What is the purpose of a root cause analysis?

The purpose of a root cause analysis is focused on determining the underlying reasons for a failure. By identifying these root causes, organizations can implement corrective measures designed to prevent similar failures from occurring in the future. It is an essential process in maintenance and reliability engineering because it goes beyond treating the symptoms of a problem and addresses the fundamental issues, leading to more sustainable solutions and enhanced operational efficiency.

While identifying new maintenance techniques, quantifying maintenance costs, and analyzing customer feedback are all valuable activities, they do not directly address the specific need to understand why a failure occurred. This understanding is crucial for improving maintenance practices and ensuring equipment reliability, which ultimately contributes to overall operational success.