Bob Latino

Bob is co-author of numerous articles and has led seminars and workshops on FMEA, Opportunity Analysis and RCA, as well as co-designer of the award winning PROACT® Investigation Management Software solution. He has authored or co-authored six (6) books related to RCA and Reliability in both manufacturing and in healthcare and is a frequent speaker on the topic at domestic and international trade conferences. Bob has applied the PROACT® methodology to a diverse set of problems and industries, including a published paper in the field of Counter Terrorism entitled, “The Application of PROACT® RCA to Terrorism/Counter Terrorism Related Events.”

Bob Latino Articles

by Bob Latino

Updated: November 16, 2023

Part III: The 4 Basic Physical Failure Mechanisms of Component Failure: Overload

Reading Time: 3 minutes Author’s Note: I want to reiterate that this Series about reading the basic fracture surfaces, is for novices who often first come into contact with

by Bob Latino

Updated: January 5, 2022

Tips for Examining Rolling Element Bearings: Prepping for a Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

Reading Time: 7 minutes Abstract. In our last series highlighting the 4 primary Failure Modes (FM) of component failures (erosion, corrosion, fatigue and overload), we discussed how to read fractured surfaces.

by Bob Latino

Updated: May 2, 2024

Tips for Examining Shafts: Prepping for a Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

Reading Time: 7 minutes Tips for Examining Shafts: Prepping for a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Note to Series Readers. To those following this Series, I will apologize for the front-end

by Bob Latino

Updated: January 5, 2022

How Failed Parts Work Into an RCA

Reading Time: 9 minutes How Failed Parts Work Into an RCA Author’s Note: I want to reiterate that this Series about reading the basic fracture surfaces, is for novices

by Bob Latino

Updated: April 23, 2024

Recognizing Basic Gear Fatigue Failure Patterns

Reading Time: 3 minutes What are Fatigue Failure Patterns? In our prior blog on Fatigue we discussed the various cyclical loading applications. Let’s review them again with this graphic. Basic Characteristics

by Bob Latino

Updated: May 2, 2024

A Mechanic’s Story: Basic Component Fatigue

Reading Time: 8 minutes In this article, we are going to delve into Fatigue (because it is the most common fracture pattern) and see how we can use an

by Bob Latino

Updated: January 5, 2022

Questions About Coefficient of Friction in Fasteners

Reading Time: 4 minutes Questions About Coefficient of Friction in Fasteners I recently received an interesting LI inquiry that I felt others could learn from the answers that I

by Bob Latino

Updated: January 5, 2022

Is There a Direct Correlation Between Reliability & Safety?

Reading Time: 8 minutes Is There a Direct Correlation Between Reliability & Safety? “Assumption 1: Safety is increased by increasing system or component reliability. If components or systems do not

by Bob Latino

Updated: January 5, 2022

What Happened?: Investigating the (literal) Nuts and Bolts

Reading Time: 4 minutes What Happened? As many of you know, I have been encouraging my LI contacts for years to take me up on my offer to review

by Bob Latino

Updated: November 16, 2023

A Mechanic’s Story: The Human & System’s Contribution

Reading Time: 7 minutes Shallow Cause Analysis vs. Root Cause Analysis In this original post, A Mechanic’s Story: Basic Component Fatigue, we took a detailed journey through the physical side

by Bob Latino

Updated: April 23, 2024

Grade Your RCA Effort and Print Out Your Private Report Card…

Reading Time: 10 minutes Grade Your RCA Effort and Print Out Your Private Report Card… Abstract: If you had to give a grade to your current Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

by Bob Latino

Updated: January 5, 2022

Be “Little Bit Bold & Outrageous”: The Man Who Taught Us How

Reading Time: 10 minutes The Need to be a “Little Bit Bold & Outrageous” the man who taught us how This phrase ‘a little bit bold & outrageous’ was