FFT (Failure Finding Task)

A Failure Finding Task aims at finding hidden failure during planned maintenance actions. It is a kind of inspection task that can be defined explicitly to give adequate focus to such an activity.

Behavior

The behavior of an FFT is similar to that of the CBM task which also defines inspection related data. The difference is, however, that CBM focuses on performing inspections to prevent failure, while the FFT aims at finding hidden failure, and act on it before actual harm is done.

Enabling FFT

FFT is an optional function that can be enabled whenever the user feels the need to extend the object set with the possibility to define Failure Finding tasks.

To enable the FFT (and FFT-Follow) objects, perform these steps:

1. Navigate to Extra > Options > Module settings > tab Custom Options.

2. Enable function FFT (tick mark in field named FFT).

3. Close the option window.

4. Now, when at the level of the Maintenance actions in the FMECA tree or FM library, option FFT appears when the user selects the option New.

Disabling FFT

The FFT function can be disabled by deselecting the option in the Option menu (see above). With the option disabled, the user can no longer create new FFT and FFT-Follow objects. However, FFT objects, once enabled and created, will remain visible and active in the FMECA tree and FM library, even when the FFT option is disabled.

Exception: When FFT is disabled, the user may still create an FFT-Follow object by copying an existing FBM onto an FFT action

FFT and FFT Follow-up

As with the CBM follow-up, the action that is to be performed when hidden failure is detected during inspection, is a FBM action that is defined as the FFT Follow-up. The FFT Follow-up can be defined as child of the FFT, or can be copied from an existing FBM. In the latter case, the copied FBM will be automatically converted into a child FFT-follow object.

Tabs

The data for FFT can be edited in the Property Grid, or the Property Screen, which contains several tabs. Each tab will be explained separately in the following topics. Some tabs are identical for the various types of maintenance, so images in the explanation may be reused.

Property Grid

All information entered in the Properties screen, can also be entered directly into the Property Grid. The meaning of the fields will be explained per tab of the Properties Screen in the following topics, which correspond to the sections in the Property Grid. The function of the fields is identical.

Note: The Preventive section contains fields similar to the Maintenance - tab CBM Preventive. However, for FFT, only the Strategy and Interval (unit) and First inspection (unit) fields are relevant.