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2.7 What Is A Fault Tree Analysis PDF

The fault tree analysis (FTA) is a deductive method used to determine the causes of failures in a system. It begins with a general conclusion of a failure and works backwards to identify specific causes. The FTA uses logic diagrams called fault trees with "and" and "or" gates to systematically break down failures until the lowest level causes are identified, such as human errors or component failures. Conducting an FTA helps improve system safety and reliability by identifying potential causes of failures before they occur.

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164 views4 pages

2.7 What Is A Fault Tree Analysis PDF

The fault tree analysis (FTA) is a deductive method used to determine the causes of failures in a system. It begins with a general conclusion of a failure and works backwards to identify specific causes. The FTA uses logic diagrams called fault trees with "and" and "or" gates to systematically break down failures until the lowest level causes are identified, such as human errors or component failures. Conducting an FTA helps improve system safety and reliability by identifying potential causes of failures before they occur.

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kalaiyarasi
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What Is a Fault Tree Analysis?

Use a general conclusion to determine specific causes of a system failure

by Simha Pilot

The fault tree analysis (FTA) was first introduced by Bell Laboratories and is one of the most
widely used methods in system reliability, maintainability and safety analysis. It is a deductive
procedure used to determine the various combinations of hardware and software failures and
human errors that could cause undesired events (referred to as top events) at the system level.

The deductive analysis begins with a general conclusion, then attempts to determine the specific
causes of the conclusion by constructing a logic diagram called a fault tree. This is also known as
taking a top-down approach.

The main purpose of the fault tree analysis is to help identify potential causes of system failures
before the failures actually occur. It can also be used to evaluate the probability of the top event
using analytical or statistical methods. These calculations involve system quantitative reliability
and maintainability information, such as failure probability, failure rate and repair rate. After
completing an FTA, you can focus your efforts on improving system safety and reliability.
FTA logic diagram

The basic symbols used in an FTA logic diagram are called logic gates and are similar to the
symbols used by electronic circuit designers. Two kinds of gates, "and" and "or," are described
in Table 1.

The partial FTA logic diagram in Figure 1 uses the "and" and "or" gates' symbols to analyze
hazard to the patient. Inputs to the "or" gate at the top identify the four reasons this failure can
occur. One of the reasons, electrical shock, is then broken down because it results from
simultaneously grounding the patient and creating a pathway to a current source (an "and" gate).
The analysis continues on, using the same technique, until the lowest levels such as operator
error or open ground pin are identified.
When you perform an FTA, you systematically determine what happens to the system when the
status of a part or another factor changes. In some applications, the minimum criterion for
success is that no single failure can cause injury or an undetected loss of control over the process.
In others, where extreme hazards exist or when high value product is being processed, the
criteria may be increased to require toleration of multiple failures.
Fault tree construction

To do a comprehensive FTA, follow these steps:

1. Define the fault condition, and write down the top level failure.
2. Using technical information and professional judgments, determine the possible reasons
for the failure to occur. Remember, these are level two elements because they fall just
below the top level failure in the tree.
3. Continue to break down each element with additional gates to lower levels. Consider the
relationships between the elements to help you decide whether to use an "and" or an "or"
logic gate.
4. Finalize and review the complete diagram. The chain can only be terminated in a basic
fault: human, hardware or software.
5. If possible, evaluate the probability of occurrence for each of the lowest level elements
and calculate the statistical probabilities from the bottom up.

Bibliography

Anderson, R.T., Reliability Design Handbook (Chicago: IIT Research Institute, 1976).

Evans, James R., and William M. Lindsay, The Management and Control of Quality (Mason,
OH: South-Western Thomson Learning, 2001).

Juran, Joseph M., and Frank M. Gryna, Quality Planning and Analysis (New York: McGraw-
Hill, 1991).

Michalsky, Walter J., Top Tools for Manufacturers (Portland, OR: Productivity Press, 1998).

Simha Pilot is a general manager at SPC Consultants in Israel. He received a master's degree in
business administration from Tel Aviv University. Pilot is a member of ASQ and is an ASQ
certified quality manager and quality systems lead auditor.

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