Glossary · Maintenance and diagnostics
Root-cause analysis
Also known as: RCA, Root cause analysis
German: Ursachenanalyse
In quality, reliability and safety management, root-cause analysis (RCA) is a systematic process for identifying the underlying causes of a failure, incident or problem, so that measures can remove them and prevent recurrence rather than treat only the symptoms.
- Maintenance
In one sentence
Root-cause analysis systematically identifies the underlying causes of a failure or incident so they can be removed and recurrence prevented.
Example
After repeated jams, a root-cause analysis with a 5-why sequence and a cause-and-effect diagram reveals that a changed film supplier caused higher friction.
How it applies
- Maintenance: RCA is used for recurring or costly failures, so that the fix addresses the cause instead of repeatedly replacing parts.
- Engineering: Findings flow back into design, component selection and software, often through Operational feedback and change requests.
- Safety: After incidents, RCA looks at technical, organizational and human factors. Labeling a cause as Human error is usually a starting point, not the end of the analysis.
- Documentation: RCA often reveals unclear or missing instructions. The documentation team should be involved when a cause points to the manual, the HMI texts or training, and changes should be tracked to the incident.
Root-cause analysis vs. FMEA
RCA works backward from a failure that has happened. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) works forward, anticipating possible failures before they occur. Both use the same cause-and-effect thinking.