Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) – E-Learning Course

The application of international standards IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 require a detailed understanding of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). This course focuses on FMEA in the context of these two international standards. FMEA is a vital compliance requirement for the design and engineering of a safety product and/or Safety Instrumented System.

The goal of this course is to understand the principles of FMEA, FMECA and FMEDA, in the context of IEC 61508, including the process and practices to perform an FMEA study.

Whilst the systems integration will be undertaken to meet the compliance requirements of IEC 61511 these elements or devices will have been designed to meet the requirements of IEC 61508.

Course Duration

The course is expected to be completed in full within 6 weeks of course licence activation.

Course Type

This is an e-learning training course. Delegates will be able to access the course modules and complete the course to fit in with their day to day workload. The modules include a series of Quizzes based on, multiple-choice, true/false and multiple response questions. Successful completion of the Quizzes, allows the delegate to progress to the next module. The Quizzes can be undertaken several times with feedback given each time a Quiz is undertaken.

Participant profile

This training is targeted at control and systems engineers, application engineers, especially those involved in executing safety system application projects.

Prerequisites and Recommendations

Delegates should have knowledge of and experience in working on automation, control and safety applications, and systems. This includes selection and engineering of complex and non-complex elements/sub systems.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course the participants will:

• Gain a basic understanding of IEC 61508
• Be able to understand, at a basic level, a third party manufacturers data sheet developed by an FMEA process
• With technical support, be able to undertake an FMEA for a low complexity element/device (e.g. electromechanical contactor or relay)
• Be able to act as an intelligent observer when participating in a team undertaking an FMEA on a complex element/device
• Understand the relationship between the device FMEA and its integration in to sub-systems and systems
• Be able to detail the FMEA process, specifically for use in demonstrating compliance to IEC 61508. (See IEC 61508-2, Annex D – Safety manual for compliant items)
• Understand the sources of failure rate, failure mode and diagnostic coverage values