FMEA Workflow Overview
Saphira’s FMEA Workflow provides a guided, four-phase process for conducting comprehensive Failure Mode and Effects Analysis with AI-assisted failure mode generation, automatic risk priority calculations, and architecture-aware context. Access the FMEA Workflow from the Dashboard by clicking Run Safety Analysis → FMEA, or directly navigate to the FMEA tab.Workflow Phases
The FMEA Workflow consists of four sequential phases:
1
Reference Documents
Upload existing FMEA spreadsheets, specifications, or reference material
2
Item Selection
Select or create systems, subsystems, and components for analysis
3
FMEA Configuration
Choose template type and configure columns for generation
4
FMEA Generation
Generate failure modes with AI assistance and review results
Phase 1: Reference Documents
Upload existing documentation to enrich the FMEA generation with context.Upload Reference Documents
Upload Reference Documents
Purpose: Provide context and extract existing data to inform failure mode generation.Supported Uploads:
- Existing FMEA Spreadsheets: Import past FMEA data to build upon
- Technical Specifications: System specs for architecture context
- Item Definitions: System/component definitions
- Architecture Diagrams: Visual system structure
- Item Definitions: Documents describing system structure
- Past FMEA: Existing FMEA spreadsheets to extract and continue
Extraction Options
Extract Item Definitions
Upload system specifications to extract:
- System hierarchy
- Component lists
- Interfaces and connections
- Operating modes
Extract Past FMEA
Upload existing FMEA to extract:
- Previous failure modes
- Historical S/O/D ratings
- Existing controls
- Action items
Phase 2: Item Selection
Select or create the items to analyze. Items are organized hierarchically.Select Analysis Items
Select Analysis Items
Hierarchy Levels:
- System: Top-level system (e.g., “Brake Control System”)
- Subsystem: Major subsystems (e.g., “Hydraulic Unit”, “ECU”)
- Sub-subsystem: Lower-level groupings
- Component: Individual components (e.g., “Pressure Sensor”, “Valve”)
- View all items from project data
- Filter by hierarchy level
- Search by name
- Create new items inline
- Items extracted from documents appear here automatically
Item Context
When you select an item, Saphira loads its context:- Function: What the item does
- Interfaces: Connections to other items
- Operating Modes: Normal, maintenance, degraded states
- System Boundary: Scope of analysis
Phase 3: FMEA Configuration
Configure the FMEA template and columns for your analysis.FMEA Templates
FMEA-RPN (Risk Priority Number)
FMEA-RPN (Risk Priority Number)
Standard FMEA with RPN calculation.Columns:
| Column | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Component | Text | Component being analyzed |
| Function | Text | Function of the component |
| Failure Mode | Text | How the component can fail |
| Failure Effect | Text | Impact of the failure |
| Failure Cause | Text | Root cause of failure |
| Severity (S) | 1-10 | Impact rating |
| Occurrence (O) | 1-10 | Likelihood rating |
| Detection (D) | 1-10 | Detection capability |
| RPN | Calculated | S × O × D (1-1000) |
| Actions | Text | Recommended actions |
FMEA-APN (Action Priority Number)
FMEA-APN (Action Priority Number)
Modern FMEA approach per AIAG-VDA Handbook.Columns:
Same as FMEA-RPN but with:
APN provides improved action prioritization over traditional RPN.
| Column | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| APN | Calculated | Action Priority Number |
FMECA (Criticality Analysis)
FMECA (Criticality Analysis)
Extended FMEA with criticality analysis per MIL-STD-1629A.Additional Columns:
| Column | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Criticality Index | Number | Quantitative criticality measure |
| RPN | Calculated | Risk Priority Number |
FMEDA (Diagnostic Analysis)
FMEDA (Diagnostic Analysis)
Hardware-focused FMEA for functional safety (IEC 61508 / ISO 26262).Columns:
Used for PFH/PFD calculations and architectural constraints verification.
| Column | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Component | Text | Hardware component |
| Failure Mode | Text | Failure mode description |
| Failure Rate | Number | λ (failure rate) |
| Failure Mode Distribution | Number | Distribution percentage |
| System Level Effect | Text | Effect at system level |
| Safety Effect | Text | Safety impact |
| Diagnostic Coverage | Number | DC percentage |
| Safe Failure Fraction | Number | SFF calculation |
| SIL Level | Text | Achieved SIL |
Insurer FMEA Templates
Insurer FMEA Templates
Extended templates with insurance/loss assessment fields.Additional Columns:
Available for: Insurer FMEA-RPN, Insurer FMEA-APN, Insurer FMECA
| Column | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated Loss (USD) | Number | Financial loss estimate |
| Is Catastrophic Loss | Boolean | Catastrophic flag |
| Loss Type | Dropdown | Operational, Safety, Reputation, Regulatory, Financial, Environmental |
| Uniqueness Score | 1-5 | Uniqueness rating |
| LP Score | Number | Loss Probability score |
| Is Insurer Flagged | Boolean | Insurer attention flag |
Configuration Options
Column Selection
Column Selection
- Select which columns to include in generation
- Add custom columns with name and type
- Reorder columns as needed
- Toggle columns on/off
Generation Settings
Generation Settings
- Max Failure Modes: Number to generate per component (default: 5)
- Additional Instructions: Custom guidance for AI generation
- Standards Context: Select applicable standards (ISO 26262, IEC 61508, etc.)
Phase 4: FMEA Generation
Generate failure modes with AI assistance using your configuration.Generation Process
1
Click Generate
Start generation with the “Generate Failure Modes” button
2
AI Analyzes Context
Saphira analyzes:
- Selected component/system
- Architecture relationships
- Reference documents
- Standards context
3
Failure Modes Stream In
Results appear in real-time as they’re generated
4
Review and Edit
- Edit any cell inline
- Adjust S/O/D ratings
- RPN/APN auto-recalculates
- Add recommended actions
Generated Failure Mode Fields
For each failure mode, Saphira generates:System Function
System Function
Format: “Provide [function description] ([Component Path])”Example: “Provide stable power to ECU electronics (Power Supply → Protection & Filtering → DC-DC)”Identifies the function and its location in the system architecture.
Failure Mode
Failure Mode
Technical description of how the component/system fails.Example: “Loss of ECU supply voltage during operation”Specific and technical—avoids generic descriptions.
System / Vehicle Effect
System / Vehicle Effect
Cascading effects traced through the system.Format: “[Local effect] → [Component effect] → [System effect] → [Vehicle effect]”Example: “ECU resets or shuts down → loss of actuator control → possible unexpected torque/braking behavior”
Likely Cause(s)
Likely Cause(s)
Root cause or failure mechanism with multiple potential causes.Example: “Over-current or short on load side, over-temperature of DC-DC, connector looseness, wiring fault”
Current Prevention / Detection Controls
Current Prevention / Detection Controls
Existing controls, diagnostics, and safeguards.Example: “Input fuse, reverse polarity & over-voltage protection, DC-DC thermal shutdown, vehicle power rail monitoring, diagnostic trouble code (DTC) on undervoltage”
Severity / Occurrence / Detection
Severity / Occurrence / Detection
Severity (S): 1-10 based on consequences
- 1 = No effect
- 10 = Catastrophic / life-threatening
- 1 = Extremely unlikely
- 10 = Almost certain
- 1 = Almost certain detection
- 10 = No detection method
RPN / APN Calculation
RPN / APN Calculation
RPN = S × O × D (Range: 1-1000)Higher RPN indicates higher risk priority.Saphira highlights high-priority items (RPN > 100) for action.
Recommended Actions
Recommended Actions
Specific actions to reduce risk:
- Reduce occurrence (design changes)
- Improve detection (add diagnostics)
- Mitigate severity (add safeguards)
Review Features
Inline Editing
Click any cell to edit. Changes auto-save and RPN recalculates.
Diff Highlighting
New and changed items are highlighted for easy review.
Component Grouping
Failure modes grouped by component with expandable sections.
FMEA Assistant
AI chat assistant for guidance on ratings and actions.
FMEA Metrics Dashboard
Track your FMEA progress with real-time metrics:| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Total Failure Modes | Count of all failure modes |
| Components with FMEA | Components analyzed |
| Components without FMEA | Gap identification |
| Avg Failure Modes/Component | Coverage depth |
| Failure Modes by System | Distribution view |
Completeness Analysis
Click Analyze Completeness to get AI-powered assessment:- Missing failure mode categories
- Coverage gaps by component
- Recommended additional analyses
- Standards compliance check
Export Options
Export your FMEA in multiple formats:Excel (XLSX)
Full FMEA worksheet with all columns and formatting
CSV
Data export for integration with other tools
PDF Report
Formatted report for documentation
Integration with Safety Workflows
FMEA failure modes trace to other Saphira artifacts:- Requirements: Link failure modes to requirements they inform
- HARA: Connect failure modes to hazards they could cause
- Test Cases: Generate verification tests for detection controls
- Safety Functions: Link to safety mechanisms that mitigate failures
- GSN Safety Case: Failure mode coverage as evidence
Best Practices
Start with Architecture
Start with Architecture
Upload architecture diagrams and item definitions first. This provides context for more accurate failure mode generation.
Work Hierarchically
Work Hierarchically
Start at system level, then drill down to subsystems and components. System-level failure modes inform component-level analysis.
Use the FMEA Assistant
Use the FMEA Assistant
The AI assistant can help with:
- Severity rating calibration
- Detection control suggestions
- Action recommendation refinement
Iterate with Feedback
Iterate with Feedback
Review generated failure modes and provide feedback. The AI learns from your edits to improve future generations.