Troubleshooting like a Reliability Engineer

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Troubleshooting is more than fixing a problem; it’s uncovering the reason it happened. The best reliability engineers approach troubleshooting like detectives. Instead of jumping to conclusions, they ask:

  • What changed just before the failure occurred?
  • Is this a pattern or a one-time event?
  • What conditions were present that may have accelerated wear or damage?

Using a root cause analysis (RCA) approach helps move from symptom-based fixes to long-term solutions. For example, a repeated motor failure might not be an electrical issue at all it could stem from misalignment or vibration caused by poor installation.

By documenting findings and sharing lessons learned, we turn individual problems into organizational knowledge. That’s how reliability grows one solved problem at a time.

There are a few steps that a good troubleshooting maintenance Tech or Engineer should follow.

Go to the operator that is running the machine and ask questions, was the machine making and kind of noises before it failed, did you smell anything out of the ordinary like burning wires or failing bearings, was there excessive heat coming for the machine? the operators are the first line of defense because they are on the job the whole shift and no what their machine does.

Another good tool to use is FEMA's, Failure Mode and Effective Analysis. This is a way of looking at old data and the failures you have on a particular machine and what you did to repair it. These are valuable tools in the troubleshooting process.

Here is a list of other skills needed to troubleshoot a problem.

  • Consider the symptoms that a machine is having.
  • Isolate the cause of the problem.
  • test your hypothesis.
  • Repair or replace.
  • Test the entire system for problems.
There is a rule I tell all my new technicians when I train them "don't take a motor out of a car to replace the oil". It sounds funny but, to many technicians start with the hardest thing on a piece of equipment instead of looking for the simple problems. The technician today needs to take calculated steps to unsure quick repair time. 

 

#ENGL2201FA2025
Reference: Upkeep/Effective Maintenance Troubleshooting Techniques: A Step-by-Step Guide from Upkeep's CEO/Effective Maintenance Troubleshooting Techniques: A Step-by-Step Guide from UpKeep's CEO

Adeline de Oliveira, April 30, 2024, 10 Effective Problem-Solving Methods and tool for manufactures/ 10 Effective Problem-Solving Methods and Tools for Manufacturers


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