7 Points to Successful Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
Successful Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a useful tool for trouble shooting breakdowns and efficiently coming to a solution. I propose the following seven points for successful implementation of RCA that will naturally result in increased profits.
Seven Points For Successful Root Cause Analysis
I. Describe the actual breakdown.
II. Define the physical phenomena of the breakdown.
III. Organize the details of the breakdown by using the ‘3W2H’ (with what, when, where, how, how much) tool.
IV. Work as a team, respecting each other’s expertise and knowledge, rather than individually.
V. Consider every possible cause of the breakdown.
VI. Verify all logical causes and eliminate all illogical causes.
VII. If determined that the cause of the breakdown was human error, separate that cause from the physical causes.
I. Describe the actual breakdown.
Describe all observations of the breakdown. Frequently people do not check the breakdown in detail. That is really dangerous way of finding causes, solving the problem. There should be a physical examination of the machines involved and a detailed description of the actual break. In not checking all aspects, there is a high probability of missing the cause. Every aspect must be checked.
II. Define the physical phenomena of the breakdown.
When you are looking for the cause of the breakdown, it is imperative that you define the problem to physical phenomena. For example: If the lamp is off, rather than just stop at problem’s phenomena, define ‘Lamp off ‘ in physical phenomena. If you define ‘lamp off’ to ‘electricity can’t go through lamp in the circuit’, you can get to problem essentially. This is a more exact and helpful description of the problem
III. Organize the details of the breakdown by using the ‘3W2H’
Do not make any assumptions when examining a problem. No two problems are exactly the same in nature and cause. Actually, it is extremely rare for the exact same breakdown to occur twice. Look at each problem as if you were looking at the situation for the first time. It looks like even though that cause is different, but their breakdown phenomena looks same. For each problem use: with what, when, where, how, and how much. In answering these questions from a new perspective each time, RCA will be more quickly achieved.
IV. Work as a team, respecting each other’s expertise and knowledge, rather than working individually.
The more input a problem from various perspectives, the better. Everyone will look at the problem differently, so it is to your advantage to seek the assistance of everyone involved in the situation from machine operators, supervisors and managers. One paper company, when their managers joined in an effort to improve their production, thought of a better design for a paper machine. The manufacture of the machine implemented their suggestions with very positive results.
V. Consider every possible cause of the breakdown.
Looking problems in the past may be helpful in determining your cause of the breakdown; however, you should take care in not limiting yourself to past causes. Every possible cause must be considered. All potential causes need to be cleared.
VI. Verify all logical causes and eliminate all illogical causes.
In processing cause analysis, you must consider all causes. It will become clear in the process that some causes will be illogical. Remove all illogical causes after careful examination. You can see they are logical or not by reversing it. Let’s look at the simple physical phenomena as an example. ‘Lamp off’ means ‘electricity cannot travel through the lamp’. If one of the causes of electricity cannot travel through the lamp is ‘fuse out’, so to find out whether this is appropriate or not, look if fuse is out, electricity cannot travel through the lamp. If it does, you can see that as a possibility of cause.
VII. If determined that the cause of the breakdown was human error, separate that cause from the physical causes.
In the process of team evaluation, it will become obvious that the cause of the breakdown was human error. It is important to separate the human error factors from the physical factors. If there is a human cause, the participation of attendees can be lower. So don’t except that possibility. Organize them separately and don’t leave out the physical causes.
Jinsso Kim
Related Articles
As a teacher and a practitioner of root cause analysis, I see not only the physical motions of going through such an effort, but also the psychology behind what makes or breaks it. When you consider the effort that goes into determining root causes and developing recommendations, why should it be such a hard sell to get something done?
As a teacher and a practitioner of root cause analysis, I see not only the physical motions of going through such an effort, but also the psychology behind what makes or breaks it. When you consider the effort that goes into determining root causes and developing recommendations, why should it be such a hard sell to get something done?
See More
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a valuable tool for reliability improvement in manufacturing and production operations. Yet, most efforts to implement an RCA program fail to achieve meaningful results despite significant investments in employee training. What needs to be done to assure that RCA becomes a functional work process in organizations?
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a valuable tool for reliability improvement in manufacturing and production operations. Yet, most efforts to implement an RCA program fail to achieve meaningful results despite significant investments in employee training. What needs to be done to assure that RCA becomes a functional work process in organizations?
See More
This paper presents an overview of an integrated process for system maintenance, fault diagnosis and support. The solution is based on Qualtech System, Inc.’s (QSI’s) TEAMS toolset for integrated diagnostics and involves several key innovations. As a showcase of the integrated solution, QSI, along with Antech Systems and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), have recently completed a research project for the Information Technology Branch at the Naval Air Warfare Center–Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) in St. Inigoes, MD. The entire system, termed ADAPTS (Adaptive Diagnostic And Personalized Technical Support), provides a comprehensive solution to integrated maintenance and training.
This paper presents an overview of an integrated process for system maintenance, fault diagnosis and support. The solution is based on Qualtech System, Inc.’s (QSI’s) TEAMS toolset for integrated diagnostics and involves several key innovations. As a showcase of the integrated solution, QSI, along with Antech Systems and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), have recently completed a research project for the Information Technology Branch at the Naval Air Warfare Center–Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) in St. Inigoes, MD. The entire system, termed ADAPTS (Adaptive Diagnostic And Personalized Technical Support), provides a comprehensive solution to integrated maintenance and training.
See More
Picture this: It’s Monday morning and you’re the maintenance manager of an industrial plant. On your desk is a printout of 432 open work orders and the operations manager is screaming because air compressor #2 just tripped for the third time this month. To make matters worse, you just remembered two of your technicians went fishing for the week. The question is: “What can this maintenance manager do to improve this situation?” The obvious answer is to go fishing with the two technicians. Maybe a better question to ask is: "What can be done to improve plant performance?"
Picture this: It’s Monday morning and you’re the maintenance manager of an industrial plant. On your desk is a printout of 432 open work orders and the operations manager is screaming because air compressor #2 just tripped for the third time this month. To make matters worse, you just remembered two of your technicians went fishing for the week. The question is: “What can this maintenance manager do to improve this situation?” The obvious answer is to go fishing with the two technicians. Maybe a better question to ask is: "What can be done to improve plant performance?"
See More
Many different factors contribute towards the failure of a pump. Some factors that did not seem to have contributed to earlier failures were not examined or considered and may become the cause of failure under other situations. Failures do not occur suddenly. Usually there are many symptoms, which signal a failure situation and are generally termed as potential failure modes. The ignorance of such symptoms almost always leads to failure. Below are two case studies pertaining to mechanical seal systems, a vital component of pumps operating in running process plant.
Many different factors contribute towards the failure of a pump. Some factors that did not seem to have contributed to earlier failures were not examined or considered and may become the cause of failure under other situations. Failures do not occur suddenly. Usually there are many symptoms, which signal a failure situation and are generally termed as potential failure modes. The ignorance of such symptoms almost always leads to failure. Below are two case studies pertaining to mechanical seal systems, a vital component of pumps operating in running process plant.
See More
To understand why a part or equipment failed, how it failed must be first diagnosed. Different failure modes such as fatigue, brittle, and corrosion all have very different causes and very different solutions. If an investigation were to guess at the failure mode and guess wrongly, the planned remediation may not address the true cause of failure and additional failures may occur. This article considers three failed chain links and demonstrates the importance of identifying how something failed.
To understand why a part or equipment failed, how it failed must be first diagnosed. Different failure modes such as fatigue, brittle, and corrosion all have very different causes and very different solutions. If an investigation were to guess at the failure mode and guess wrongly, the planned remediation may not address the true cause of failure and additional failures may occur. This article considers three failed chain links and demonstrates the importance of identifying how something failed.
See More
The business process is most commonly named Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) or root cause analysis. The name itself implies the largest and most expensive problem when implementing problem solving in an organization. The results wanted from the process are to eliminate the problem, not to analyze the failure. To convey the desired result to the organization, the name should therefore be changed to Root Cause Problem Elimination (RCPE).
The business process is most commonly named Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) or root cause analysis. The name itself implies the largest and most expensive problem when implementing problem solving in an organization. The results wanted from the process are to eliminate the problem, not to analyze the failure. To convey the desired result to the organization, the name should therefore be changed to Root Cause Problem Elimination (RCPE).
See More
