Example of Design FMEA Worksheet

Radiator endplate External Leaks

static O-rings:
Contains water
flow

Identify each feature

(item) and its function.

Water loss
leading to engine
over temp
leading to engine
derate and/or
shutdown leading
to locomotive
shutdown

Identify each failure mode.

Identify each potential
consequence(s) (local, next and
end) of that failure.
Severity - On a scale of 1-10, rate
the Severity of the end effect. See
Severity sheet for full definition.
Identify the potential failure
mechanism(s).

8 Insufficient ORing seal

compression.

4 Incorrect seal
and sealing
surfaces
geometry and/or
tolerances
specified.

Current Design
Controls

Calculations and
design review.

Identify the
current design
controls.

D
e
t

R
P
N

Recommended
Action(s)

0
192 Statistical

tolerance analysis,
accelerated life
test and field test.

0
0
0

Identify the potential design

cause(s) of the failure
mechanism(s).

Occurrence - On a scale of 1-10, rate

the likelihood of Occurrence of the
failure mechanism and subsequent
failure mode. See Occurrence sheet for
full definition.

0
0

Responsibility &
Target Completion
Date

Actions Taken

New RPN

Potential Design
Cause(s) of
Failure
Mechanism

New Det

S
Potential Failure Potential Effect(s)
e
Mode(s)
of Failure
v

New Occ

Item / Function

New Sev

Action Results
O
Potential
c
Mechanism(s) of c
Failure
u
r

0
Des Engr & BB

Seal
Compression
Statistical
Analysis and
Accel cycling
Test.

96

Response Plans and Tracking. Beginning with

most critical RPN's and severities (CTQ's), define
recommended actions, responsibilities and target
dates. As a result of the completed actions taken,
re-rate severity, occurrence and detection based on
any changes to the end effect, likelihood of
occurrrence, and the likelihood of the actions taken +
design controls to detect the failure mechanism.

0
0
0
0
0

0
Risk
Priority Number - The combined weighting of Severity, 0
0
0
Occurrence,
and Detection. RPN = Sev X Occ X Det
0

Detection - On a scale of 1-10, rate the Detection. (The likelihood that

0
the current
design controls will detect the design cause and failure 0
0
0
mechanism).
See Detection sheet for full definition.

System

FMEA Number

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis

(Design FMEA)

Subsystem
Component
Design Lead

Prepared By
FMEA Date
Revision Date

Core Team

307374529.xls

S
e
v

printed on 03/04/2016

Potential
Mechanism(s) of
Failure

O
c
c
u
r

Potential (Design)
Cause(s) of Failure
Mechanism

Current Design
Controls

D
e
t

R
P
N

Recommended
Action(s)

Responsibility &
Tar t Completion
Date

Actions
Taken

New RPN

Potential Effect(s)
of Failure

New Det

Potential
Failure
Mode(s)

New Occ

Item / Function

New Sev

Action Results

page 2 of 5

Effect

Severity of Effect

Ranking

Hazardous without
warning

Potential failure mode affects safe system operation

and/or involves noncompliance with government safety
regulation without warning.

10

Hazardous with
warning

Potential failure mode affects safe system operation

and/or involves noncompliance with government safety
regulation with warning.

Severity is an assessment of the

seriousness of the effects (next, local and
end) as felt by the customer.

Very High

System/item inoperable with loss of primary function, but

safe. (Such as a locomotive mission failure)

(The 2nd severity ranking may be less than

the first as a result of completing all
recommended actions.)

High

System/item operable but at reduced performance level.

Customer dissatisfied.

Moderate

System/item operable, but comfort/convenience item

inoperable.

Low

System/item operable, but comfort/convenience item

compromised.

Very Low
Minor
Very Minor
None

Defect noticed by most customers.

Defect noticed by average customer.
Defect noticed by discriminating customer.
No effect

4
3
2
1

Severity

Occurrence:
Probability of Failure
Very High: Failure is almost inevitable
High: Repeated failures
Moderate: Occasional failures

Low: Relatively few failures

Remote: Failure is unlikely

Occurrence

Failure Rates*
(within 1 year of service)

> 1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
< 1 in

2
3
8
20
80
400
2,000
15,000
150,000
1,500,000

Equiv. Failures per

unit per year
(Similar to F/LY)

Ranking

0.5
0.333
0.125
0.05
0.0125
0.0025
0.0005
6.6666666667E-005
6.6666666667E-006
6.6666666667E-007

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

Occurrence is the likelihood that the failure mechanism and

subsequent failure mode will occur (based on historical data
on similar designs, past experience or best engineering
knowledge).
(The 2nd occurrence ranking may be less than the first
as a result of completing all recommended actions.)

Detection

Likelihood of Detection by Design Control

Absolute
Design control will not or cannot detect potential design cause
Uncertainty and subsequent failure mechanism, or there is no design
control.
Very Remote Very remote chance the design control will detect potential
design cause and subsequent mechanism mode.

Likelihood of
Ranking
Detection
< 1%

10

1% - 5%

Detection

Remote

Remote chance the design control will detect potential design

cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

5% - 15%

Very Low

Very low chance the design control will detect potential design
cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

15% - 30%

failure/design cause, and

subsequent failure mechanism.

Low

Low chance the design control will detect potential design

cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

30% - 50%

Moderate

Moderate chance the design control will detect potential design

cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

50% - 75%

The 2nd Detection ranking may be

less than the first as it considers both
the design control AND the
completed recommended action's
likelihood of detecting the
failure/design cause and subsequent

Moderately
High

Moderately high chance the design control will detect potential

design cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

75% - 85%

High

High chance the design control will detect potential design

cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

85% - 93%

Very High

Very high chance the design control will detect potential design
cause and subsequent failure mechanism.

93% - 99%

Almost
Certain

Design control will detect potential design cause and

subsequent failure mechanism.

>99 %

Detection is the likelihood that the

design control will detect the

failure mechanism.