APPLICATION OF FAILURE MODE AND EFFECTS ANALYSIS (FMEA) IN IDENTIFYING CRITICAL FAILURES AND MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES FOR FORKLIFT SYSTEMS

Abstract

Forklifts play a critical role in industrial operations; however, component failures can disrupt logistics activities and reduce operational efficiency. This study aims to identify critical failure modes in forklift systems and to develop appropriate maintenance strategies using the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) approach. Historical failure data from 2022 to 2024 were analyzed using descriptive statistical and reliability measures, including time to failure (TTF), Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), and failure rate, to evaluate the behaviour of each component. These results were integrated with FMEA parameters- severity, occurrence, and detectability to determine the Risk Priority Number (RPN). The analysis shows that the braking wheel and lubrication (oil) system have the highest RPN values, indicating that they are the most critical components requiring immediate attention. Based on these findings, preventive and corrective maintenance strategies are proposed according to the failure characteristics of each component. This study contributes by providing a data-driven and reliability-informed approach to maintenance prioritization, aiming to reduce downtime and improve forklift operational reliability.