Multi-expert Failure Modes Prioritizing: A Case Study on Naval Unit

Abstract

Failure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) is a systematic and structured methodology used to identify, assess, and prioritize potential failure modes within a system, analyzing their effects and levels of criticality. Integrating a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) approach into this process is essential for optimizing risk management and prioritization, as it enables the consideration of various criteria with differentiated weights. This approach provides a holistic view of the criticality of failure modes, making it easier for teams to make informed and targeted decisions to mitigate risks with greater precision and consistency. This study proposes the prioritization of failure modes by considering not only the traditional severity, detectability and occurrence factors, but also the economic aspect, using the MABAC method. The criteria are weighted through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). A panel of experts provides the evaluations of failure modes based on the selected criteria as well as the judgments required to determine criteria weights, which are then synthesized to achieve a group consensus, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the results. The proposed approach is ultimately applied to a case study involving a naval unit operated by an Italy-based shipping company, demonstrating its practical effectiveness and applicability in real-world scenarios.