Slide 1
A broken part is evidence
Failure analysis studies how and why a component stopped performing its function. The damaged object, its surroundings and its service history all provide clues.
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Handling or cleaning a fracture surface can remove useful information. Preserving the original condition and documenting the sequence of events helps keep alternative explanations testable.
Slide 2
The final break may not be the beginning
A component can fail through a sequence of damage mechanisms. The last visible fracture may occur only after earlier cracking or deterioration reduced its capacity.
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A small fatigue crack followed by a final overload can leave different regions on a fracture surface. Interpreting the sequence avoids blaming only the last applied load.
Slide 3
Compare evidence with competing causes
Investigators combine inspection, materials testing and operating records. A plausible story becomes stronger when it explains several independent observations.
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Finding a defect does not automatically prove that it caused the failure. The defect must be connected to the loads, location and sequence that produced the observed damage.
Slide 4
Look beyond the failed item
The immediate mechanism may reflect design, manufacturing, maintenance or operating conditions. Replacing the part can leave the same failure pathway in place.
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A corrective action should target the supported cause and its contributors. Installing a stronger component may move the overload into another part of the system rather than remove it.
Slide 5
Check whether the correction works
After a change, analysis and testing should demonstrate that the identified failure pathway has been addressed. The new design also needs checks for introduced problems.
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A successful short test cannot establish every aspect of long-term reliability. The verification plan must match the mechanism, including repeated loading or environmental exposure when those drove the original failure.
Sources
- Material Analysis Laboratory Overview
NASA Kennedy Space Center
- Failure Analysis Results and Corrective Actions
NASA