Failure analysis is simply the process of determining why a product, equipment/component of an equipment or process failed. It involves the collection and analysis of available data to determine the root cause of the failure.
It seeks to determine the root cause of failure by looking at the characteristics and clues left behind, and then seeking out corrective actions needed to prevent it.
Why You Should Do Failure Analysis?
Reasons include:
- To determine corrective actions for product failures
- To improve manufacturing processes and efficiencies
- To eliminate the risk of physical harm from product failures
- Prevent similar failures in the future
- Reducing financial costs associated with failure
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Methods For Carrying Out Failure Analysis
Some methods used to carry out failure analysis, include:
- Ishikawa “fishbone” diagrams: These are causal diagrams created by Kaoru Ishikawa that show the causes of a specific event.
- Failure modes & effects analysis (FMEA): Establishes the ways, or modes, in which something might fail.
- Fault-tree analysis (FTA): It is a top-down, deductive failure analysis in which an undesired state of a system is analyzed using Boolean logic to combine a series of lower-level events.
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Steps To Carry Out Failure Analysis
It can be done in three (3) steps:
1. Define the problem
A well-defined problem statement is essential for any deep analysis. Failure analysis requires the engineers to define the problem as clearly and concisely as possible. The problem statement should contain details about:
- The failure that occurred
- The data that needs to be collected
- The failure analysis technique to be used
- The expectations for the failure analysis (goals)
2. Data Collection:
At this stage, information about how the device failed and when it occurred is collected, and goals for the analysis are set; a test is also carried out on the product being analyzed. The kind of test recommended here is the NDT (Non-destructive testing).
Generally, a failure analysis test can be done mainly in two ways:
- Destructive testing: Requires the product to be altered to examine cross-sections or thermal behavior.
- Non-destructive testing: Keep a product intact with no form of alteration.
3. Analyze Data Collected to Determine Root Cause of Failure:
From the data collected in the first step, the root cause can be determined.
4. Determining Corrective Actions:
From the root cause of the failure, corrective actions are set to prevent the failure from reoccurring.
Read Also: What is fire risk assessment: How it is done
This analysis can save money, lives, and resources if done correctly and acted upon.
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