DFMEA vs PFMEA: Difference and Comparison

In day-to-day life, a product designer or a product manager needs suitable methods for an error-free product. To make it possible, there are several methods. One is DFMEA; another is PFMEA. The complete form of DFMEA is design failure mode and effect analysis.

It is mainly focused on problems related to design. Another is PFMEA which is process failure mode and effect analysis. It is used in process analysis.

DFMEA and PFMEA come under FMEA (failure mode and effect analysis), a type of analysis done to create an error-free product with a decent design. DFMEA should make up every assembled part used during a product’s design.

And the entire process is accessed by the FMEA method.

Key Takeaways

1. DFMEA (Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) systematically identifies and prevents design failures, whereas PFMEA (Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) aims to prevent process failures during manufacturing or assembly.
2. The primary focus of DFMEA is on product design, ensuring that the design meets the customer’s requirements and identifying potential failure modes. In contrast, PFMEA aims to identify potential failure modes in the manufacturing or assembly process.
3. DFMEA involves analyzing the potential consequences of a failure mode and evaluating its severity, occurrence probability, and detection ability. In contrast, PFMEA involves identifying potential failure modes, their causes, and their effects on the process and prioritizing the risk based on severity, occurrence probability, and detection ability.

DFMEA vs PFMEA

DFMEA is used during the design phase of a product or process to identify potential failure modes and their potential effects and determine the likelihood and severity of those failures. DFMEA aims to prevent potential failures before they occur by making design improvements. PFMEA is used during the manufacturing process to identify potential failures and their effects and determine the likelihood and severity of those failures. PFMEA aims to identify and prevent failures that may occur during the production process and improve the product’s or process’s quality and reliability.

DFMEA (design failure mode and effect analysis) finds and resolves errors. It captures all the problems related to design and finds a complete solution for them.

It helps a designer find the correct part that can be used in constructing a product.

PFMEA is a process failure mode and effect analysis. As the name shows, the process is connected to process failure mode analysis. It helps to recognize the root of the failure of the process, and then it resolves the cause. It is an integrated tool for checking all types of possible failures.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	DFMEA	PFMEA
Definition	DFMEA is an analysis method for design failure mode and effect analysis.	PFMEA is a process analysis method for process failure mode and effect analysis.
Emphasization	It mainly emphasizes product design errors.	It mainly focuses on process analysis during product making.
Objective	Its main objective is to find out all design errors and the consequences of the issue.	Its main objective is to analyze the process, cover all the possible failures, and resolve them.
Method category	It comes under failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA).	It also comes under the method of failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA)
Key characteristics	Manages output methods and their analysis.	Manages input methods and their analysis.

What is DFMEA?

DFMEA is a method that is used to analyze the design of a product or system. It analyzes the output process and reports all the consequences that can occur if non-suitable parts are assembled during the designing of a system or product.

It comes under failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA).

DFMEA mainly manages the output analysis concerned with the product’s look. It is a method used in product designing that finds the possibility of a design or construction defect in an actual product implementation.

If any error is countered, the designers try to resolve the cause by applying a quick fix.

It collects the essential functions in a design and then examines the probable origin of the collapse of a system or product.

What is PFMEA?

PFMEA is an analysis method for process failure mode and effect analysis. This method also comes under the failure mode and effect analysis process. It detects all the possible errors which are made during the processing of a product or system.

It is a method used in the product-making process which finds the possibility of a processing defect and its after-effects with the help of a detailed report analysis.

It is an integrated tool used by all types of institutions for checking different possible errors that might cause the failure of a system or product failure. It also detects the cause of the failure by gathering data. It is initiated or executed before processing any product.

Main Differences Between DFMEA and PFMEA

1. DFMEA is entirely related to design issues. It is a method used to analyze any error related to the representation of a system or product. And PFMEA is entirely related to the process with the help which a product or a system works. It analyzes issues related to the processing.
2. DFMEA mainly emphasizes design-related issues of a product, and PFMEA emphasizes product processing.
3. PFMEA is initiated or executed before processing any product. And DFMEA is initiated or executed before designing any product or system.
4. In DFMEA, risk items may cause a change in both design and processing. In PFMEA, risk items may cause a change only in processing.
5. DFMEA reduces the risk of failure in the design process, and PFMEA reduces the risk of failure in the production process by providing a detailed report analysis.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0957417409007039
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924013603005429