Example of Design FMEA Worksheet

PIR switches ON Doesn't switch

when a human
ON when a
walks in
human walks in

Primary
functionality lost

Identify each feature

(item) and its function.
Identify each failure mode.
Identify each potential
consequence(s) (local, next and
end) of that failure.
Severity - On a scale of 1-10, rate
the Severity of the end effect. See
Severity sheet for full definition.
Identify the potential failure
mechanism(s).

8 Insufficient signal
from the human
walking in

O
c
c
u
r

Potential Design
Cause(s) of
Failure
Mechanism

4 Signal
amplification is
not sufficient
(beta value
needs to be
higher)

Current Design
Controls

Calculations and
design review.

D
e
t

Recommended
Action(s)

0
192 Test for higher

gain values of the

amplifier.

Identify the
current design
controls.
Identify the potential design
cause(s) of the failure
mechanism(s).

R
P
N

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Occurrence - On a scale of 1-10, rate

the likelihood of Occurrence of the
failure mechanism and subsequent
failure mode. See Occurrence sheet for
full definition.

0
0

Responsibility &
Target Completion
Date

Actions Taken

New RPN

Potential
Mechanism(s) of
Failure

New Det

S
Potential Failure Potential Effect(s)
e
Mode(s)
of Failure
v

New Occ

Item / Function

New Sev

Action Results

0
Design team

Incresed the gain

from 1000 to
10000

64

Response Plans and Tracking. Beginning

with most
0
critical RPN's and severities (CTQ's), define
0
recommended actions, responsibilities0and target dates.
As a result of the completed actions taken,
re-rate
0
severity, occurrence and detection based on any
changes to the end effect, likelihood of0occurrrence,
and the likelihood of the actions taken 0+ design controls
0
to detect the failure mechanism.

0
Risk Priority Number - The combined weighting of Severity,
Occurrence, and Detection. RPN = Sev X Occ X Det0
0

Detection - On a scale of 1-10, rate the Detection. (The likelihood that

0
the current
design controls will detect the design cause and failure 0
0
0
mechanism).
See Detection sheet for full definition.

Action Results

Item / Function

Potential Failure
Mode(s)

Potential Effect(s)
of Failure

SUPPLY

1 PHASE
FAILURE

PRODUCTION/HR IS
LESS

SUPPLY

2 PHASE
FAILURE

SAFETY HAZARD
(OPERATOR CAN BE
INJURED)

MOTOR

TEMP RISE IN
MOTOR

OVER LOAD

INVERTER

POWER
ELECTRONIC
DEVICE

CONNECTION
FAILURE

S
e
v

Potential Mechanism(s) of
Failure

9 PHASE TO GROUND

O
c
c
u
r

Potential (Design) Cause(s)

of Failure Mechanism

Current Design Controls

D
e
t

R
P
N

Recommended
Action(s)

8 PHASE TO GROUND

REDUCE CURRENT

432

10 NO ROTATION OF
MOTOR

7 NO ROTATION OF
MOTOR

SWITCH OFF THE

SUPPLY

420

10 WINDING FAILURE

8 WINDING FAILURE

THERMISTOR NEEDS
TO BE CHECKED

640

3 PROBLEM IN
ESTIMATION

CHECK FOR
CONNECTIVITY

30

2 PROBLEM IN
ESTIMATION

Responsibility & Target

Completion Date

Actions Taken

Design team

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

287821265.xls

printed on 09/26/2015

page 2 of 7

Action Results

Item / Function

Potential Failure
Mode(s)

Potential Effect(s)
of Failure

S
e
v

Potential Mechanism(s) of
Failure

O
c
c
u
r

Potential (Design) Cause(s)

of Failure Mechanism

Current Design Controls

D
e
t

R
P
N

Recommended
Action(s)

Responsibility & Target

Completion Date

Actions Taken

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

287821265.xls

printed on 09/26/2015

page 3 of 7

P-Diagram of "PIR Sensing system"

Noise Factors
Piece to piece

Wear Out

External Environment
Varying external temp such as in kitchens (FM 1.2)

Customer Usage, Duty cycle

Ideal Functions (intended results)

F1: Switches ON when a human moves (walks in)

Input
Signals
Human movement
Power supply

PIR sensing
system
Error States (unintended results)
Control Factors
Controller (uC)

FM1.1: Does not switch ON when a human walks in

FM1.2: Switches ON even when no human walks in
FM1.3: Switches ON with a delay when human walks in

System Interaction
uC unable to drive the switching system(FM 1.1)
Insufficient amplification of the input signal from sensor (FM1.1)

Effect

Severity of Effect

Ranking

Hazardous without
warning

Potential failure mode affects safe system operation

and/or loss of basic intended functionality without
warning.

10

Hazardous with
warning

Potential failure mode affects safe system operation

and/or loss of basic intended functionality with warning.

Severity is an assessment of the

seriousness of the effects (next, local and
end) as felt by the customer.

Very High

System/item inoperable with partial loss of primary

function, but safe.

(The 2nd severity ranking may be less than

the first as a result of completing all
recommended actions.)

High

System/item operable but at reduced performance level.

Customer dissatisfied.

Moderate

System/item operable, but comfort/convenience item

inoperable.

Low

System/item operable, but comfort/convenience item

compromised.

Very Low
Minor
Very Minor
None

Defect noticed by most customers.

Defect noticed by average customer.
Defect noticed by discriminating customer.
No effect

4
3
2
1

Severity

Occurrence:
Probability of Failure
Very High: Failure is almost inevitable
High: Repeated failures
Moderate: Occasional failures

Low: Relatively few failures

Remote: Failure is unlikely

Occurrence

Failure Rates*
(within 1 year of service)

> 1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
< 1 in

2
3
8
20
80
400
2,000
15,000
150,000
1,500,000

Equiv. Failures per

unit per year
(Similar to F/LY)

Ranking

0.5
0.333
0.125
0.05
0.0125
0.0025
0.0005
6.66666666667E-005
6.66666666667E-006
6.66666666667E-007

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

Occurrence is the likelihood that the failure mechanism and

subsequent failure mode will occur (based on historical data
on similar designs, past experience or best engineering
knowledge).
(The 2nd occurrence ranking may be less than the first
as a result of completing all recommended actions.)

Detection

Likelihood of Detection by Design Control

Absolute
Design control will not or cannot detect potential design cause
Uncertainty and subsequent failure mechanism, or there is no design
control.
Very Remote Very remote chance the design control will detect potential
design cause and subsequent mechanism mode.

Likelihood of
Ranking
Detection
< 1%

10

1% - 5%

Detection

Remote

Remote chance the design control will detect potential design

cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

5% - 15%

Very Low

Very low chance the design control will detect potential design
cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

15% - 30%

failure/design cause, and

subsequent failure mechanism.

Low

Low chance the design control will detect potential design

cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

30% - 50%

Moderate

Moderate chance the design control will detect potential design

cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

50% - 75%

The 2nd Detection ranking may be

less than the first as it considers both
the design control AND the
completed recommended action's
likelihood of detecting the
failure/design cause and subsequent

Moderately
High

Moderately high chance the design control will detect potential

design cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

75% - 85%

High

High chance the design control will detect potential design

cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

85% - 93%

Very High

Very high chance the design control will detect potential design
cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

93% - 99%

Almost
Certain

Design control will detect potential design cause and

subsequent failure mechanism.

>99 %

Detection is the likelihood that the

design control will detect the

failure mechanism.