{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.024271844660194174, 'fraction_numerical': 0.003005085529357374, 'mean_word_length': 4.78475935828877, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
The basics of FMEA, by Robin E. McDermott, Raymond J. Mikulak and Michael R. Beauregard

This book was designed, as the authors state, ‘to help shorten the learning curve for FMEA terms and to help to conduct effective and efficient FMEAs’. The authors describe the FMEA as a ‘systematic method of identifying and preventing product and process problems before they occur’. Hence, they propose a procedure for carrying out FMEA standardising the approach and establishing a common language that can be used both within and between company (e.g. splitting FMEA in 10 steps and showing an application of the method). This book is well structured. Chapters 1 and 2 provide a brief introduction and the purpose for FMEA whilst Chapter 3 shows an overview of the International Standards which include FMEA process. Chapter 4 concerns the procedure of this method specifying the two most common approaches: product and process FMEA. Moreover, in this chapter, it defines the factors (severity, occurrence and detection) which provide the risk priority number (RPN) for each potential failure mode and effect. Chapters 5 and 6 highlight the actors involved in the FMEA analysis. FMEA team is described (i) specifying the size of the team, (ii) the role of the leader of the process expert and (iii) the training and the boundaries of the FMEA process. Chapter 7 provides an in-depth examination of the difference between the product FMEA, which aims at uncovering problems with the product and process FMEA which is focused to uncover problems related to the manufacturing of the product. Chapter 8 shows the steps for an FMEA which are common both for product and process approach and the worksheet and table for the ranking of severity, occurrence and detection, whilst Chapter 9 deals with a real application of FMEA in the manufacturer of fire-extinguishers where it is possible to understand better the role of the team and the decisions the team has to take in each step. Chapter 10 shows the area in which it is useful to apply this kind of methodology and the main advantages. Finally, it is worth mentioning the seven appendices which provide useful tables for ranking severity, occurrence and detection and worksheets to conduct FMEA project. In my opinion, the book is well written and interesting. It contributes well to show the FMEA method, in particular, from the practitioner’s point of view, getting into evidence the relevant issues and problems in facing FMEA analysis. In this context, it is a book which complements other relevant books focused on issues such as FMEA and more addressed in theoretical approach (e.g. definition of failure modes, effects), without providing a clear procedure and the way to conduct FMEA (the role of team and team leader, composition of team and timing, etc.). Also the style of presentation is clear. In fact, it follows a well-defined structure identifying the purpose of the method, the several actors involved and the coordination between them, the steps of the procedure and also provides some worksheets useful for a company which intends facing this method. Moreover, it is, however, also well explained in this book that the FMEA could be customised for a specific application. In conclusion, even if FMEA is well known from a scientific perspective, this book helps practitioners in performing FMEA process with useful procedure, tables and worksheets. In my opinion, the level of the detail is correct with the authors’ aim; however, it is not well explained, in the first step, how to consider the component and function. In fact, before speaking about failure modes, it is necessary to understand the product/process under analysis from a perspective of its components and how to group them. Finally, it is also needed to understand whether the FMEA team has to consider all the components of the product/process or just the key one. This is the weakness of this book that practitioners need to overcome in performing an FMEA project. In my opinion, both for the contents and the style of presentation, this book could be adopted to support practitioners in conducting FMEA project whilst from a scientific perspective this analysis is well known. Moreover, this book can generate ideas for problem solving also in different contexts from those presented in the text.