Reverse FMEA

In the production environment, processes are constantly evolving, equipment changes, rhythm changes, parameter adjustments, personnel changes, supplier changes occur, and in these conditions the initial PFMEA may become incomplete or outdated.

Unlike the classic PFMEA, which is carried out in the design or planning phase of the process, Reverse FMEA is an analysis of process risks starting from the reality of production, not just from documentation, the purpose being to verify whether the risks initially identified are correctly controlled and whether there are defects or process variations that were not anticipated in the initial documentation. It is especially recommended after the appearance of customer complaints, in the case of repeated internal defects, after process or equipment changes.

Reverse FMEA helps to:

• discover the causes of recurring defects
• verify the effectiveness of process and product controls
• identify differences between the documented and real process
• align with the requirements of IATF 16949 quality standards

Also reverse FMEA is effective only when is carried out by a multidisciplinary team, in which each member contributes with his specialization and practical experience. Usually the team includes the process engineer, the quality engineer, the shift leader or production supervisor, maintenance (as applicable) and the process operator.

How to carry out a Reverse FMEA, simple steps:

1. The analysis is carried out at the workplace, following the process step by step, exactly as it is executed by the operators, without relying exclusively on work instructions
2. Based on observations, the real failure modes that actually occur in the process are identified, even if they are not mentioned in the current PFMEA
3. Those identified failure modes are analyzed according to real causes, effects on the product, probability of occurrence and detection ability
4. The results are compared with the current PFMEA to determine the risks that are missing from the documentation, the process and product controls that are not effective and the risk scores that need to be revised
5. Concrete actions are established to improve the prevention and detection methods, the PFMEA and the Control Plan are updated

In conclusion, through observation, concrete actions and communication, quality becomes an integrated responsibility in the daily activity.