There are notable benefits of keeping industrial equipment or appliances running smoothly. They generally increase efficiency and productivity. To excel in their endeavors, many companies review their existing workflow, update technology, commit to scheduled maintenance, train employees and organize the workspace. All these strategies are effective, but it is more rewarding if you include failure analysis in your undertakings or projects.

Failure analysis helps determine the primary reason for a disaster or breakdown. Fundamentally, you will collect and analyze data ideally with the focus of eliminating the failure and identifying ways to prevent its occurrences. The whole process is best left to a failure analysis expert. 

A Detailed Overview of Failure Analysis

During the failure analysis process, experts investigate failed products, household appliances, manufacturing and construction equipment or healthcare devices to determine what caused the problem. Methods used to conduct such an analysis vary in approach, and all help to determine the root cause of a problem. The experts will gather data and analyze and determine the main cause of the breakdown.

Failure analysis experts conduct this process based on their knowledge of the equipment or plant operations. If the team doesn’t have the necessary expertise, it is best to hire experts in the field who offer failure analysis services. These experts will employ different failure analysis techniques to improve breakdown or fault tolerance and ensure the effectiveness of their systems.

Before hiring the best technicians in the market, here are notable reasons for performing failure analysis:

1. Determine the Root Cause of Failure 

It is important to know why your machine or factory equipment failed. A flaw must have caused the machines to fail in time of need. Probably it was a material or manufacturing defect.

A machine failure is a clear manifestation of deeper problems not dealt with in time. A combination of different factors leads to unexpected failures besides misusing products. Other products or equipment fail after they wear out or exceed their lifespan.

A failure expert can collect useful data by closely inspecting equipment, its surfaces, and its use environment. The evidence and observations help make helpful conclusions regarding the cause of its failure.

The expert will gather evidence through visual inspection, metallurgical tests, and microscopy. Others can conduct a failure simulation or re-create it in a controlled setting.

2. Prevent Similar Product Failures 

Once the expert determines the root cause of a product or machine, corrective measures to help prevent recurrence are put in place. Simulations and tests help find the weakest links or components and improve them. Failure analysis experts can change and improve maintenance and operating recommendations.

3. Improve Future Equipment/Products 

Understanding what caused failure in a product or equipment allows experts to improve the next version of the product. Experts learn new things about the designing and manufacturing processes of the products and try to improve them.

4. Guaranteeing Compliance

Failure analysis helps meet the government’s regulations and standards on products. Exclusive methods help analyze a failure and ascertain whether a product meets the manufacturing standards.

5. Liability Assessment 

Expertise analysis is essential in the event of a failure that may expose workers or the general public to danger. Legal proceedings related to products or machine failure require a cause of failure analysis. The results of failure analysis will help as protection for litigation.

Summing Up

Failure analysis is important in different industries and is an effective procedure if conducted properly. However, it is a challenging task best left to professionals. Experts follow steps that include defining the problem, collecting failure data and creating a failure timeline.

The expert will go on and select useful data, administer the best failure analysis techniques and review the results to apply a solution. At all times, it’s best to work with experienced, reputable, licensed, and certified failure analysis experts for consultation, testing, and evaluation.