System failure behavior and maintenance decision making using, RCA, FMEA and FM

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to permit the system reliability analysts/managers/engineers to model, analyze and predict the behavior of industrial systems in a more realistic and consistent manner and plan suitable maintenance strategies accordingly.

Design/methodology/approach

Root cause analysis (RCA), failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) and fuzzy methodology (FM) have been used by the authors to build an integrated framework, to facilitate the reliability/system analysts in maintenance planning. The factors contributing to system unreliability were analyzed using RCA and FMEA. The uncertainty related to performance of system is modeled using fuzzy synthesis of information.

Findings

The in‐depth analysis of system is carried out using RCA and FMEA. The discrepancies associated with the traditional procedure of risk ranking in FMEA are modeled using decision making system based on fuzzy methodology. Further, to cope up with imprecise, uncertain and subjective information related to system performance, the system behavior is quantified by fuzzy synthesis of information.

Originality/value

The complementary adoption of the techniques as discussed in the study will help the maintenance engineers/managers/practitioners to plan/adapt suitable maintenance practices to improve system reliability and maintainability aspects after understanding the failure behavior of component(s) in the system.

Citation

Sharma, R.K. and Sharma, P. (2010), "System failure behavior and maintenance decision making using, RCA, FMEA and FM", Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 64-88. https://doi.org/10.1108/13552511011030336