What does the acronym FMEA stand for in quality management?

The acronym FMEA stands for Failure Modes and Effects Analysis. This is a systematic, proactive method used to evaluate and identify potential failure modes within a product or process and assess the impact of those failures. The goal of FMEA is to improve overall quality and reliability by anticipating problems and addressing them before they occur.

In FMEA, teams analyze possible failure modes, their causes, and effects, assigning risk priority numbers (RPNs) based on the severity, occurrence, and detection of each failure. This methodology is utilized in various industries to enhance product development and process improvement efforts by mitigating risks and minimizing failures.

The other options do not accurately represent the established terminology and methodology associated with FMEA in quality management.