In the realm of reliability engineering, two powerful tools often stand as beacons for improvement: Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Root Cause Analysis (RCA). Yet, despite their importance, many organizations find themselves overwhelmed by the prospect of implementing these tools consistently. In this blog post, we'll explore the challenges that organizations face, the importance of setting achievable goals, and how committing to a systematic approach can lead to substantial improvements in reliability within a relatively short time frame.

The Challenge of Consistency:

It's no secret that FMEA and RCA are challenging endeavors. The sheer volume of analyses required can be paralyzing for many sites, leading them to either do very little or nothing at all with these crucial tools. Like many aspects of reliability improvement, success lies in creating a plan and setting realistic expectations. Breaking down these complex processes into manageable, bite-sized pieces is the key to overcoming the overwhelming nature of these tasks.

Setting the Right Expectations:

For organizations just embarking on the journey of completing RCAs and FMEAs, setting achievable goals becomes paramount. A suggestion often made is for each reliability engineer or maintenance engineer to commit to one FMEA and two RCAs per month. The emphasis here is not just on quantity but on ensuring the quality of these analyses. FMEAs should ideally consist of 200 lines or more, and RCAs should go beyond the superficial by exploring the fault tree to the systemic and latent roots  or employing sequence of events to understand the forcing functions. The commitment doesn't end with the analysis; it extends to implementation and follow-up, even if this phase occurs beyond the initially scheduled month.

The Concept of "Leveragability":

When selecting FMEA targets, it's essential to consider "leveragability." This means going beyond criticality or failure rate and focusing on assets that provide the most significant impact when applying FMEAs to develop equipment maintenance plans and systemic improvements. In essence, it's about identifying assets that offer the most value – the ones where you can get the most "bang for the buck."

The Power of Cumulative Improvement:

Imagine the impact on your organization if each engineer successfully completes one FMEA and two RCAs every month. By the end of the year, you would have implemented 12 FMEAs and addressed 24 problems with RCA for each reliability or maintenance engineer. The cumulative effect of systematically addressing these issues could lead to a significant change in performance, with a substantial number of problems exiting the system.

Overcoming Overwhelm:

While the overwhelming nature of these tools is acknowledged, the key lies in setting goals and holding individuals and teams accountable. By adopting a structured approach, organizations can distinguish themselves from their competition within the first year. The transformation won't happen overnight, but the commitment to consistent improvement through achievable goals is the catalyst for building a culture of reliability within an organization.

In the ever-evolving landscape of reliability engineering, the challenges posed by tools like FMEA and RCA are real but surmountable. By setting achievable goals, focusing on quality, and embracing a systematic approach, organizations can not only navigate the complexities but also emerge substantially better than their competitors. The journey begins with a commitment to improvement, one FMEA and two RCAs at a time.