Machinery Root Cause Failure Analysis (RFCA)

Introduction

This five-day course presents a systematic approach to fault diagnosis and failure prevention in a broad range of machinery used in the Oil/Gas, Petrochemical and other process industries. The key approaches to preventive maintenance are demonstrated through both overview and the study of examples in metallurgical failure analysis, vibration analysis and a sequential approach to machinery troubleshooting and problem-solving.

Equipment failure events will be reviewed and participants are encouraged to bring to the course relevant assembly drawings or such components as failed bearings, gears, mechanical seals and similar machine elements for failure analysis and discussion.

This course explores a systematic approach to successful failure analysis and troubleshooting, including the determination of goals, the use of checklists and setting up a failure analysis team. By reference to specific case studies, especially dealing with centrifugal pumps, it will be shown that such a systematic program can lead to significant failure reductions in many types of machinery. Through examples dealing with pumps and compressors, guidance is given on vendor selection and methods for reliability review.

The highly interactive Root Cause Failure program addresses a modern approach to maintenance management that is based on some of the most recent research in the field. The program will enable the participants to improve the performance of their operation with practical, down-to-earth techniques that are based on first principles. The first part, 'Maintenance Improvement and Strategy' covers sustainable World Class Maintenance performance improvement, Business Process Re-engineering and Change Management principles. Students are taught numerous problem-solving techniques, which are then applied during the second part of the program: 'Root Cause Failure Analysis'.

Objectives

Upon the successful completion of this course, each participant will gain an understanding of structured, results-oriented root cause failure analysis methods for all types of machine components and entire machinery systems. Participants will also learn how parts fail, why they fail in a given mode and how to prevent failures. Participants will acquire a thorough understanding of making the best possible use of available failure statistics and how these can be used in a conscientiously applied comprehensive program of specifying, purchasing, installing, commissioning and operating machinery. Further, each participant will be able to:-

• Execute system approach of failure analysis and troubleshooting and identify the causes of machinery failure and their contributing factors which are often overlooked
• Gain an in-depth knowledge on metallurgical failure analysis methodology as illustrated by failure analysis of bolted joints and shafts
• Perform machinery component analysis and reliability improvement by recognizing redesigned opportunities, bearings in distress, coupling failure avoidance opportunities and mechanical seal problems
• Develop an understanding of continuous reliability improvement and the various approaches to optimized lubrication for pumps and electric motors
• Apply and gain an understanding on vendor selection and reliability review methods through centrifugal pump selection & compressor reliability review examples and perform troubleshooting of pumps and centrifugal compressors
• Recognize the application of vibration analysis from a management perspective by studying specific machinery problems, as well as monitoring and analysis methods
• Identify and carry out a structured problem-solving sequence after careful perusal of problem-solving elements, cause analysis, action generation, decision making and planning for change
• Perform formalized failure reporting using actual cases such as high-speed pump and bearing failures
• Determine the process of examination of failed components such as bearings, gears, mechanical seals and others
• List the elements of centrifugal pump failure reduction programs taking into account the process and the mechanical & technical interactions
• Double the productivity of their maintenance employees, and
• Reduce their total maintenance cost by up to 30%
• Develop and implement a sustainable world-class maintenance strategy
• Perform a systematic Root Cause Failure Analysis
• Develop an improved understanding of numerous maintenance environment variables, and of the relationships between them
• Optimize these relationships in line with the TRIZ contradiction principle
• Understand, audit and optimize your maintenance process
• Apply and gain in-depth knowledge on safety root cause analysis
• Identify the common causes of incidents and enumerate the different various types of accidents to investigate
• Determine the link between investigation and risk assessment and acquire knowledge on how to predict possible incidents using reactive and proactive methods
• Discuss the framework for incident investigation and analysis such as the relationship between the accidents and incidents, link between reactive and pro-active, management system failure and root causes for accidents
• Employ the root cause analysis (RCA) techniques and differentiate between cause tree analysis (CTA) and fault tree analysis (FTA)
• Implement the principle stages of an accident investigation on planning and how to counteract investigator bias and mindset
• Apply structured data collection such as getting information, preparing incident report and statement from the incident scene
• Carry out investigating, interviewing, and storyboarding using the latest techniques for incident investigations
• Practice the latest incident investigation procedures, forms, and documentation through practical exercises, application-based case studies, and workshops designed to reflect and employ the root cause analysis (RTA)
• Understand the use and application of generic problem-solving techniques
• Cascade the principles and benefits of the program to other employees

Training Methodology

This is an interactive course. There will be open question and answer sessions, regular group exercises and activities, videos, case studies and presentations on best practice. Participants will have the opportunity to share with the facilitator and other participants on what works well and not so well for them, as well as work on issues from their own organizations.

Who Should Attend?

• Engineering and Technical Professionals and Supervisors from any industry
• Maintenance Planners and Coordinators
• Operations and Manufacturing Professionals and Supervisors
• Foremen and Team leaders
• Plant Engineers and Maintenance System Professionals
• Section Engineers and Planners

Course Outline

Strategic Maintenance Issues & Latest Research

• Introduction to World Class Manufacturing
• The SQC Planning Model
• The Strategic Role of the maintenance discipline in the context of organizational excellence and continuous improvement
• Maintenance Problems and Objectives (Individual Exercise)
• The QMS Maintenance Complexity Model
• The Six Schools of modern Maintenance Science
• The World Class Maintenance Process (Group Exercise)
• Maintenance Maturity Indexing
• The Maintenance Cost Ratio

Sustainable Maintenance Performance Improvement 

• The MVA Model (incl. Group Coding Exercises; Experience; Pay-for-Performance ;)
• Cross Referencing Maintenance Objectives (Group Exercise)
• 'Your Maintenance Costs are too high!'
• Classification of Maintenance Work
• Reverse Risk Analysis (DDC + Force Field Analysis + CPA)

Sustainable Maintenance Performance Improvement 2

• Data / Knowledge Base
• Accuracy and Availability of Data / Cost relationship
• The Four critical stages of Data Maturity
• Logical Critical Thinking vs. Creative Lateral Divergent Thinking
• 24 Thinking Types
• Maintenance Strategy Development and Implementation
• Standard Pitfalls for Maintenance Improvement Initiatives
• The HR Stratification Model for Multi-Skilling
• Nine Generic Problem Solving Techniques
• Other Problem Solving Techniques
• The QMS Root Cause Failure Analysis Methodology
• Case Study: Bell helicopter main bearing failure
• Case Study: Broken chain links

Root Cause Analysis

• RCFA (Problem Solving)