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Germination of a Failure – Why Does Stuff Really Break Down? (Q&A Part 1)
Reading Time: 3 minutes I recently presented a webinar for SMRP and Empowering Pumps, on the title above. There were several questions, post-presentation, that I felt were worthy of expanding on in
Error: Is it a Cause or an Outcome? (Trick Question)
Reading Time: 6 minutes Trick question, it’s neither! When we hear people use the term ‘error’ it is normally associated with being the cause of some type of bad
The Top 11 Signs of a Shallow Cause Analysis (SCA)
Reading Time: 2 minutes We might be doing a Shallow Cause Analysis (SCA) if … 1. We blame and discipline the violator and that concludes the investigation. There is
Logic Tree Basics: Complete Guide Constructing a Logic Tree
Reading Time: 9 minutes Note: Everyone has their own way to use cause-and-effect logic trees and we use the PROACT RCA Methodology that we teach in our root cause
The Pro’s and Con’s of Using Pre-Existing Logic/Templates in Root Cause Analyses (RCA)
Reading Time: 10 minutes There has been an ongoing debate for decades as to whether the use of pre-existing logic for conducting Root Cause Analyses (i.e. RCA templates and/or
In Healthcare, Is The Human Being An Asset Or Liability?
Reading Time: 13 minutes This article contrasts the application of preventive and predictive technologies in industry to those in healthcare. For years, risk managers have been discussing the rationing
Supercharge Lean Six Sigma with Root Cause Analysis
Reading Time: 8 minutes Has your organization adopted Six Sigma? Lean manufacturing? What about Lean Six Sigma? If you already have any of these business process improvements in place,
Name That Failure | Part 3
Reading Time: 4 minutes Can you identify and name this fracture pattern? How can you tell it is that fracture pattern? Where are the origin(s) of the failure
Name That Failure Pattern | 2nd Edition
Reading Time: 3 minutes This failure occurred on a turbine driven boiler feedwater pump (TDBFP) at a fossil fuel power plant. The pump in question is an outboard boiler
Name That Failure Pattern – Part 1
Reading Time: 8 minutes This is a failed shaft that came out of a pump in a paper mill. The pump was only in service for about a month
Examining Rolling Element Bearings
Reading Time: 7 minutes 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.
Optimizing RCA and FMEA in Health Care
Reading Time: 12 minutes “Failure Mode and Effect Analysis” (FMEA) and “Root Cause Analysis” (RCA) are becoming commonplace terms in work environments and in the literature. This article will