Meeting requirements established by the big-three automakers, this volume introduces work teams to Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA). Mandated by the QS-9000 standard, FMEA positions quality control personnel to identify special causes of variation before they occur, thus preventing failures, defects, and errors, mostly before they are manifested. Recognized as a versatile and effective continuous improvement tool, FMEA serves any industry in which error prevention is vital to profit. The process establishes a systematic method for determining causes and creates a common language for FMEA teams - a method easily transferred to other industries.