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by Bob Latino
Updated: January 5, 2022What’s Wrong With The Term “Root Causes”?
Reading Time: 2 minutes
There is great variation when it comes to a common understanding of the term ‘Root Cause Analysis’ or RCA. In a previous, lengthy paper, I wrote an article entitled “The Stigma of RCA: What’s In a Name?“. It focused on common understandings (or misunderstandings) of what RCA means and then described the basic steps of any investigative occupation. I just
by Bob Latino
Updated: January 5, 2022RCA in Action: The Space Shuttle Columbia Investigation
Reading Time: 3 minutes
As is typical in our manufacturing organizations, oftentimes it takes high visibility events with catastrophic consequences for a full-blown Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to be conducted. Many of us still have fresh memories of Challenger in our minds from over 17 years ago, and now we are faced with another investigation of equal (if not greater) magnitude.
by Bob Latino
Updated: November 17, 2023Fighting Failure: Changing A Plant’s Culture To No Longer Accept Failure
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Failure has become a part of every industrial culture around the world; it permeates everything we do in an industrial facility. It is so much a part of our existence that we create elaborate work management and data systems to manage the sheer volume. It is time to change our paradigm to a culture where failure is the exception and
by Bob Latino
Updated: November 17, 2023What is the Difference Between Failure Analysis (FA), Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA)?
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Recently, Reliability Center, Inc. received an inquiry from one of our web visitors asking the differences between three confusingly similar Reliability acronyms. We thought others in the Reliability community may also wonder what the differences are between Failure Analysis (FA), Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) so we decided to share with you our view on
by Bob Latino
Updated: January 5, 2022Root Cause Analysis (RCA) – Death of an Acronym?
Reading Time: 4 minutes
As another well-known acronym has saturated industry today, it has been retired to the pasture of “dilution” farm. The term RCA is used to cover such a spectrum of meanings and significance, that the term itself has become de-valued. Can the value that RCA once stood for be revived to obtain the benefits that it is capable of producing?
by Bob Latino
Updated: November 17, 2023Do We Get Our Money’s Worth Out of Training?
Reading Time: 3 minutes
A turbine in a refinery fails catastrophically. The adrenaline is flowing as efforts to recover and get back on-line are taking place. Even though turmoil appears rampant there is an air of organization. The magnitude of the failure prompts a Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA), primarily because the loss is high and the insurance companies and the lawyers are involved.
by Bob Latino
Updated: November 3, 2023How to Gain Management Buy-In for Root Cause Analysis?
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Oftentimes we are sent to attend classes on various topics where the material is applicable to our work situation. However, we know deep inside that even though we know this material is applicable and can make our lives easier, our management will never allow us the latitude to implement it. This article will strive to convey our experience with how
by Bob Latino
Updated: January 5, 2022“Corporate Memory” – The Intellectual Capital Void
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Why does our Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) dictate that equipment is an asset and our employees are liabilities? How come during the Re-Engineering era we did cut a certain % of the working population and not a % of the equipment? What is the value of intellectual capital in your organization?
by Bob Latino
Updated: January 5, 2022Electronic Field Data Collection: The Bridge to the Connected Plant
Reading Time: 4 minutes
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has created immense excitement and promise for industrial facilities. Having connected assets that continuously monitor their own health and feed that information back in a way that is timely and actionable will drive business outcomes and help organizations achieve loftier goals. The challenge today is that many of our assets are not yet “connected”
by Bob Latino
Updated: January 5, 2022Problems Are Good!
Reading Time: 6 minutes
The best organizations in the world are not the ones with all the systems and procedures, all the acronyms, or even the most up to date technical solutions; instead they are the ones that are best at identifying and solving problems. Want more success? Want a better maintenance effort? Then get better at finding and solving problems.
by Bob Latino
Updated: January 5, 2022PROACT: A Consultant’s Review
Reading Time: 5 minutes
Root Cause Analysis has always been dear to my heart. The procedure involved in finding the root causes and addressing them have intrigued me greatly as it involves using all your data gathering and cognitive skills. In the past, it was a bit difficult to properly perform RCAs since it usually meant jumping around different types of software…
by Bob Latino
Updated: November 17, 2023Can you be Proactive in a Reactive Environment?
Reading Time: 4 minutes
If you are like most people who work in a manufacturing or process plant, you have a plan for your day when you arrive in the morning. As soon as you walk through the gate, you are hit with the equipment failures from the night before. You immediately spring into action to help find parts, drawings, millwrights, fitters and anything