The application of RODON to the FMEA of a microgravity facility subsystem

Abstract

In March of 2000, R.O.S.E. Informatik GmbH and the Risk Management Office of The NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland Ohio decided to collaborate on a pilot application of a computerized model-based reasoning tool called RODON. This collaboration resulted in a failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) of the! fuel/premixed-fuel supply manifold: a subassembly intended to be part of the fluid-combustion facility (FCF) which was planned for microgravity experiments on the International Space Station (ISS). Clarification of design details and component pressure-drop test data was provided by the design engineering team. The fuel/premixed-fuel supply manifold was first analyzed by a reliability engineer using an analyst-dependent technique which "rests" primarily upon experience, knowledge, and imagination. The output of the RODON-generated FMEA was compared to the analyst-dependent FMEA. The analysis process utilizing RODON revealed errors from the analyst-dependent FMEA and also detected a laboratory test problem.