Safety Analysis of Combined FMEA and FTA with Computer Software Assistance – Take Photovoltaic Plant for Example

Abstract

Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is one of the most widely used method for safety analysis which can find out the effects of failure modes in components and system. Generally, the result of FMEA can be the foundation for more detailed safety analysis like fault tree analysis (FTA), and some computer software is released to assist the data linking, calculating, and documentation. However, with the larger scope and higher demand of hazard analysis in the emerging industry such as semiconductor or photovoltaic (PV) industry, it is difficult and time-consuming to go through the traditional analysis way by manual work to catch the critical element which may play an important role in safety and system, especially in early. The modified safety design and management after analysis are also major topics that can prevent potential risk to happen, but the inspection and modification of documents and data linking are also difficult without automation. This paper introduces the combination way of FMEA and FTA with computer software assistance to solve the problems as listed, and this proposed method is also applied into a manufacture process in a PV plant for case study.