Failure Mode
The possible way a function deviates from its intended behaviour — core object of every FMEA row.
Also known as: failure mode, fault mode
A failure mode describes how a function or process step can fail — not why (that is the cause) and not what follows (that is the effect). Examples: "not snapped in", "wrong dosage", "delivered too late", "mounted at wrong angle".
- Multiple failure modes per function are the rule
- Each failure mode has one or more effects (of varying severity — see severity)
- Each failure mode has one or more causes (of varying frequency — see occurrence)
See also
Used in
Sources
- AIAG-VDA FMEA Handbook, 1st Edition, 2019
- DIN EN IEC 60812: Fehlzustandsart- und -auswirkungsanalyse (FMEA und FMECA)