Start Date : 23 Nov,2025
End Date : 27 Nov,2025
Duration : 5 DaysOverview:
This course presents a systematic approach to fault diagnosis and failure analysis in the process, manufacturing, power generation and mining industries. A highly effective root cause failure analysis (RCFA) method is explained in detail. This course will highlight two different approaches to fault investigation: One, addressing sporadic failures and two, solving inherent, chronic or recurring faults in equipment and systems. The course is based on the existence of three distinct levels of causes, namely immediate or physical causes, human causes or latent root causes. The course will illustrate how to perform data analysis to solve recurring failures by investigating real life equipment failure events. Participants are also encouraged to bring their own failure statistics for manual (plotting) or computerized failure pattern analysis. Finally, it will be shown how to prepare recommendations based on faultfinding investigations and assure results by organizing effective follow-up processes. By reference to specific case studies, dealing with equipment components, centrifugal pumps and reciprocating compressors, it will be demonstrated that such a systematic program can lead to significant failure reductions and thus contribute to continuous improvement.
Course Objectives:
- Gain an understanding of structured, results-oriented root cause failure analysis methods
- Learn how parts fail and why they fail in a given mode related to cause
- Approach the analysis of failures that happen either sporadically or chronically
- Set up failure analysis teams and gain a thorough understanding of the importance of failure or repair data collecting
- Gain knowledge in applying statistical techniques in the analysis of available historical failure data enabling them to formulate maintenance and operating strategies
- Practice with several techniques that they could apply right away in their daily work of failure fighting
Course Content:
1- RCFA and Structured Problem Solving
Cause analysis
Problem Solving Sequences
Situation Analysis
Action Generation
Decision Making
Where RFCA First In
Planning for Change
2- Cause Analysis
RFCA Steps
Failure Causes
Benefits to RCFA
Why We Don’t Around To Doing RCFA
3- Two-Track Approach
The RCFA Selection Process
How to Determine the Vital Few
Different Approaches to RCFA
Failure Classifications
4- Failure Types
Sporadic
Chronic
How Failure Appear
Examples from Your Operation
5- The Three Levels of Cause
Selecting the Right Failures
Cost Spreadsheet
6- Collecting Failure Data
The Five P’s of Root Cause Failure
Analysis
Why a Logic Tree?
7- Parts and Position
Sisal Agents of Failure (FRETT)
Metallurgical Failures
Equipment Component Failures
Piping Failures
Examples of Equipment
Component Failures
8- The Analysis Process
Describing the Failure Event
Taking Failure Mode Inventory
Building hypotheses
Determining the Causes
Describing the Process
9- Data Analysis I
Scatter Plots
Correlation
Example Using Process Pump
Failure Management Data
10- Data Analysis II
Weibull Analysis (Exercise Using Process Pump and Furnace Tube Failure Data)
Modeling and Simulation
11- Data Analysis III
Operating deflection (FEA)
Vendor Experience
12- Another Way
Competing Approaches to Fault Analysis
The KT Approach
Example of an Elusive Centrifugal Process Pump Failure (VPS Bottoms Pump Analysis)
13- Human Root Causes
Human Performance Reliability (HPR)
Unintended Error
Physical and Mental Limitations
Purposeful Wrongdoing
PR Example
14- Solutions
Requirements for Good Solutions
Purpose and Design of Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)
CMMS and its Role in Failure Analysis
15- Stewardship of RCFA Results
Life Cycle of Recommendation and Follow Up
Service Factor committees
Reliability Teams
Documentation and Reporting
Example A Process Pump Failure Reduction Program
Networking
Targeted Audience:
This course is intended for operating, manufacturing and equipment reliability professionals, supervisors and engineers involved in plant operating reliability and availability management. Also, for personnel from process industries such as refining, petrochemical, chemical, mining, pharmaceutical, and paper manufacturing, food processing and utilities will benefit from this program.