AI for design FMEA, rated by the team
In short
AI for design FMEA means using earlier FMEAs, change history and lessons learned to propose structure, functions, failure modes, causes and controls for a new design FMEA. The team reviews every proposal and rates severity, occurrence and detection itself. We build it with you along the seven steps of the AIAG and VDA FMEA Handbook.
Updated 27 Oct 2026
A new design FMEA often starts as a copy of an old one, gaps included. The AI searches all earlier FMEAs for comparable components and functions and proposes failure chains with their source. The FMEA team decides what applies and rates the risk.
- Start with
- Quick Scanone week · €4,900
- Systems
- Solid Edge, SolidWorks, Inventor, CATIA, Autodesk Vault, SolidWorks PDM
- Result
- FMEA proposals with source, rated by the team
How it works
- 01
Structure from the model
The structure analysis (step 2) starts from the assembly structure in CAD or the BOM in the PDM: system, subsystems and components with their part numbers. The team trims it to the scope set in planning and preparation (step 1).
- 02
Functions and failure chains proposed
For each element, the AI searches earlier FMEAs, change requests and lessons learned for comparable components and functions. It proposes functions, failure effects, failure modes and failure causes (steps 3 and 4), each with the FMEA or document it comes from.
- 03
Controls proposed, risk rated by the team
The AI proposes prevention and detection controls used before, for example a design guideline, a calculation or a test. In the risk analysis (step 5), the team sets severity, occurrence and detection, which give the action priority.
- 04
Actions linked to parts
Actions from the optimization (step 6) get an owner and a due date. Because each element carries its part number, a change to the part in Autodesk Vault or SolidWorks PDM flags the FMEA lines that need another look.
What you get
Draft structure and failure chains
Structure from the assembly or BOM and proposed functions, failure modes, effects and causes, each with its source.
Proposed controls
Prevention and detection controls from earlier FMEAs and design guidelines, for the team to accept, change or reject.
FMEA linked to part numbers
A change to a part in the PDM flags the FMEA lines that concern it.
Results in your FMEA tool
Accepted proposals go into the FMEA software or template you already use.
Limits
Proposals come from earlier FMEAs, so new technologies, new materials and new functions get few or no proposals, and the team has to work them out. Older FMEAs written with risk priority numbers and inconsistent wording need mapping to the seven-step structure before they help. The AI does not set severity, occurrence or detection. A proposed failure mode is a question for the team to answer. Customer-specific FMEA requirements, for example from automotive OEMs, still apply.
Systems
- Solid Edge
- SolidWorks
- Inventor
- CATIA
- Autodesk Vault
- SolidWorks PDM
Frequently asked questions
What is a design FMEA according to AIAG and VDA?
A design FMEA (DFMEA) analyses how a product design could fail, what the effects would be and how prevention and detection controls reduce the risk. The AIAG and VDA FMEA Handbook, first edition 2019, describes seven steps: planning and preparation, structure analysis, function analysis, failure analysis, risk analysis, optimization and results documentation.
Can AI build a design FMEA from a Solid Edge or SolidWorks assembly?
Partly. The assembly structure from Solid Edge or SolidWorks, or the BOM from the PDM, gives a draft for the structure analysis. Functions, failure modes and causes can be proposed from earlier FMEAs of comparable components. Rating severity, occurrence and detection and deciding on actions stay with the cross-functional FMEA team.
What is the difference between action priority and the risk priority number in FMEA?
The risk priority number (RPN) multiplies severity, occurrence and detection, each rated from 1 to 10, so very different risks can get the same value. The action priority (AP) of the AIAG and VDA FMEA Handbook uses a table instead. It weights severity first, then occurrence, then detection, and assigns a high, medium or low priority for action.
What are the risks of using AI in a design FMEA?
The main risk is copying without thinking, that is accepting failure modes and ratings from old FMEAs that do not fit the new design. That is why the AI only proposes, names the source of each proposal and leaves the ratings to the team. Further limits are missing history for new technologies and old FMEAs with inconsistent wording.
Talk to us about your task.
In the free 45-minute intro call we show a live demo on comparable geometry. Someone from our team replies personally within one working day.