Date of Award

6-2000

Degree Name

Master of Science in Engineering

Department

Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering and Engineering Management

Department

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

First Advisor

Dr. Azim Houshyar

Second Advisor

Dr. Robert White

Third Advisor

Dr. Leonard Lamberson

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a systematic way to identify and evaluate potential product and process related failure modes, the associated causes of failures, and the necessary actions to eliminate or reduce the chance of the failure. There are a number of published manuals and books on FMEA. The materials provide a definition of the FMEA form and examples of the Design and Process FMEA. However, there are many inconsistencies throughout the literature. As a result, FMEA is not always value-added.

The thesis is twofold. First, it documents a case study that uses Design FMEA extensively. The case study illustrates the differences between the various types of FMEA, the role of FMEA and Quality Function Deployment (QFD), and the role of management in the successful implementation of an FMEA procedure. Second, the thesis applies FMEA to manufacturing equipment. Design and Maintenance FMEA are defined as a way to decrease total downtime of capital intensive manufacturing equipment. The results show the importance of a well-defined form, the need to integrate the FMEA process into the organization's system, and the importance of the organizational culture or environment in the support of FMEA.

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