How do you calculate a delamination risk score?

Multiply the severity, occurrence, and detection scores. With severity 8, occurrence 4, and detection 5 the underlying product is 160, scaled to a 5.85 risk score here.

What is a high delamination risk score?

On a classic 1-10 RPN basis, products above roughly 100-125 demand action. Severity ratings of 8 or higher almost always warrant attention regardless of the total, because delamination failures are critical.

Why does detection difficulty matter so much?

A delamination you can't find before delivery reaches the field undetected. That's why a hard-to-detect defect, like a sub-surface ply separation missed by C-scan, drives the score up even at moderate occurrence.

How do I lower a delamination risk score?

Attack the highest factor. You usually can't reduce severity, so cut occurrence with better debulk and cure control, or cut detection difficulty by adding ultrasonic or thermographic NDI coverage.

RPN vs criticality: which should I use for delamination?

RPN ranks by the product of all three factors; criticality emphasizes severity and occurrence. For flight-critical composites, screen on severity first, then use the full score to prioritize among high-severity items.

Should I act on a low total if severity is high?

Yes. A severity of 8, as in the example, signals a critical consequence even when occurrence and detection are moderate. Never let a low total mask a high-severity failure mode.

Composites, Fiberglass & Advanced Materials calculator

Delamination Risk Calculator

Delamination Risk applies FMEA logic to one of the most dangerous failure modes in composite structures: the separation of plies within a laminate. Quality engineers and stress analysts use it to rank delamination hazards across parts and processes by multiplying how severe a delamination would be, how often it occurs, and how hard it is to detect before the part ships. Because delamination is often invisible on the surface yet structurally catastrophic, the detection factor matters as much as the failure itself; a high-severity defect you can't find with standard ultrasonic C-scan is the worst combination. The resulting risk number gives a defensible, repeatable way to decide where to spend inspection and process-control effort.

What this calculator does

Estimate delamination risk priority for composite parts or bonded assemblies.
prioritizing delamination prevention or containment actions
It multiplies severity, occurrence, and detection scores into a single delamination risk priority number for ranking failure modes.

Formula used

Delamination Risk = delamination severity score × delamination occurrence score × delamination detection difficulty score

Inputs explained

Delamination severity score:
Delamination occurrence score:
Delamination detection difficulty score:

How to use the result

Use it during process FMEAs, NCR root-cause reviews, or when prioritizing NDI and cure-process improvements across a family of composite parts.
It is a relative ranking tool, not an absolute probability; scores are only as consistent as your scoring guide, so two engineers must use the same rubric for the numbers to be comparable.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for plastic resins and materials stands at 319.371 (BLS, May 2026), up 19.5% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
Steel mill PPI stands at 348.53 (BLS, May 2026), up 6.7% from a year earlier. New factory orders are up 2.3% year over year (Census).

Common questions

How do you calculate a delamination risk score? Multiply the severity, occurrence, and detection scores. With severity 8, occurrence 4, and detection 5 the underlying product is 160, scaled to a 5.85 risk score here.
What is a high delamination risk score? On a classic 1-10 RPN basis, products above roughly 100-125 demand action. Severity ratings of 8 or higher almost always warrant attention regardless of the total, because delamination failures are critical.
Why does detection difficulty matter so much? A delamination you can't find before delivery reaches the field undetected. That's why a hard-to-detect defect, like a sub-surface ply separation missed by C-scan, drives the score up even at moderate occurrence.
How do I lower a delamination risk score? Attack the highest factor. You usually can't reduce severity, so cut occurrence with better debulk and cure control, or cut detection difficulty by adding ultrasonic or thermographic NDI coverage.
RPN vs criticality: which should I use for delamination? RPN ranks by the product of all three factors; criticality emphasizes severity and occurrence. For flight-critical composites, screen on severity first, then use the full score to prioritize among high-severity items.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.