We undertake root cause analysis, failure investigations and failure analysis on virtually any system, equipment or component including: 

- Gas Turbines, Steam Turbines, Rotating Equipment, compressors, pumps 
- Electrical Assets, Generators, Transformers, Switchgear, HV, MV and LV Cables, Transmission Assets, Protection Devices, Circuit Breakers, Relays, Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) 
- Static Equipment, Pressure vessels, Power Boilers, Heat Exchangers, Piping, Heaters, Reactors, Tanks 
Electronic equipment, commercial products, domestic products, subassemblies, semiconductor components  

There are several terms for investigating an asset failure.  These include root cause analysis, failure investigation, failure analysis and forensic engineering. 

- Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is the all-encompassing level of over-arching investigation and is a systematic search for the key factors that have triggered the failure event.  Tools and techniques are used to facilitate this systematic approach.  It is an holistic approach and requires excellent background knowledge of design principles, properties and performance of materials, manufacturing processes, installation and commissioning procedures, testing and operating procedures, and degradation and failure modes.  This level of knowledge is needed as our experience shows there is often no single root cause as complex equipment and processes have many interacting factors.

- A failure investigation usually implies a visit to the site by an experienced team to identify primary and secondary damage, take photographs of evidence, gather data, interview operational and maintenance staff, collect operating procedures, maintenance and repair records, and determine the environmental conditions. Samples for recovery or extraction will be identified for further analysis. 

- Failure analysis (or forensic engineering) is the laboratory analysis stage whereby the sample from the failure incident is prepared, then subjected to selected chemical, metallurgical, mechanical, materials or electrical examination followed by the recommended spectroscopy and microscopy to challenge and confirm the hypothesis for the failure. 

The conclusion of any of these levels of assessment would include practical, engineering solutions to mitigate the possibility of further, similar occurrences. 

Reliability in installations, systems, equipment and components is vitally important, whether you are a designer, manufacturer, distributor or user of equipment.  Unscheduled shutdowns or business interruptions can be costly in terms of lost revenue, reputation, or in the worst case cause an unsafe scenario.  By having a thorough understanding of the failure mechanism and root cause mitigation techniques can be applied to prevent reoccurrence and improve reliability.  

There are many tools and techniques that can be used to support a successful RCA depending on the complexity of the failure and the type of answer required.  Most RCA investigations consider the following: 

- 5 Why’s Analysis - When looking at one major cause and considering factors leading to one root cause 

- Affinity Diagram - When looking at inter-related and detailed causes that have something in common and can be grouped together to see the major causes 

- Fishbone Diagram - When looking at numerous major causes and probing to arrive at numerous route cause(s) based on their cause and effect relationships 

During a root cause analysis, failure investigation or failure analysis the evidence first presented may lead to an apparent conclusion or hypothesis.  Only once careful examination of all the facts made available, and materials and chemical analysis have been applied can the hypothesis be confirmed.  As failures occur in every industry sector, a wide range of analytical techniques is needed to unveil the reason for the incident.