Improvement: What Comes First?
Christer Idhammar, Founder IDCON INC
I often receive these questions: What Improvement Comes First? Do we start with Root Cause Problem Elimination (RCPE) or do we start with Preventive Maintenance and Planning and Scheduling?
I use the term RCPE because it is a waste of good initiatives and time to only find the root cause of a problem, but not fixing it. I like to use the word problem; a more common terminology is Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA), instead of failure because the word failure often leads to a focus on equipment and maintenance. The word problem includes all operational, quality, speed, high costs and other losses. To eliminate problems is a joint responsibility between operations, maintenance and engineering.
Related Articles
Analyzing Semiconductor Failure
Analyzing Semiconductor Failure Perry L. Martin What follows is a brief description of how to properly perform semiconductor failure analysis without introducing unwanted artifacts into the analysis. Semiconductor devices are almost always part of a larger, more complex piece of electronic equipment. These devices operate in concert with other circuit elements and are subject to system, subsystem and environmental influences....
An Integrated Process for System Maintenance, Fault Diagnosis and Support
An Integrated Process for System Maintenance, Fault Diagnosis and Support Sudipto Ghoshal, Roshan Shrestha, Anindya Ghoshal, Venkatesh Malepati, Somnath Deb, Krishna Pattipati and David Kleinman Click here to download the full pdf. Sudipto Ghoshal, Roshan Shrestha, Anindya Ghoshal, Venkatesh Malepati, Somnath Deb, Krishna Pattipati and David Kleinman
Anatomy of a Boiler Failure—A Different Perspective
Anatomy of a Boiler Failure - A Different Perspective Gary J. Bases The power industry’s operating and maintenance practices were held up to intense regulator and public scrutiny when on November 6, 2007, a Massachusetts power plant’s steam-generating boiler exploded and three men died. The Department of Public Safety’s Incident Report investigation (PDF) determined that the primary cause of the Dominion Energy...
Anatomy of a Hydraulic Pump Failure
Anatomy of a Hydraulic Pump Failure Insider Secrets To Hydraulics I was asked recently to give a second opinion on the cause of a hydraulic pump failure of an axial piston pump. The hydraulic pump failure occured after a short period in service and my client had pursued a warranty claim with the manufacturer. The manufacturer rejected the warranty claim...
Are We Willing to Hear What “Failure” Has to Say?
Are We Willing to Hear What "Failure" Has to Say? C. Robert Nelms Click here to download the full pdf. C. Robert Nelms C. Robert Nelms is the Founder of Failsafe Network, Inc. He received his aerospace engineering degree from Texas A&M in 1969.
Definition of Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
Definition of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) From the newsletter "Process Plant and Equipment UP-TIME" with permission of BIN95 Industrial Training, www.downtimecentral.com Posted 12/15/2022 Article sponsored by ... IDCON INC's Root Cause Analysis Training and Consulting What you will learn from this article. A Definition of Root Cause Analysis An explanation of root causes analysis (RCA). An overview of how it is applied at...
