Failure Analysis: Stages and Data Collection

Posted on Mar 16, 2025 in Business Administration and Innovation Management

Failure Analysis Stages

  1. Collection and analysis of the background and design specifications of the failed item.
  2. Collection of information on the service life of the item. Developed once installed in place, of particular interest are any amendments made to the original design element.
  3. Graphically document the failure site, as the element appears immediately after having failed.
  4. Visual site inspection and selection of samples representative of the phenomenon – analysis of remains.
  5. NDT Inspection of the faulted and similar parts in the same conditions of service. Measurement of other physical or chemical walls, if necessary.
  6. Sending selected samples to the laboratory, after listing, identifying, and packaging them.
  7. Visual inspection, macroscopy, and other non-destructive methods; laboratory sample-site pre-selected graphic documentation.
  8. Review and macroscopic analysis, definition of manufacturing methods, failure mode (catastrophic rupture, corrosive attack, wear).
  9. Mechanical tests measuring characterized mechanical properties (tensile strength, toughness, etc.).
  10. Review and analysis at optical microscopic level.
  11. Chemical analysis of both common and special material affected by the phenomenon of failure, and products deposited or formed on it.
  12. Review and analysis of electron microscopy at the surface affected by the phenomenon of failure (fracture, corrosive attack, wear).
  13. Interpretation of results and analysis of evidence, formulation, and explanation of failure mechanisms.
  14. Formulation of the study’s findings with the explanation of the causes of failure and the order of influence depending on the importance of the mechanisms.
  15. Study of the corrective measures.
  16. Implementation of corrective actions.
  17. Analysis of the result of corrective action.
  18. Final Technical Report.
  19. Final monitoring.

Company Details

  1. Name of the plant.
  2. Location.
  3. Processing and producing.
  4. Department concerned in the study.
  5. Department responsible for the system or damaged equipment.
  6. Name of the person responsible for the operation of equipment (cell paste time).
  7. Name of person responsible for the area where the appliance is running.
  8. Name of the person requesting the study.
  9. Purpose of the study.

Data on the Fault

  1. Name of computer or damaged system.
  2. Description of the functions it performs in the process.
  3. In which part of it did the fault occur?
  4. Story of how the fault occurred.
  5. Is this the first time in team history that such a failure has occurred?
  6. If sometimes, indicate how.
  7. Input all data from the previous breakdowns.
  8. When did the fault occur (during operation, commissioning)?
  9. Input records, if in possession of similar breakdowns in different facilities.
  10. Date of most recent fault.
  11. First date of the fault.
  12. Locate the positions of the actual breakdowns in a plane system.
  13. Chronology of the start-ups and stops.
  14. Type and characteristics of the measures taken to condition the system during its stop.
  15. Hours of service to the most recent rupture.
  16. Hour of service until the first break.

Service Data

  1. Type of service: continuous, by patching, sporadic.
  2. Classes of service provision: steam, cooling pump acids, boiler feed.
  3. Are the process parameters carried out?
  4. Service temperature.
  5. Nominal operating pressure.
  6. Pressure peaks recorded average values.
  7. Are variations of temperature and pressure cyclic?
  8. Frequency of these.
  9. Heating and cooling cycles by days, month, year.
  10. Number of stops per year.
  11. Duration of the stops.
  12. What changes have occurred in the system operating conditions?
  13. Date of changes.
  14. Were there accidental overloads in the system?
  15. Were there operational errors entered?
  16. During the process, is the equipment or system cleaned according to a special procedure?
  17. How often is it cleaned?
  18. Description of liquid content carried.
Chemical Composition or Purity
  1. Carbonated liquid phases exist.
  2. Undissolved solids exist.
  3. Contaminants.
  4. Corrosives.
  5. Ventilation: no air, moderate track.
  6. Agitation, dissolution rate.
  7. Viscosity stiffness.
  8. Abrasive solids present in a state of suspension.