Iran Occupational Health

  Background and aims : Technique of Failure Modes Effects and Criticality Analysis, FMECA, is a method for identifying and analyzing all potential failure modes of a system.This technique is used to prevent failures and to reduce their effects on the system . The main goal of this study was identifying and analyzing of the potential failure modes and assessing the effects of failures in the cement kiln by FMECA method.

  Methods : First the boundaries of the system was determined and then system was divided into its components (systems and subsystems) at a specified level with respect to the analysis goals. Then, effects of failures on production and system were appointed and causes and severity of failures were determined. Finally The results were recorded in FMECA appropriate worksheet. Meanwhile failure priority was presented.

  Results : Totally one hundered failures were identified . While the highest risk priority number was related to body warping with RPN = 270 , the lowest risk priority numbers (RPN = 15) were associated to lacking of air supply by fan and unproperly acting of the main brake of kiln. The maximum frequency of failures were found in the kiln body.

  Conclusion : This study indicated that one failure may led to other defects in various components of the system itself. Therefore, the implementation of a documentation system to record defects was emphasized in order to improve the machinery safety level. Furthermore, it can be concluded that a planned preventive maintenance could effectively decrease the probability of failures and number of defects consequently.