An integrated lean approach to Process Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (PFMEA): A case study from automotive industry

Abstract

Every automotive company is using ISO/TS 16949 standard for automotive industry. According to this standard of Process failure mode and effect analy-sis (PFMEA), is obligatory. Also, the application of lean in automotive industry is a trend nowadays. Both, PFMEA and lean have the same main purpose – identification, prevention, and correction of failures during the production process. But, PFMEA have many shortcomings. In this paper, an integrated lean approach to PFMEA for solving specific shortcomings, is presented. This approach is new and it has not been used until now. Lean approach (tools and principles), were integrated in PFMEA. The new approach to solving PFMEA was presented in algorithm form. Some of those lean tools and principles integrated in PFMEA are: Genchi Genbutsu, Kaizen, standardized work, Jidoka, and 5 why. The approach presented was realized in a case study from auto-motive industry where traditional approach to PFMEA was compared to the new lean approach integrated to PFMEA. Changed and improved conditions were: number of team members, the actions taken, identification of failures, change of Severity (S), Occurrence (O), detection (D) and risk priority number (RPN) values, reduced S, O, D, and RPN values after taken actions, RPN with value over 100, and S, O, D indexes with value over 8.