A manufacturing failure mode avoidance framework for aerospace manufacturing

Abstract

Enhancement in productivity and cost effectiveness of high value manufacturing requires a process based management strategy. This paper introduces a Manufacturing Failure Mode Avoidance (MFMA) framework based on 4 high level process steps and underpinned by a sequence of engineering and process analysis tools to support a structured function-based decomposition of complex manufacturing processes and a continuous flow of information towards the development of robust control plans. The approach draws from experience in the automotive industry, where Failure Mode Avoidance (FMA) has been strategically adopted to achieve a step change in the effectiveness of business and engineering processes associated with the product creation processes. The paper presents a case study of the deployment of the MFMA framework to an aircraft manufacturing process followed by a broader discussion of the strength of the approach and its generic applicability to complex high value manufacturing engineering.