Contract manufacturers with a strong commitment to DfM are assets to OEMs. The comprehensive analysis focuses on part design improvements that streamline manufacturing operations and, by extension, costs.
Similarly, contract manufacturers that apply Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) support OEMs in achieving quality, cost-effective outcomes. By switching the focus from parts to processes — more specifically, process failures in manufacturing or assembly — PFMEA answers important questions about process failure frequency, causes, and detection.
This data is instrumental in establishing pre-production failure impact and prioritizing necessary steps to minimize risk.
Staying on top of failure risks isn’t a perfect guarantee that process failure won’t occur, but it substantially reduces the likelihood of OEMs being exposed to the potentially costly ripple effects. This is particularly true when PFMEA is applied to:
To effectively evaluate failure risk and ultimately determine if some further action is necessary, PFMEA answers three central questions:
This evaluation results in the assignment of a Risk Priority Number (RPN) that is calculated based upon a set formula:
Severity (failure mode impact) X Occurrence (chances of failure happening) X Detection (chances of failure being discovered)
The cumulative RPN value dictates what happens next. If the RPN value exceeds a specific defined number, it may be decided that some level of corrective action may be required. The RPN target can vary by company, customer and product.
Given its centrality to process failure risk identification and mitigation, PFMEA is inherently valuable, but not all OEMs are in a position to manage its application. Looping in contract manufacturers with proven PFMEA experience is beneficial because they can work with an OEM to:
Using PFMEA to understand how a process design might fail and taking action to resolve issues before jeopardizing production or public safety is a boon for OEMs. Working with a contract manufacturer like GMI Solutions that takes a disciplined approach to PFMEA and is guided by its insights only increases the value-add. Contact the GMI team to discuss the benefits of PFMEA and how we can help align analysis with your needs.