Improve-stage FMEA and risk controls

Learning objectives

• Explain the purpose of improve-stage fmea and risk controls in a garment-factory improvement project.
• Apply the described method to a representative shop-floor situation.
• Recognize the common mistakes and how to avoid them.

Concept

Solution FMEA anticipates new failure modes created by the proposed change and assigns prevention and detection actions before rollout.

Review function, failure mode, effect, cause, current control, S/O/D, action, owner, due date, and post-action rating.

Treat high severity independently of a composite RPN — severity cannot be diluted by low occurrence guesses.

Garment-factory example

An automatic chemical-dose system may introduce wrong-recipe selection, sensor drift, blocked lines, and unsafe maintenance exposure.

Method

1. Map the changed process.
2. Cross-functional FMEA session.
3. Prioritize by severity then RPN.
4. Design prevention first.
5. Test controls before rollout.
6. Reassess residual risk with evidence.

Common mistakes

• Copying Analyze FMEA unchanged into Improve.
• Lowering ratings without implemented, verified evidence.