Manufacturing & Advanced Industrials · Mechanical Systems & Reliability
Reliability Engineering & Root Cause Analysis
Understand why equipment fails, and put a plan in place to stop it happening again
Discuss this serviceWhat it is
Reliability Engineering & Root Cause Analysis
We help operations and maintenance teams move from repeated breakdowns to a deliberate reliability program. Our work includes ranking equipment by criticality, investigating repeat failures to their root cause, and developing maintenance strategies based on the way each asset can fail.
- Typical duration
- 4 to 10 weeks depending on the number of assets and failures reviewed
The business problem
Why clients need this
When the same equipment fails again and again, the fix is usually treated as a repair, not a cause. Without a view of which assets matter most, maintenance effort is spread thinly and the costliest failures still happen.
- 01
Maintenance resources are spread evenly across equipment rather than focused on the assets that matter most.
- 02
Failures are repaired but not investigated, so they repeat.
- 03
Maintenance records are incomplete, so it is hard to see failure patterns.
Our approach
How we deliver it
- 1
Asset Register & Criticality Ranking
Organising the asset list and ranking equipment by the consequence of failure on safety, output, cost, and repair time.
- 2
Failure Data Review
Reviewing work orders, downtime records, and spares history to identify repeat failures and their cost.
- 3
Root Cause Analysis
Structured investigation of significant failures using methods such as fault tree and 5-why analysis, with physical evidence where available.
- 4
Maintenance Strategy
Developing task plans, inspection intervals, and condition monitoring requirements for critical assets, using reliability-centred maintenance principles.
Data & AI
How technology strengthens this service
Work order and downtime data is cleaned and categorised so failure modes and costs can be tracked over time, which shows whether reliability improvements are working.
How we use AI across our workTypical deliverables
What you receive
- Asset criticality ranking
- Failure analysis of selected repeat failures, with root causes and corrective actions
- Maintenance strategy for critical equipment
- Reliability metrics and a plan to track them
Outcomes
What changes for you
- Maintenance effort focused on the equipment that carries the most risk
- Root causes of repeat failures identified and addressed
- A basis for a predictive maintenance program, with the right equipment and measurements chosen
Who it is for
- Manufacturing plants
- Process & chemical facilities
- Power & utility sites
- Asset owners investigating equipment failures
FAQs
Common questions
How is this different from predictive maintenance setup?+
Predictive maintenance is about monitoring equipment condition. Reliability engineering decides which equipment needs it, why it fails, and what the full maintenance strategy should be. The two work well together.
Can you investigate a single failure?+
Yes. We can carry out a focused failure investigation and prepare a written report of causes and findings.
What if our maintenance records are poor?+
That is common. We work with what exists, supplement it with interviews and inspection, and recommend changes to record-keeping.
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Explore the serviceArticle · Manufacturing & Advanced Industrials
From reactive to predictive: a practical maintenance roadmap for manufacturers
Predictive maintenance pays off when it starts small, on the right equipment, with the basics in place.
18 June 2026 · 6 min read
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Tell us about your site, plant or network. A senior consultant will reply within two business days.
