In the automotive\nworld, manufacturing defects can have costly and serious ramifications:\nincreased warranty costs, impaired product functionality and safety, and an\ninability to meet required industry standards, among other potential\nconsequences. The ability to assess risks associated with possible product\nfailure is essential, and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is a\ncritical tool that enables effective risk assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A forward-looking\napproach to quality first comprehends the needs of the customer and then builds\nquality into the design of both product and process. Ensuring that quality is\nfully considered and addressed before the first finished product rolls off the\nproduction line helps to avoid changes in later product stages, which can be costly\nand not as effective in producing high-quality results. As a product is planned\nand designed, the quality team must answer numerous questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How\ndoes Opcenter Quality support to achieve\na complete risk analysis?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The FMEA process is supported by Opcenter Quality.\nOpcenter Quality FMEA enables quality personnel to organize complex design and\nprocesses in a tree structure supported by diagrams, which enables sorting of\ndata at all hierarchies and levels as well as quick and efficient navigation of\ncomplex structures. Our solution helps quality teams define system elements,\nfunctions and failures. They can create links to verify failure consequences\nand causes as well as to induce corrective actions. The solution also provides\na graphical visualization function, risk analysis and a comprehensive range of\nevaluations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important to note that our product can\nsupport different standards for FMEA: AIAG (Automotive Industry Action Group),\nVDA (German Association of the Automotive Industry) and also a harmonized\napproach AIAG & VDA. This last approach supports the AIAG & VDA FMEA\nHandbook \u2014 the new automotive industry reference manual for Failure Mode and\nEffects Analysis. Siemens software is ready to support the new methodology, as\nwell as the previous approaches. Quality teams developing a transition strategy\nfrom the previous standards to the new one can use supporting tools in Opcenter\nQuality FMEA:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Realizing the benefits of FMEA process\nsupported by a closed loop solution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a module of an integrated Quality Management System (QMS) like Opcenter Quality, FMEA enables manufacturers to avoid defects<\/a> prior to production, which in turn helps them achieve product quality, improved functional safety and product reliability, and reduced warranty claims and costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Opcenter Quality\nFMEA enables data collection in a comprehensive knowledge database that can be\naccessed from any company location, resulting in secure company standards.\nProject experience can be applied to new tasks, shortening the development\nprocess cycle while adhering to quality output and project deadlines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n People and tasks can be organized around FMEA in a project through the capabilities of the APQP Project Management module (available in Opcenter Quality), assessing and reducing identified risks, including an action tracking and alert mechanism, using FMEA results for control plan, closing the loop with problem-solving and complaint management<\/a> (CCM) and change management process (CMP). The quality team can implement a lesson learn process across all company plants, boosting alignment across different teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To recap, the main benefits of Opcenter Quality\nFMEA are to provide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n