If you make many similar products, you keep writing down the same risks. A turning process has largely the same failure modes and causes for every product. Yet many companies start from scratch for every part number, or copy an old FMEA.
What is a reference FMEA?
A reference FMEA, also called a family FMEA or foundation FMEA, contains the known risks of a process or a type of characteristic, independent of a specific product. For example all failure modes, causes and controls for drilling a hole. This FMEA is usually managed by the process specialist.
In addition you can create general FMEAs for risks that belong to a machine or process, regardless of the characteristic. Think of operator safety or machine breakdowns. These are often managed by the manufacturing engineer.
How does it work?
- The process specialist creates and maintains the reference FMEA for each process.
- For a new product you import the relevant parts into the part number FMEA.
- You only add the product-specific information, such as the effect and the scores.
- When the reference FMEA is improved, for example after a complaint, that improvement reaches all linked part number FMEAs.
The benefits
- Faster: a new pFMEA is largely filled with proven knowledge.
- Consistent: the same process is assessed the same way everywhere.
- Up to date: lessons from practice spread automatically.
- Knowledge secured: process knowledge stays on record, even when people leave.
Feedback from users
A reference FMEA gets better when users can give feedback. When an engineer comes across a new risk, it should reach the owner of the reference FMEA, and not just end up in one part number FMEA.
Reference FMEAs in IQARUS
In IQARUS you import reference and general pFMEAs directly into a part number pFMEA. Imported lines are colour coded, changes are carried through and highlighted automatically, and users send a suggestion to the owner with a single click. See it in the instruction video or first read what a pFMEA is.
Ready to get started? With IQARUS you create linked pFMEAs, Process Flow Diagrams and Control Plans, with reference FMEAs that keep everything up to date. Try IQARUS free for 3 months, no account needed.
