Design failure mode effect analysis (DFMEA)

• US 7,035,769 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2002
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Marchese, Mario, Imperiale, Francesco, Cutuli, Giuseppe, Lissoni, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): WACHSMAN, HAL D
• Application Number:
  US10/330,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 702179-187, 702/58, 702 33- 36, 702/59, 702 81- 84, 702113-115, 345762-765, 345/769, 345/770, 345/661, 345/676, 345/771, 345/780, 345/901, 345/902, 345/961, 345964-966, 345/968, 345/970, 700/97, 700/105, 700/121, 700108-110, 700/117, 707/1, 707/3, 707/4, 714/1, 714/25, 714/26, 714/47, 714/46, 706/45, 706/908, 706/916, 706/919, 716/1, 716/4, 703/13, 703/14, 703/20, 703/21, 703/22
• US Class Current: 702/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/008 Reliability or availability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]

Abstract

A Design Failure Mode Effect Analysis (DFMEA) method analyzes faults and failures in the design phase of electronic devices. A data-entry mask is used for recording some information concerning the performed analysis and a portion of the recording form is displayed to a user in an electronic display format. The method detects and records past design problems and their corresponding solutions, by a DFMEA method using the data-entry mask form; associates keywords in a database with each problem; associates data concerning each of the design problems, in the same database, including information concerning past fails occurred in similar applications; detects major changes and/or innovations, as well as any improved block or part of a new device with respect to other devices, thereby postulating possible new problems introduced by the new device; and records the new problems and their possible solutions, by the DFMEA method and using the form.

Claims

1. A design failure mode effect analysis (DFMEA) method of analyzing faults and failures in the design of electronic apparatus and devices, wherein an information recording form including a data-entry mask is used for recording some information concerning the performed analysis and in which at least a portion of said recording form is displayed to a user in an electronic display format;

the method comprising;

detecting and recording past design problems and corresponding solutions to the past design problems using said recording form;

associating keywords in a database to each said past design problems as individual functions;

associating data concerning each of said past design problems, in the same database, including information concerning past fails that occurred in similar applications;

detecting major changes and/or innovations, as well as any improved block or part of a new device with respect to other devices, thereby postulating possible new problems introduced by the new device; and

recording said new problems and possible solutions to said new problems using said recording form.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising at least three revisions of the recording form corresponding to maturity stages of said new device.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said at least three revisions are performed at the following stages:

design of the new device;

qualification of the new device; and

production of the new device post—

qualification.

4. A design failure mode effect analysis (DFMEA) method for analyzing failures in an initial design phase of electronic apparatuses and/or devices, the DFMEA method comprising:

recording in a data-entry mask some information concerning the analysis and wherein a portion of said data-entry mask is displayed to a user;

detecting and recording, using said data-entry mask, past design problems and possible corresponding solutions;

recording keywords in a database associating each of said past design problems to a corresponding keyword;

associating data in the same database concerning each of said past design problems, including information concerning past failures that occurred in similar applications;

detecting major changes and/or innovations of the electronic apparatuses and/or devices and defining new possible problems introduced by the electronic apparatuses and/or devices; and

recording said new possible problems and possible solutions to said new possible problems using said data-entry mask.

5. A method according to claim 4, comprising at least three revisions of the data-entry mask corresponding to maturity stages of said designed apparatus or device.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said at least three revisions are performed at the following stages:

design of the designed apparatus or device;

qualification of the designed apparatus or device; and

production of the designed apparatus or device—

post-qualification.