BS 5760-5:1991 - Page 2

Reliability of systems, equipment and components - Part 5: Guide to failure modes, effects and criticality analysis (FMEA and FMECA)

Guidance on the failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) and failure modes, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA) for reliability of systems, equipment and components.

This British Standard, a part of the BS 5760 series, describes failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) and failure modes, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA), and gives guidance on how they may be applied to achieve various objectives connected with the development of reliable designs, as follows:

a) by describing the procedural steps necessary to perform an analysis;

b) by identifying appropriate terms, assumptions, failure modes and criticality measures;

c) by determining basic principles;

d) by providing examples of the necessary worksheets;

e) by providing recommendations for applications of FMEA and FMECA.

All the general qualitative considerations presented for FMEA also apply to FMECA. However, FMEA and FMECA are different in the sense that FMEA can be performed on its own, whereas criticality analysis has to be carried out in conjunction with an FMEA. FMECA also differs from FMEA in that the former is quantitative. For these reasons the two methods of analysis are dealt with separately in this standard.

Both FMEA and FMECA can also be used in the development of reliable processes, though this part of BS 5760 is concerned with the use of FMEA and FMECA for the pursuit of reliable designs.

This British Standard includes the following cross-references:

BS 4778, BS 4778-1, BS 4778-2, BS 4778-3, BS 5760, BS 5760-0, BS 5760-1,

BS 5760-2, BS 5760-3, BS 5760-4, BS 5760-6, IEC 50 and IEC 812.