What is FMEA?

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis — scoring every way a thing can break.

FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) lists every failure mode for an asset and scores each by severity, likelihood and detectability. The combined Risk Priority Number ranks which modes deserve a defence first.

Maintenance and reliability engineers use FMEA to design monitoring and PM plans: high-risk modes get sensors or inspections; low-risk modes get documented and accepted. It's the analytical core of an RCM review.

• How it's used