Kerry Parrott, BSME CFI CFEI/CVFI of Stahl Engineering & Failure Analysis, LLC recently presented Applying Advanced FMEA Methods to Vehicle Fire Cause Determinations at the 2011 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in Denver, Colorado. Pat Mattes, an independent Fort Wayne quality tools consultant, and Douglas R. Stahl PE, also of Stahl Engineering & Failure Analysis, LLC, were co-authors.
This paper introduced the “reverse FMEA” (rFMEA) failure/root cause analysis technique, developed by the authors, by applying advanced Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) techniques and methodology to a failure analysis investigation in the “reverse” direction, relative to a traditional predictive FMEA process. An example of this rFMEA technique was demonstrated as applied to a vehicle fire origin and cause failure analysis investigation. The rFMEA analysis technique meets the requirements of NFPA 921 Guide for Fire & Explosion Investigations to apply a systematic approach utilizing the scientific method for fire origin and cause determinations.
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