A probabilistic uncertain linguistic approach for FMEA‐based risk assessment

Abstract Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is acknowledged as a beneficial instrument for identifying and mitigating system failures. However, the traditional FMEA method has its limitations. For instance, crisp numbers fail to adequately represent the intricate information and cognitive nuances of experts. Additionally, the conventional approach overlooks the significance of weights assigned to FMEA experts and risk factors (RFs). Furthermore, the simplistic ranking of failure modes in traditional FMEA does not accurately reflect priorities. In light of these drawbacks, this paper introduces an innovative, fully data‐driven FMEA method, leveraging a probabilistic uncertain linguistic term sets (PULTSs) environment and the Weighted Aggregates Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) method. In the assessment process, PULTSs serve as linguistic tools that express probability distribution, allowing for a more reasonable and precise description of information. To address the issue of weights for RFs, the regret theory and Modified CRITIC method are employed. Subsequently, the WASPAS method is applied to determine the risk rankings of failure modes. To illustrate the feasibility and rationality of this novel FMEA model, the paper includes an example involving the production of Lithium‐ion batteries. To emphasize the excellence of the proposed FMEA model, sensitivity and comparative analyses are carried out.