A weight restricted DEA model for FMEA risk prioritization

In this paper we present a linear programming (LP) approach to risk prioritization in failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA). The LP is a data envelopment analysis (DEA)-based model considering weight restriction. In a FMEA, we commonly consider three criteria to prioritize the failure modes, occurrence, severity and detectability. These criteria are in an ordinal scale commonly varying from 1 to 10, higher the figure worse the result. Considering the values established for each criteria, in traditional FMEA one adopts a Risk Priority Number, calculated considering the product of criteria, which has been very criticized due to its shortcoming. Through the proposed approach a frontier is established considering the less critical failure modes. Considering this frontier, one can establish how much each failure mode must be improved to become relatively acceptable. A simplified case concerning an AFWS of a two loops PWR power plant is presented to shows the applicability of the proposed approach.