7FM solves process problems in hours rather than days or weeks.  7FM solves complex problems in days or weeks rather than months or years.  Processes us actions and energy transfers to create a product or to produce a service.  Actions identify and move components. Actions locate and orient components. Energy is used to join components.  Energy is used to create dimensions and shapes.  Energy is used to create material characteristics.  Energy is used to refine raw materials.  Energy is used to combine materials into a new material.  Movement is a function.  Funcitons focus energy to create a new functions.  A potential cause is anything that touches the product.  An input is anything that is added to the product.  A potential cause  creates movement or adds energy into the product.  Potential cause include all tools and fixtures.  Second level causes are anything that controls tools and fixtures movement or energy.  The most complex process can be documented in hours.  Each operation can be documented in hours.  7FM PFMEA can take weeks to complete.  7FM root cause analysis only takes hours.

A process goal is to produce parts that meet design intent.  The service process goal is to satisfy the needs of the customer (public or business) being served.

The sequence of functions must be understood.  The conversation begins and ends with the function.  A problem cannot be produced unless one or more functions misbehaves or is of poor quality.  A good function sequence produces good results.  The first poor quality function produces a failure sequence.  All functions in a sequence can be compared to the problem or effect.  Problems are easy to understand when the function flow diagram is completed.  Functions are laid flat.  It is easy to identify the functions that create the problem.  

Understanding the problem:

• The problem definition
• The Is/Is-not analysis
• The escape analysis
• The design/process comparison matrix

Documenting process architecture for:

• Material processing
• Component manufacturing
• Assembly of components into assemblies
• Assembly of assemblies into systems
• Assembly of systems into the Super-system (vehicle, jet, train, ship, building etc.)

Linking the Function to the Failures – Determining the Causes

• The Functions, fault states, and risk reduction
• The function sequence
• Determine which each function’s seven potential failure modes leads to the problem.
• The temporal fault state map and the failure sequence
• Identify the causes that create the failure sequence
• Prioritizing causes through the 7FM Matrix FMEA
• Confirming requirements violation – Documenting the failure sequence

Solutions

• Validation of causes: observation, comparative studies, statistics, SPC (passive designed experiment), and design of experiments.
• The solution development matrix
• The 7FM PFMEA for the selected solutions and their functions
• Eliminating the causes
• Improve process capability (reduce variation)
• Use failure modes to activate equipment controls (7FM mistake proofing)
• Eliminate causes (7FM error proofing)
• In process inspection and testing detection with reaction plans to remove causes.
• 100% automatic in-line inspection with reaction plans to remove causes.
• Control of nonconforming product

Plan and carry-out the solution

• Manage the business and preventing recurrence
• Event based sampling, prevention, and detection process control plan
• Validate the stability of the solution over time