PFMEA (Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) is the method that systematically analyses the failure modes that may arise from the production process, their effects and their causes.
Difference from DFMEA
DFMEA analyses failure modes arising from the design; PFMEA analyses those arising from the process. The two feed each other but do not replace each other.
The AIAG & VDA approach
The joint AIAG and VDA FMEA handbook introduced a seven-step structure: planning and preparation, structure analysis, function analysis, failure analysis, risk analysis, optimization, and results documentation.
Instead of the risk priority number, the Action Priority logic is used; the combination of severity, occurrence and detection values is considered, with severity given prominence.
Link with the control plan
The output of the PFMEA must be transferred to the control plan: for high-risk failure modes, the control measure, measurement method and sampling frequency are defined.
The most frequent finding in audits is that this link is broken. In addition, the PFMEA is expected to be updated when a field incident occurs and corrective action is raised.
The seven-step approach and the Action Priority logic are applied to your own products and processes in the FMEA training. For the transfer to the control plan, see the Control Plan training.