• Learning Objectives
• People are NOT “Natural Problem Solvers” - example of what usually happens - Tank Bubble Pipe problem from a plant.
• Sample well known problems that made the news with catastrophic effect
• Root Cause Definitions
• Basic Beliefs: Possible Discussion
• Why RC problem elimination not failure analysis
• An Excellent RCPE process need basic PM & PS - Why?
• An example: Electronic Board Failure - How deep do we dig?
• An example: Gear box failure on a vacuum pump drive train
• Doubts when going through root cause in example above - Why dig deeper, why verify?

Process Overview

• Root Cause Process Overview
• The Individual Thinking Process vs. Overall Plant Process.
• Do you see problem - black hat thinking! Is this really OK?
• Why follow a thinking process? Isn't it an overkill - Exercise find the F's will illustrate that it isn't.
• Exercise II - You think in engraved patterns Car and person.
• Types of Problem we encounter, three typical examples: Routine, Linked, Major events.

Root Cause Thinking Specifying the Problem

• When you see something wrong what do you do?
• Facts / Information Collection Checklist
• Problem Statement
• Exercise: Joe's Problem Statement
• Exercise: Sample Problem Statements. Good or Bad?
• Exercise: Plant Problem - develop Problem Statement.
• Exercise: The Cards.
• More about collecting facts
• White hat thinking
• Distinguish between Facts and Information - this is a fact because?.
• Using digital camera for collecting facts
• Sources for collecting facts
• Documenting facts using a simple list (optional tree, fishbone, whatever you prefer?)

Root Cause Thinking - Developing Possible Causes

• Look for Changes in time
• Look for Similar items - do they have the same problem?
• Frame the problem - Don't stray too much
• Coming up with possible causes requires CREATIVE THINKING - Green Hat.
• Example: Changes in time, possible plant example?
• Example: Similar Objects, possible plant example?
• Possible Causes List.

Root Cause Thinking - Select Most likely Cause

• Compare each possible Cause with the facts in your lists
• Show process with example, possible plant example.
• Did you make Assumptions? How to handle assumptions

Identify Possible Solutions

• Slow down. Are there more than 1 possible solutions?
• Example: Vacuum pump.
• Evaluating Ideas: Green, Black, then Yellow.

Thinking about Thinking

• Why one step at the time? We THINK better doing one thing at the time.
• Critical Thinking
• Creative Thinking
• Exercise - 3 People enter a hotel.
• Example: Do we base our opinions and decisions on facts or fiction?
  • Bearings on Press arms
• The technique of the 6 thinking hats
• Suggested RCPE beliefs for Plant

Implementing the Business Process of RCPE in the Plant

• Trigger - when do you start, go through, and / or finish a RCPE
• Integrate Preventive Maintenance with RCPE
• Implementing the suggested Solution - the hardest part to get done.
• Preparing and selling the solution
• An Example of Elimination vs. Analysis - the resin tank.
• Suggested work flow for RCPE

Documentation options other than the list

• Why-Why advantages and disadvantages
• Fishbone advantages and disadvantages
• Logic Tree advantages and disadvantages
• Cause and effect advantages and disadvantages