A Multi Attribute Utility Theory Approach to FMECA implementation in the food industry

The present paper describes a methodological approach for a failure criticality analysis applied to an Italian food firm that produces Prosciutto di Parma® jam. The study aims at identifying the most relevant failures of the jam production plant so that to implement maintenance management system based on the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) principles. In a first step the technological production cycle for Prosciutto di Parma® jam has been analysed, focusing on the core operations, which relate to the jam salt cycle. A Failure Modes Effect Analysis (FMEA) has sequently been performed, so that to identify the jam production plant potential failures. The criticality analysis is then carried out according to three different approaches: the classical analysis that define the Risk Priority Number (RPN) multiplying failure probability, severity and detectability (signed RPNI); a weighted mean approach that evaluated the RPN taking also into account the failure impact on operation and management parameters such as manpower safety, product quality, production loss and plant maintainability (signed RPNII) and lastly a Multi Attribute Utility Approach (MAUT) (signed RPNIII). To this extent the use of Generalized Polynomial Decomposable Multiple Attribute Utility Functions (GPDMAUF) is proposed to determine the RPN, describing the application of the technique to the jam salt cycle. The failure criticality ranking obtained through the different methods is lastly discussed, stressing the versatility of GPDMAUF approach.