Richard Harpster

Richard Harpster is president of Harpco Systems, which he founded in 1987. Harpco Systems specializes in providing software, training, and consulting for risked-based product lifecycle management (RBPLM). During the past 30 years, Harpster has helped hundreds of companies implement improved risk-based design and manufacturing systems in a wide variety of industries. He is a recognized expert in the application of FMEAs and has invented several new concepts, including the linking of design FMEAs to process FMEAs in 1990, which became an automotive industry standard 18 years later. His latest inventions in the field of RBPLM include Requirements Risk Assessment (RRA), Usage Risk Assessment (URA), Multiple Integrated Cause Analysis (MICA), and Rapid Integrated Problem Solving (RIPS). He has published several papers on the topic of RBPLM.

Wed, 01/10/2018 - 12:01
Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Reverse FMEAsGood news? You are probably already doing it.
Tue, 07/05/2022 - 12:03
On Dec. 7, 2021, Ford Motor Co. updated its IATF 16949—“Customer specific requirements” (CSR), which require the use of reverse FMEAs (RFMEA) on new equipment (“tooling”). The first sentence of the reverse FMEA requirement reads: “Organizations are…
How Risk-Based Thinking Could Prevent Thousands of Covid-19 DeathsDesign failure mode and effects analysis (DFMEA) and a look at better masks to prevent spread of Covid-19
Tue, 01/05/2021 - 12:02
As someone who has helped companies in a wide variety of industries for the last 30 years solve many problems using risk-based thinking, I cannot think of an issue that I have worked on that is more important than preventing the spread of Covid-19.…
Opinion: Should the AIAG Be in the FMEA Software Business?AIAG move could spell damage to auto industry and AIAG members
Thu, 01/10/2019 - 12:03
On Oct. 13, 2018, the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) sponsored a webinar on the status of the AIAG Core Tools Software (AIAG CTS). John Cachat, AIAG project manager for the AIAG CTS project, was the presenter for the webinar. The…
Quickest Way to Effective AIAG-VDA-Harmonized FMEAsImprove the ability to use DFMEAs and PFMEAs effectively and efficiently
Wed, 04/11/2018 - 12:03
The AIAG-VDA FMEA Handbook committee and everyone who responded to the request for comment on the proposed AIAG-VDA failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) manual must be applauded for their efforts. Harmonizing the VDA and AIAG FMEA methods is not…
The Case Against the AIAG-VDA DFMEAWhy this methodology should not be adopted
Wed, 01/31/2018 - 13:42
Richard Harpster's op-ed is in response to a recent Quality Digest article and webinar discussing the benefits of the draft AIAG-VDA FMEA Handbook. As he points out at the end of this article, the AIAG has provided a means to solicit comments, pro…
Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Implementing Risk-Based ThinkingUnderstanding ISO 9001:2015’s new requirement
Wed, 01/10/2018 - 12:01
The concept of risk-based thinking has been implicit in previous editions of ISO 9001 through requirements planning, review, and improvement. But ISO 9001:2015 requires companies to use risk-based thinking to manage their business. If you want to…