FMEA AP (Action Priority)
FMEA AP, or Action Priority, is a rating method introduced in the AIAG & VDA Failure Mode and Effects Analysis - FMEA Handbook. The AP provides a priority level based on Severity, Occurrence, and Detection values. While the RPN (Risk Priority Number) is a risk assessment value based on Severity x Occurrence x Detection, AP was developed in order to give more emphasis to Severity first, then Occurrence, and then Detection. You can choose to use RPN or AP or both.
AP values may be:
- H (Priority High): These items are the highest priority for review and action. You need to either recommend an appropriate action to improve Prevention and/or Detection Controls for this item, or document why your current Controls are acceptable.
- M (Priority Medium): These items are medium priority for review and action. You should recommend appropriate action to improve Prevention and/or Detection Controls, or, optionally, document why your current Controls are acceptable.
- L (Priority Low): These items are low priority for review and action. You could recommend appropriate action to improve Prevention and/or Detection Controls.
You can add AP and Revised AP to your DFMEA and PFMEA Worksheets by customizing your FMEA Worksheet. The AP values are determined based on the values of the Severity, Occurrence, and Detection fields. The AP Revised values are determined based on the values of the Revised Severity, Revised Occurrence, and Revised Detection fields.
In your FMEA Worksheets, the AP and Revised AP columns will include the Priority designation (H, M, or L) and also be color-coded (red, yellow, green) for easier viewing.
The AP values are determined based on the following table:
| Severity | Occurrence | Detection | AP |
| 9-10 | 8-10 | 7-10 | H |
| 5-6 | H | ||
| 2-4 | H | ||
| 1 | H | ||
| 6-7 | 7-10 | H | |
| 5-6 | H | ||
| 2-4 | H | ||
| 1 | H | ||
| 4-5 | 7-10 | H | |
| 5-6 | H | ||
| 2-4 | H | ||
| 1 | M | ||
| 2-3 | 7-10 | H | |
| 5-6 | M | ||
| 2-4 | L | ||
| 1 | L | ||
| 1 | 1-10 | L | |
| 7-8 | 8-10 | 7-10 | H |
| 5-6 | H | ||
| 2-4 | H | ||
| 1 | H | ||
| 6-7 | 7-10 | H | |
| 5-6 | H | ||
| 2-4 | H | ||
| 1 | M | ||
| 4-5 | 7-10 | H | |
| 5-6 | M | ||
| 2-4 | M | ||
| 1 | M | ||
| 2-3 | 7-10 | M | |
| 5-6 | M | ||
| 2-4 | L | ||
| 1 | L | ||
| 1 | 1-10 | L | |
| 4-6 | 8-10 | 7-10 | H |
| 5-6 | H | ||
| 2-4 | M | ||
| 1 | M | ||
| 6-7 | 7-10 | M | |
| 5-6 | M | ||
| 2-4 | M | ||
| 1 | L | ||
| 4-5 | 7-10 | M | |
| 5-6 | L | ||
| 2-4 | L | ||
| 1 | L | ||
| 2-3 | 7-10 | L | |
| 5-6 | L | ||
| 2-4 | L | ||
| 1 | L | ||
| 1 | 1-10 | L | |
| 2-3 | 8-10 | 7-10 | M |
| 5-6 | M | ||
| 2-4 | L | ||
| 1 | L | ||
| 6-7 | 7-10 | L | |
| 5-6 | L | ||
| 2-4 | L | ||
| 1 | L | ||
| 4-5 | 7-10 | L | |
| 5-6 | L | ||
| 2-4 | L | ||
| 1 | L | ||
| 2-3 | 7-10 | L | |
| 5-6 | L | ||
| 2-4 | L | ||
| 1 | L | ||
| 1 | 1-10 | L | |
| 1 | 1-10 | 1-10 | L |
You can also view a breakdown of AP values by adding the AP Breakdown for DFMEA or AP Breakdown for PFMEA widgets to your FMEA Dashboards.
Customizing the FMEA Action Priority
If you do not want to use the default settings for Action Priority levels, you can customize them to suit your needs. See the Customizing FMEA Risk Criteria topic for details.