PFMEA - Is having the DFMEA An Absolute Requirement when doing a PFMEA

I understand the desirability and importance of having the DFMEA on hand when preparing a PFMEA. However, is it an absolute requirement? Can you reasonably expect to be able to complete a PFMEA without access to the design?

IMHO, since design changes are not meant as fixes for PFMEAs, all is not lost just because we don't have a design.

What say you all

[Marc]

Nope - the requirement is not 'absolute'. Many times a non-design responsible supplier cannot get a DFMEA from their customer.

[Howard Atkins]

I would say most times the DFMEA is not available.

[Marc]

You're right. I was being overly optimistic using the word 'many' instead of 'most'.

Thank you!!

[Howard Atkins]

Has anything changed in the last 4 years?

[Marc]

You know, when I saw the title of this thread I was thinking about that, Howard. I was doing an APQP overview the other day and I was going through the 'Reality' vs. 'Theory' aspect. These folks are not design responsible. In these situations I try to explain that the APQP manual is theory and, as my 'standard' example, I cited the fact that most suppliers have a 'snowball's chance in hades' of getting a customer's DFMEA.

I say it's still true. Was last in the 'trenches' as a QE from April 2002 through May 2003 and it was true then with the two customers (I was 'dedicated' to Harley-Davidson and Visteon) I 'worked' with.

Nothing has changed.

[Bill Ryan]

I agree - Nothing has changed. From my view, I wonder if a "big" reason is that my customers perform a DFMEA on their assembled part and don't dive down to the component level (which is what we supply). I have gotten two DFMEAs from two different customers over the last 7 years and I really had to hunt to find references to our component.