Matrix FMEA is the most powerful tool to prioritize process design improvements.  It requires little time and effort to perform after the 7FM PFMEA has been completed.  Prevention, Detection, Severity, Occurrence, and Detection take little effort to add to the matrix.  Macro Matrix PFMEA identifies the important inputs, functions, and causes.  The intended outputs that will degrade first are clearly shown and their reasons for changes are brought into focus.  Failure modes and their effects and their order of appearance are shown from most probable to least likely.  Which intended outputs (product features) need to be monitored closely and why are easy to see.  The failure modes that need to be monitored by sensors and controlled by the system are ordered by importance.

All escape points are identified and closed off.  All pass-through characteristics are defined and kept from entering the process.  Final inspection and testing uses internal indicators to ensure that external failures do not escape.

The Micro Matrix FMEA is performed within each high risk operation (identified by the macro matrix PFMEA).  Specific movements/actions and energy transfers determine which are most dominant in creating the intended product design results.  The matrix shows how the process will fail to produce product that meets design intent.

The matrix is a living document.  A cause and effect analysis can be performed for any problem in minutes.  This document contains 100% of what is knowable about any process.  Matrix PFMEA will guide the team to incredibly fast and powerful solution.  When a new effect is found, one new column is added to the matrix and its potential causes are made clear.  Solutions are identified in minutes.  New prevention activities can be determined in minutes.  A row is added when a new cause is found.  It is judged against the intended outputs, primary failure modes, and effects…in minutes.  Matrix PFMEA can eliminate the older fashion problem-solving methods and teams.  This course includes the award winning 7FM Mistake proofing and 7FM Error proofing.

An overview of 7FM PFMEA

7FM Matrix FMEA

• Function architecture for components, assemblies, and systems
• Function natural language definitions
• Function technical definitions
• Function requirements
• Performance specifications
• Design Inputs
• Design Elements
• Design Degradation Factors and Causes
• The intended output and primary outputs
• The primary failure modes, the primary effects
• The temporal fault state map and how it relates to system fault detection, time to detect, time to recovery, and safety mechanisms
• Correlating inputs, elements and degradation factors to intended outputs, primary failure modes, and effects.
• The design relational matrix
• The design criticality matrix
• The design RPN matrix
• Reducing risk of occurrence (true quality improvement): Recommended Actions for inputs, elements, and degradation factors
• Reducing risk of escape: Validating design capability, function degradation testing, fault injection testing, failure-based testing
• Validating system fault detection, time to detect, and time to recover controls