diff --git a/submission_thesis/CH2_FMEA/copy.tex b/submission_thesis/CH2_FMEA/copy.tex index 026cbd0..20716dc 100644 --- a/submission_thesis/CH2_FMEA/copy.tex +++ b/submission_thesis/CH2_FMEA/copy.tex @@ -536,11 +536,71 @@ approach in looking for system failures. In this section we examine some fundamental concepts and underlying philosophies of FMEA. -\paragraph{The unacceptability of a single component failure causing a catastrophe.} + +\paragraph{The signal path.} + +Most electronic systems are used to process a signal: with signal processing +there is usually a clear afferent to transform to efferent path. +% +That is, there is an input, some processing and an output. +% +Some circuits have feedback loops or even circular signal paths, but it +is normal for a signal path to exist. +% +%can be identified. +% +An FMEA investigation will often take the component {\fm} and examine its effect along this path, +in the direction of the signal, +echoing diagnostic/fault~finding methods~\cite{garrett, maikowski}. % loebowski}. +% +The rationale and work-culture of those tasked to +perform FMEA are generally personnel who have performed fault finding. +% +When fault finding we generally follow the signal path, checking for correct behaviour +along it: when we find something out of place we zoom in and measure +the circuit behaviour until we find a faulty component or module. +% +With this style of fault finding, because it is based on experiment, +we can hop from module to module eliminating working modules, until we find the +failure. + + +FMEA is a theoretical discipline. It would be very unusual to build a circuit and then simulate +component failure modes. This would be very time consuming as it would involve building a circuit for each component {\fm} in the system. +% +We cannot, as with fault finding, verify modules along the signal path for correct behaviour +and eliminate them from the investigation. +% +With FMEA we therefore need to be more thorough. +% +The question is by how much. +Too much and the task becomes impossible due to time/labour constraints. +Too little and the analysis could become meaningless because it misses +potential system failures. +% +For a more complete analysis we should perhaps, examine each component {\fm} along the complete signal path, +forwards and backwards from the placement +of the component exhibiting the {\fm} under investigation. +% +Also, whether following the effects through the signal path {\em only} is acceptable, and instead +looking at its effect on all other components in the system is necessary, +is a matter for debate, and is examined in section~\ref{sec:xfmea}. + + +\paragraph{Single component failure mode to system failure relation.} + + % NEED SOME NICE HISTORICAL REFS HERE FMEA, due to its inductive bottom-up approach, is good at mapping potential single component failures to system level faults/events. -Used in the design phase of a project, FMEA is a useful tool +% +The concept of the unacceptability of a single component failure causing a system failure, % catastrophe, +is an important and easily understood measurement of safety. +% +It is easy to calculate +because we can usually find Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) statistics for commonly used components. +% +Also, used in the design phase of a project, FMEA is a useful tool for discovering potential failure scenarios~\cite{1778436820050601}. % % Subject Object Wiki answers : Best Answer @@ -655,7 +715,7 @@ methodologies. % cite for forward and backward search related to safety critical software %{sfmeaforwardbackward} \subsection{FMEA and the State Explosion Problem} - +\label{sec:xfmea} \paragraph{Exhaustive Single Failure FMEA.} FMEA for a safety critical certification~\cite{en298,en61508} will have to be applied