Resource Centers

Getting Started with a Process FMEA

It is tempting to jump right into working through the FMEA Analysis Worksheet, but that will likely lead to problems down the road as the team gets into the PFMEA. Two important steps your team needs to take before actually doing the PFMEA is to define the Scope of the PFMEA and to make sure that the roles and responsibilities of the team members are clarified.

Without a well-defined scope that includes what IS and what IS NOT included in the PFMEA study, the team will struggle. Typically teams without clear boundaries for their FMEA will find their project growing as more aspects of the process get included into the analysis. This information is especially helpful to team members who are not as familiar with the design being studied. The PFMEA Scope Worksheet provides your team with the information necessary to clarify and fully understand the scope of the study.

Process FMEA Scope

Defining the scope for a PFMEA can be more difficult than for a DFMEA because a process often has more elements to cover than a design.
Your PFMEA team will be most effective when the scope of the FMEA is well-defined.
The PFMEA Scope Worksheet provides your team with the necessary information to clarify and fully understand the scope of the study.
If the scope of a PFMEA seems too big, your team should consider breaking it up into two or three complementary studies.
Once your FMEA team has defined the scope of the PFMEA, you should complete the FMEA Team Start-Up Worksheet. The worksheet will help clarify roles and responsibilities and define boundaries of freedom for the team.

PFMEA Team Start-Up Worksheet

Once your FMEA team has defined the scope of the DFMEA, they should complete the FMEA Team Start-Up Worksheet. The worksheet will help clarify roles and responsibilities and define boundaries of freedom for the team.