Engineers are tasked with the challenge of creating things. Things that will be used by millions across the globe. Ultimately, these creations should better people’s lives. In most cases, this is the goal engineers strive for. But to achieve such a grand scale requirement, failures are bound to happen. Failure analysis is key to understanding why and how failure happens.
An Overview of Failure Analysis
At the core of failure analysis is the basic concept of putting things under a microscope and looking at them. This might sound simple enough, but it already involves a few more steps than most people expect. Taking a closer look at a machine or structure includes:
- Determining what was being observed
- Planning the observation
- Conducting it
- Documenting its findings
- Analyzing the results
Depending on the purpose of the analysis, some or all of these steps might be missing.
The Benefits of Failure Analysis
Here are some benefits of failure analysis in engineering you should be aware of:
Achieve Better End Results
In most cases, failure analysis is used to avoid issues and problems in the future. By identifying the flaws, engineers can make changes to later designs. Hopefully, the end result will be a better product that performs better and lasts longer.
Prevent Failure
In some cases, failure analysis is used to prevent failure altogether. A machinery producer might perform these tests before releasing a new product. Finding flaws, issues, and problems early on makes it possible to resolve them before failures.
Increase Safety
Ultimately, failure analysis has saved lives. If a product is faulty or unsafe, it can be recalled. When used properly, failure analysis can prevent future problems and incidents.
Improve Productivity
The purpose of failure analysis is to make products better, more durable, and more efficient. When a flawed product is recalled, the manufacturer can fix the issue or problems and reintroduce a better product.
Identify Weak Spots
When carrying out failure analysis, you can find the weakest points in your design. This information can help you make a more efficient product. These findings can also convince consumers to buy your product from a marketing standpoint.
Better at Planning Future Projects
As an engineer, you might want to perform failure analysis to better understand how something works. Or, maybe you want to know why the product you built failed. Ultimately, performing failure analysis will allow you to improve your own designs in the future.
How Failure Analysis Can Help Businesses Today
As an engineering firm, success is a matter of efficiency. The better you are at predicting failures, the sooner you will be able to address them. Also, when it comes to designing new products, you’ll be able to create a more effective, efficient, and safe product.
In a Nutshell
In a modern business setting, failure analysis is becoming more common. Whether it’s a manufacturer or a service provider, it is becoming increasingly important to understand why something works or doesn’t work. It is even more important to understand what caused a problem or issue that might cause a failure in the future.
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