Root cause
HPU pump and gearbox investigation
Accelerated wear traced to identical pressure settings creating resonance across the pumps. A pressure differential fixed it.
Read the case studyA failure that gets repaired without being understood will come back. Repeat failures are often blamed on the part, when the cause sits in the system: operating conditions, design, installation or the maintenance itself. We help operators find the real cause of significant and repeat failures and put in fixes that last. Breakdowns stop recurring and the lesson is applied across similar assets.
How we
do it.
Evidence before opinion
Root cause investigations go wrong when the first plausible answer is accepted. We collect the physical evidence, process data, maintenance records and witness accounts before forming a view.
The right tool for the failure
A simple failure needs a structured 5 Whys. A complex one needs fault tree analysis or failure data modelling. We pick the method that fits, and use Weibull analysis to tell age-related wear from system-driven failure.
Look at the system, not just the part
On one hydraulic power unit, pumps were wearing early. The cause was not the pumps. Identical pressure settings across all units were creating resonance. We look at how the asset sits in its system, because that is often where the cause is.
Actions that close the loop
An RCA report that sits in a folder changes nothing. Every investigation ends with corrective actions, owners and a check that the failure has stopped.
What you get.
- RCA report with evidence, cause and contributing factors
- Corrective and preventive actions with owners and dates
- Recommendations for similar assets across the site
- Follow-up review to confirm the fix has held
Common
questions.
When should we carry out a root cause analysis?
After any failure with a significant safety, environmental or production impact, and for any failure that repeats.
What is the difference between 5 Whys and fault tree analysis?
5 Whys follows one chain of cause and effect. Fault tree analysis maps every combination of events that could lead to the failure, so it suits complex systems.
Talk to an engineer
about a repeat failure.
Tell us what you run and what keeps going wrong. We'll tell you straight how we'd approach it.
Start the conversation