Developing the modified R-numbers for risk-based fuzzy information fusion and its application to failure modes, effects, and system resilience analysis (FMESRA)

In order to identify and eliminate known or potential failures from the process of product design, development and production, failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) have been widely used in a variety of industries as a useful tool in prognostics and health management, safety and reliability analysis. The traditional FMEA shows two significant flaws while calculating the risk priority number (RPN). First, recovery time that considerably affects the safety, cost, and sustainability of the system is not considered in the RPN calculation. Second, in order to capture different conflicting experts’ views, especially when the obtained data are fuzzy, there is no mechanism. In order to overcome these issues, this paper presents a resilience-based risk priority number for considering the recovery and repair time of each failure mode, then a risk-based fuzzy information processing and decision-making is developed by modifying the R-numbers methodology and on the basis of simultaneous evaluation of criteria and alternatives (SECA) approach which is so-called R-SECA method. The capability of proposed models is tested by a case study of a centrifugal air compressor in a steel manufacturing company. Results show the robustness of proposed R-SECA model in dealing with different scenarios of risky information.