What Is Root Cause Analysis?
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a structured investigation methodology that goes beyond the immediate cause of a failure to identify the underlying systemic reason it occurred. Common RCA methods include 5-Why Analysis, Fishbone (Ishikawa) Diagrams, and Fault Tree Analysis.
Bearing RCA
When a bearing fails prematurely, RCA distinguishes between the failure mode (what happened -- e.g., spalling) and the root cause (why it happened -- e.g., contaminated grease due to missing seal). Our Bearing Failure Analysis Guide provides a systematic RCA framework for bearing investigations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is RCA applied to bearing failures?
Start with the failed bearing, ask 'Why did it fail?' (e.g., spalling). Why spalling? (inadequate lubrication film). Why inadequate film? (wrong grease viscosity). Why wrong viscosity? (no grease selection procedure). Why no procedure? (no technical documentation). Each 'why' peels back a layer toward the root cause -- which is often organizational, not technical.