasized the usefulness of this particular method as well as its limitations. In particular, there are two main criticisms regarding the Risk Priority Number (RPN) method of calculation and the extreme difficulty in considering the variable of the corrective action cost in the analysis. The main scope of this work is to present a new integrated approach, named priority-cost FMECA (PC-FMECA), in order to exceed these limits. Making reference to a paper by Braglia [MAFMA: multi-attribute failure modes analysis. Int J Qual Reliab Manage 2000; 17(9)], this study proposes a method which allows for the calculation of a new RPN and the introduction of the concept of Profitability taking into consideration the corrective action cost. The study is divided in three fundamental phases: critical analysis of the FMECA model, proposal and development of the PC-FMECA and presentation of an implemented case study in the automotive field.