Criticality Analysis

The assignment of a criticality ranking (typically A, B, or C) to each equipment item based on the consequences of its failure across safety, environmental, production, and maintenance cost dimensions. Criticality classification determines the level of engineering attention, inspection rigor, maintenance strategy, and spare parts investment appropriate for each asset.

An extension of FMEA that adds a criticality analysis step to quantify the combined frequency and severity of each failure mode's consequences. FMECA augments FMEA by calculating a criticality number for each failure mode based on the failure effect probability, failure mode ratio, part failure rate, and operating time, enabling a more rigorous mathematical prioritization than RPN alone.

A structured evaluation framework used to determine the criticality classification of equipment by scoring its failure consequences across multiple dimensions (typically safety, environment, production, and maintenance cost). The matrix provides a consistent, repeatable methodology for ranking equipment, ensuring that criticality assessments are transparent and defensible.

Risk-Based Maintenance and Consequence Classification standard — establishes a systematic approach to maintenance optimization based on criticality and consequence classification of equipment. It provides a methodology for classifying equipment into maintenance categories and defining maintenance strategies based on the consequence of failure.