What is F.O.D.

The acronym F.O.D has two meanings

• Foreign Object Debris
• Foreign Object Damage

Foreign Object Debris

This refers to anything that is not where it should be and

• In manufacturing or similar, could contaminate what is being made, injure people or degrade the quality of the product
• In aviation or similar, could be a hazard to people, aircraft, equipment or anything else of value

Examples are :-

• Tools
• Components
• Coins, pens, paper clips
• Food wrappers and other rubbish
• Dirt, grit and vegetation
• Wildlife such as birds and animals
• Humans

Foreign Object Damage

This refers to the damage caused by foreign object debris that can

• Reduce the quality of a manufactured item
• Compromise the function of what is being made
• Decrease the value of the manufactured product

The end result can be :-

• Blow out tires at high speeds
• Destroy fan blades when sucked into a jet engine
• Damage components inside equipment
• Reduce the expected life of equipment.

The results of foreign object debris can be death or serious injuries.

Other benefits of foreign object detection

• Decreased costs. A lower failure rate means a lower cost to manufacture
• Improved quality. A higher quality end product is worth more.
• Lower maintenance cost. Decrease the cost to maintain and repair equipment. It also means it needs replacing less often.
• Reduced downtime. When an item is not operational, it is losing money.
• Increased production. Plan downtime proactively rather than reactively