Implementation of FMEA into Mass Production Process to Identify and Eliminate Causes of Defects

Abstract

Each enterprise that concentrates on boosting its position on a market tries to optimize mechanisms of its activity. It can be realized mainly by development in such directions as extending shares on the market, cost reduction, introducing more effective methods of production and risk management. Increasing the level of customers’ satisfaction is reached by use of FMEA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) as a tool of continuous development of products and processes realized by conducting their cyclic analyses. Their results build a foundation for introducing new solutions as corrective actions that eliminate causes of defects and at the same time lead to process and product improvement.The advantages of FMEA have resulted in its implementation into nearly every branch of a modern industry, both for unitary and mass production. An example of application of FMEA in mass production is a production process of beverage cans. This process is multistage, extraordinarily precise, technologically complicated and burdened by a great amount of factors that hypothetically can cause defects.The application of proper preventive actions aimed at defining both potential and factual causes of defects is an essential element of increasing the effectiveness a of production line with the simultaneous production cost reduction and boosting the level of customer satisfaction.In the article, the use of FMEA in mass production on the basis of a beverage can manufacturing has been analysed. On its basis, the potential causes of defects have been isolated and eliminated.