Industrial engineering tool for failure analysis: Fault tree analysis — Lesson 5

This lesson covers the concept of failure analysis and prevention in industrial engineering. It delves into the use of various tools such as Pareto diagrams, Ishikawa diagrams, and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) in identifying and ranking factors that contribute to a particular effect or failure. The lesson also introduces the Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), a method that explores the interrelationship between various stages or layers governing the function of a product or process. For instance, it explains how a car might fail due to various reasons like lack of fuel, a non-working spark plug, or engine issues. The lesson further explains the use of standard symbols in FTA and the process of developing a fault tree diagram.

Video Highlights

00:18 - Introduction to the subject of failure analysis and prevention, and the use of industrial engineering tools in failure analysis.
07:58 - Discussion on the application of Fault Tree Analysis in safety and defense industry, and its role in analyzing root causes of failure.
15:38 - Explanation of the symbols used in FTA, including square, or gate, and gate, circle, and diamond shape.
22:02 - Demonstration of how to develop a fault tree diagram, including identifying the top-level fault, linking contributors to the top-level failure with logic gates, and breaking down contributors until reaching actionable points.
27:46 - Explanation of the process of developing a Fault Tree Diagram using a practical example of a smoke detector.

- Pareto diagrams help in ranking various factors or causes that contribute to a particular effect.
- Ishikawa diagrams assist in identifying major and minor causes for a particular effect.
- FMEA provides insights into the severity of a particular cause leading to a failure mode, its occurrence, and detection possibility.
- FTA helps in understanding the interrelationship between various stages or layers governing the function of a product or process.
- FTA uses standard symbols and is extensively used in safety and defense industries.
- The process of developing a fault tree diagram involves identifying different components and ways by which those components can fail.