How to Organise and Run a Failure Analysis

Overview: 

Where to begin?.. Have you ever been handed a failure investigation and were not quite sure of all the steps required to the complete the investigation? Or perhaps you had to review a failure investigation and wondered if all the aspects had been properly covered? Or perhaps you read a failure investigation and wondered what to do next? The initial steps of a failure investigation set the direction, in many caes, esure a successful investigation or doom it to failure. Here is a chance to learn the steps to organize a failure investigation and ensure success.

The importance of a failure investigation crosses company functional boundaries and it is well known to companies large and small. It is an integral component of any design or manufacturing business operation. However, a poorly organized failure investigation may not provide the necessary information to solve the manufacturing problem or assist in a re-design.

In this course you will learn a proven systematic approach to failure investigation, which utilizes examples from the aerospace industry and teaches the steps you need to follow. The effect of various failure sources, such as corrosion, on the organization of the investigation will be analyzed. It will provide a learning platform for engineers from all disciplines; materials, design, manufacturing, quality and management.

Program:

1. What is a failure?

• Comprehend the complexities of organizing a failure investigation and understand the importance of defining a clear and concise goal, direction and plan prior to beginning any failure analysis.
• Recognize the many aspects and organizational levels that may contribute to and define a failure.
• Understand the role and requirements of leading a successful failure investigation.
• Become an advocate for the discovery of the root cause of a failure through the use of a well organized and planned failure investigation.

2. Failures come in all shapes and sizes

• That failures come in all shapes and sizes.
• Some failures you can touch, and some you cannot.
• What defines a failure.
• Why failures happen.
  

3. The aspects of a failure investigation

• Benefiting from the use of statistics
• Understanding databases and data analysis techniques
• Determining the root causes of failures
• Deciding when a failure investigation should be performed
• Understanding and using problem-solving techniques
• Planning a failure investigation

4. Nine steps of a failure investigation

• Understand and negotiate goals of the investigation.
• Obtain clear understanding of the failure.
• Objectively and clearly identify all possible root causes.
• Objectively evaluate likelihood of each root cause.
• Converge on the most likely root cause(s).
• Objectively and clearly identify all possible corrective actions.
• Objectively evaluate each corrective action.
• Select optimal corrective action(s).
• Evaluate effectiveness of selected corrective action(s).

5. Failure investigation pitfalls and other tools

• Common pitfalls encountered in failure investigations
• Recognition processes and "quick fixes" that companies often try to substitute for failure analysis
• Understanding important skills and characteristics of professional failure investigators
• Additional resources available for failure investigations

What You'll Learn:

• Learn the steps necessary in any failure investigation
• Understand the benefits of an organized failure investigation
• Discover the steps to a systematic approach for problem solving
• Practice fault tree analysis, failure mode assessment and technical plan creation
• Understand how different failure sources alter the investigation process

Who Should Enroll:

• People who are new to failure investigation
• People who want an update in failure investigation
• Technicians
• Managers of Total Quality Management or Continuous Improvement.