Do you know what FMEA is and why it is so important for the automotive sector? Are you familiar with the latest edition of AIAG & VDA FMEA?
If you want to learn more about this topic, then this blog is for you. Here, we will explain what AIAG & VDA FMEA is and how it works. In addition, we will discuss the main changes in the new edition and provide a comparative example.
Curious? Read on and discover everything you need to know about AIAG & VDA FMEA for the automotive sector!
What is AIAG & VDA FMEA?
AIAG & VDA FMEA is the new edition of the FMEA manual that was released in 2019. It is the result of a cooperative effort between the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) and Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA).
Made up of North American automotive industry companies, AIAG is an association that publishes manuals and standards on best practices related to quality, environment, safety and social responsibility for the automotive sector. The VDA is a similar association, but made up of automotive sector companies in Germany.
Thus, the new FMEA version standardizes requirements and methodologies across different countries and regions, facilitating communication and cooperation between suppliers and customers in the automotive industry.
New FMEA edition: the main changes
The main changes in the new FMEA edition are:
New structure of the manual
- It presents concepts, principles, terms and definitions more clearly and consistently.
- It employs the Seven Steps approach, which guides the user on defining the scope for implementing improvement actions.
New methodology for analyzing functions and risks
- It uses tools such as the block diagram, function tree, requirements matrix and risk matrix to identify functions, requirements, failure modes and the causes and effects of failures.
New system for prioritizing improvement actions
- The RPN (Risk Priority Number) is replaced by the AP (Action Priority), which takes into account the severity, probability and detection of failures, as well as the effectiveness of current and planned actions.
New chapter
- A new chapter addresses the Supplemental FMEA for Monitoring and System Response (FMEA-MSR). This is an extension of the Product or Project FMEA, which focuses on functions related to monitoring and system response during customer use of the product.
Tables and forms
- It contains completely revised Severity, Detection, and Occurrence tables that provide examples and guidance for classifying failure risks.
- New form formats and software report views that make it easier to record and communicate FMEA results.
Thus, the new FMEA edition provides a more structured and integrated approach to failure analysis aimed at improving the reliability, safety and quality of products and processes in the automotive sector.
FMEA Example
To better understand how this approach works, let’s look at an example comparing the old FMEA with AIAG & VDA FMEA:
Old FMEA
In the old version of FMEA, the analysis was carried out using four steps:
- Definition of scope.
- Identification of failure modes.
- Risk assessment.
- Action recommendations.
The risk assessment is based on the calculation of the Risk Priority Number (RPN), which is the product of the Severity, Occurrence and Detection of each failure mode. RPN is used to prioritize improvement actions.
AIAG & VDA FMEA
In the new version of FMEA, the analysis is carried out using seven steps:
- Planning and preparation.
- Structure analysis, function analysis.
- Failure analysis.
- Risk analysis.
- Optimization.
- Documentation of results.
The risk assessment is based on the determination of the Action Priority (AP), which is a classification that takes into account the Severity, Occurrence and Detection of each failure mode. It also considers other factors such as customer requirements, regulatory standards and strategic objectives. AP is used to prioritize improvement actions.
AP can be A (high priority), B (medium priority) or C (low priority). Detection (D) is not included in the AP calculation, but is considered in the determination of recommended actions.
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