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Practical Root Cause Analysis Using Cause Mapping

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Proceedings of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2014 Vol II,
IMECS 2014, March 12 - 14, 2014, Hong Kong

Practical Root Cause Analysis Using Cause

Mapping

Darren York, Kai Jin, Qing Song, Hua Li

 overcome to realize this investment reduction. First of all,
Abstract— Failures in global competitive markets have been many of the methods and tools for RCA are complex and
proved to be costly and sometimes devastate an organization. difficult to use which in turn makes them less
One way to reduce the loss is to investigate their causes and frequently.used, more time consuming and more difficult to
prevent them from reoccurring. Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is
a useful way to achieve this goal. There are three common
propagate throughout the organization to maximize learning
barriers that need to be overcome in order for RCA to be from failures. Secondly, many RCA methods or tools
effectively used. This paper provides an overview of RCA, and require special software applications that foster limited
applies a commonly used RCA tool, Cause Mapping, in a case access and an upfront capital investment. Last, some
study from the refining industry to present the effectiveness of methods or tools require adherence to a very rigid structure
Cause Mapping in eliminating these three barriers. This case thereby limiting creativity and introducing the possibility of
study shows that Cause Mapping is an efficient, effective and
easy-using method.
missing or short cutting the actual root cause(s).
Although there are many different types of failures, such
Index Terms— Cause Mapping, Quality Control, Refinery, as physical accidents or injuries, production errors,
Root Cause Analysis procedures not followed, and systems failures, this paper
employs equipment failures as the basis of discussion. In
I. INTRODUCTION this paper, the authors will focus on the Cause Mapping
In order to be success with its business, every method and discuss a case study from refinery industry in
organization is interested to prevent failure in their operation detail. This case study will show that Cause Mapping is an
or products. When a machine or a piece of equipment is out efficient, effective and easy-using method.
of service, there are always reverse consequences and
typically maintenance programs and strategies are designed II. REVIEW OF ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS
and implemented to minimize and eliminate downtimes, Root cause analysis has a wide variety of applications and
especially unplanned downtimes. It has been estimated that an extensive history that has generated a considerable list of
the typical average downtime cost associated with a different tools and methods. The distinction between a tool
standalone machine is $500 per hour, and with the and a method of RCA might well be, as Gano [2] points out,
introduction of lean manufacturing strategies, those cost that “a tool is distinguished by its limited use, while a
have soared to $1,500 to $8,500 per hour for a cell or line of method may involve many steps and processes and has wide
machines and for an entire auto factory line the estimates usage.” With this distinction and some general
skyrockets to $3,500 per minute or $210,000 per hour [1]. categorization, the RCA tools and methods can be more
The realization quickly comes that such failures can have a easily understood. Most RCA tools and methods can be
profound impact on an organization’s competitiveness, categorized into one of the following three categorical types:
especially in the widening global economy. (1) Charting Types that are constructed in a “flow chart”
The cost of such unexpected downtimes provides the style form with defined meanings for each shape. Some of
necessary incentive to determine the cause(s) and learn from these tools and methods are programmatically generated
failure in order to prevent them from recurring. However, it while others can simply be drawn by hand, (2) Tabular
must be recognized that money and resources are required to Types that are constructed primarily in tables with
investigate and analyze the failure. Therefore, the real predefined column headings and categories, and (3)
question becomes, “How do you reduce the investment cost Graphical Types that display data results in a bar graph or
in determining the cause(s) of failures?” The main goal is to some other graphical representation of numeric data. Table
make easy, fast while reliable investigation, analysis and 1 details some of the many RCA tools and methods and
provide the solution. Root cause analysis is an effective classify them into the above three categories. Table 1 also
method to achieve this goal. Root cause analysis (RCA) is a shows the evaluation of those methods and tools using the
systematic, causational analysis which focuses on seeking three main barriers to effective usage as the criteria. This
the lowest level of cause of the failure. There are however evaluation is based on the implementation experiences,
three barriers for effective cause analysis that must be literature review, and case study observation.
Darren York, Kai Jin (phone: 361-593-2003; fax: 361-593-4126; e-mail:
[email protected]), Qing Song, Hua Li are with Texas A&M University -
Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363.

ISBN: 978-988-19253-3-6 IMECS 2014

ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
Proceedings of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2014 Vol II,
IMECS 2014, March 12 - 14, 2014, Hong Kong

TABLE I
Comparison of different RCA methods and tools [1-6]
Level of Proprietary Creativity
Method / Tool
Difficulty to Use Software Level
CHARTING
Events & Causal
High No Medium
Factors
Tree Diagram Medium No Medium
Fault Tree High Yes Low
RealityCharting® Low Yes High
Cause Mapping® Low No High
Fishbone Diagram Low No Low
Affinity Diagram Low No Low
PROACT® High Yes Low
MORT High Yes Low
Relations Diagram Low No Low
Flow Charts Low No Low Fig. 1. Cause map structure.
TapRooT® Medium No Low
TABULAR III. CASE STUDY
5-Whys (Why-Why) Low No Low
FMEA Medium No Low The case study was undertaken in a United States
Task Analysis Low No Low refinery. The failure to be analyzed is a Crude Vacuum
Control Barrier Tower Bottoms Box Cooler that experienced three
Low No Low
Analysis
Change Analysis Low No Low
successive product pass tube failures within a nineteen day
period, which resulted in the equipment being removed from
GRAPHICAL
service for repairs and requiring logistical feedstock changes
Pareto (80/20) Low No Low
Histogram Low No Low to accommodate the box cooler outage. The box cooler
functions to cool the crude unit’s vacuum tower bottoms
Cause Mapping is the trademarked method of root cause (VTB) stream prior to being sent to storage. The box
analysis of ThinkReliability and can be categorized as a cooler’s design is a steel box that contains a series of four
cause-and-effect chart or diagram. This method does not pipes, installed inside the box that carries the hot product.
employ any specific terminology or acronyms and is based The box contains cooling water and the hot product carried
on the premise that the “root” is actually a system of causes in the submerged pipes is cooled as the heat is transferred to
and not a singular cause [7]. Cause Mapping is based on the cooling water. The box cooler is also equipped with
three fundamental concepts [7]: (1) System Thinking, steam sprayers on each of the four passes to provide heat in
which means that every system has parts that interact; (2) the event the product temperature falls below the
Cause-and-Effect, which is as stated the cause-and-effect temperature required to maintain product flow through the
principle meaning every effect has causes and every cause passes.
has an effect; and (3) Visual Communication, which The failures that occurred were holes which developed in
indicates the combination of words, images and shapes to the carbon steel piping that carry the product through the
communicate the relationships among effects, causes and box cooler, as shown in Figure 2. The first failure occurred
solutions. Functionally, the Cause Mapping® method on the third pass and it was isolated and locked out. Two
consists of three steps: (1) Define the problem, which days later, pass four developed a leak and was isolated and
means simply outlining the what, when, where, and how locked out. The final failure occurred seventeen days later
goals were impacted; (2) Perform the analysis by creating and it was also isolated and locked out leaving only one pass
the Cause Map beginning with the impact to goals and for VTB cooling. As a result, repairs for the box cooler were
working from left to right by asking “why?” and “what is planned and executed over an eighteen day outage that cost
required to produce this effect?” to construct the horizontal more than $600,000.
and vertical cause and effect relationships as well as In the first step of RCA, the problems to be analyzed have
documenting and supporting evidence; and (3) Derive the to be defined. The problem that occurred may impact the
Solutions by determining first “what is possible?”, then factory or organization in different aspects. In this case
“what is best?” and lastly by defining the action plan that study, problems were categorized into three different types:
associates a cause with an action item, assigns ownership (1) Production-Schedule impacts, where the company lost
and prescribes a due date for completion. The solutions are raw material margin on the optimal crude purchase to
included in the map with the associated cause as well as in accommodate vacuum bottoms’ minimization during
tabular format along with the action item elements. Some of equipment repair outage. (2) Property-Equipment impacts,
the other recognizable characteristics of a Cause Map, as that the company replaced all four passes, performed patch
illustrated by Figure 1, are that it is read from left to right, work on floor, shell and joints. (3) Labor-Time impacts, that
connects the problem(s) to an organization’s goals, and the company recruited contract labor and internal labor for
focuses on evidence-based causes. the repair work.

ISBN: 978-988-19253-3-6 IMECS 2014

ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
Proceedings of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2014 Vol II,
IMECS 2014, March 12 - 14, 2014, Hong Kong

TABLE II
Detailed problem definition
What Crude Vacuum Residual Box Cooler Pass Leaks
 March 5, 2009 through March 24, 2009
 Pass 3 leak determined via isolated nitrogen
test 3/5/2009. Pass isolated.
 Pass 4 leak determined via isolated nitrogen
When
test 3/7/2009. Pass isolated.
 Pass 2 leak determined via isolated nitrogen
test 3/24/2009. Pass isolated.
 Box Cooler removed from service 5/9/2009.
 Refinery, USA
 Crude Unit: Equipment #: XXXX, MFR
Serial #: XXXX
 Each leak occurred on the bottom row of
Fig. 2. Holes in the pipes. each pass located on the same side as the
Where
inlet and outlet vertical piping on the lower
The construction of the Cause Map diagram began with portion of the piping approximately 2' to 3'
north of the return bend.
the identified impacted goals of production loss, property  Equipment was in normal operation with no
and labor. The basic level Cause Map was created working other concurrent activity.
from the impacted goals backward to the general event
Impact to the Goals
cause by asking five simple “Why” questions similar to the Cost
“5-Whys” technique of root cause analysis, as shown in  Potential raw material
margin impact due to
Figure 3. product contamination
with an unplanned
shutdown of Mid Crude
Unit without cooler box in
service or limited to a
single pass due to inability
to cool slop streams back
to crude tanks.
 Potential raw material
Production margin impact due to
Fig. 3. Basic level cause map Schedule delayed or prevented start
$912,400
. up of Mid Crude Unit
Based on the preliminary cause map, the detailed Cause without cooler box in
service or limited to a
Map was then constructed from by asking more “Why”
single pass and
questions and “What is necessary for…” questions to fill in downstream unit impacts.
the details between the general elements of the basic map.  Lost raw material margin
The evidence and solutions were added to each causal on optimal crude purchase
element. The initial version of the Cause Map as developed to accommodate vacuum
bottoms minimization
was subsequently emailed to those interviewed for feedback during equipment repair
and then reviewed with the plant reliability manager. outage.
Following the reliability manager’s suggestion the map was Replace in kind all four passes,
pushed to a deeper level of causation to include all of the perform patch work on floor,
Property,
shell and joints and install 3/8
corrosion elements for carbon steel submerged in water. The Equip, Mtls
inch carbon steel plate under old
$337,500
Cause Map was finalized including photos taken during the floor.
repair and inspection process along with the action list and Contract Labor and Internal
Labor & Time
the insertion of the electronic copies of the original Labor for repair work. $384,400
documents into the Excel file and was shared again with the Total Cost
$1,634,300
involved personnel and filed electronically for future
reference.
For the purpose of this study the Cause Mapping root
The final problem definition part of the Cause Map of this
cause analysis method will be evaluated on the three criteria
case study is shown in Table II. We can easily see that
discussed in section 2 and they are the level of difficulty to
unusual failures occurred in a very short period in March
use, proprietary software required, and creative level.
2009, with clear explanation. The economic loss due to the
Because the cause mapping method is very easy to
failure summed to $1,634,300. We should be able to save a
implement, the level of difficulty to use ranks low. Cause
large amount of money if we can find the root cause to the
Mapping does not include unique terminology that needs to
problem and prevent this happening again.
be understood in order to effectively apply this method, nor
The coats outside the deepest cause of the problem were
does it include different classifications of causes that can
stripped off step by step by asking “why”. In the end, eight
lead to confusion. The overall exercise of conducting the
root causes were drawn from the analysis process and the
root cause analysis using this method was functionally
solutions to these eight items were given in Table III.
straightforward and tactically friendly and familiar which
lends itself to easy propagation throughout an organization.
Since most companies are not willing to pay for outside

ISBN: 978-988-19253-3-6 IMECS 2014

ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
Proceedings of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2014 Vol II,
IMECS 2014, March 12 - 14, 2014, Hong Kong

consulting help unless the problem is significant, the best IV. CONCLUSION
way to analyze problems similar to the one in this case study Root cause analysis is a valuable tool that can provide a
is with internal resources which are the most familiar with great deal of knowledge from experience. However,
the problem, the systems and the potential solutions. It is knowledge of causes just for the sake of knowing does not
important that engineers and those who carry out the RCA provide value to or for an organization. Sondalini [8]
can easily master the RCA method with minimal effort and concludes, “We need to flavor RCA with a new purpose if
in the shortest time possible. This is crucial, especially in we are to use it effectively in industry. We must refocus our
organizations where employees do not have a higher level of aim for RCA to one of business-wide improvement and not
education. single problem-solving.” This view of RCA along with the
TABLE III concept of Enterprise Knowledge Management introduced
Solutions by Cormican and O’Sullivan [9] hold great promise for the
No. Action Item Cause organizations to take their performance to the next level and
Block in steam spargers and Routine use of Steam become even more competitive and efficient. Cause
only use if process outlet Spargers to reduce Mapping as demonstrated in this paper is an effective and
1
reaches plugging solid build up on box practical root cause analysis method that can be easily and
temperature. floor successfully employed in an organization without the
Acid pickle pipe and/or add expenditure of capital funds for proprietary software and
2 Retained Mill Scale
protective coating. still provide tremendous freedom within the analysis method
Establish a blow down Concentrated chloride and thus overcomes the three barriers to effective root cause
3 program for box cooler and attack and Acidic analysis. As such, Cause Mapping fits well into the space of
resid pass rotating program. Pitting Conditions today’s view of root cause analysis as well as adaptively
Establish pH and Concentrated chloride fitting the views of root cause analysis and enterprise
4 conductivity limits for attack and Acidic knowledge management of the future.
cooling water quality. Pitting Conditions One of the unanticipated strengths of Cause Mapping
1' x 1' patches with 2" comes from Excel. Using the Excel template, a cause map
Box Wall Through
5 rounded corners installed in can become a sustained knowledge system for an
Wall Corrosion
affected areas. organization. In the electronic version the map can be the
Impingement of repository for all the supporting documentation from an
Cooling Water Inlet Piping
6 cooling water inlet event. This easy reference capability provides for fast and
replaced with 90◦ angle
pipe due 45◦ angle easy access to the “value” of the experience. According to
Box lifted and 3/8 " thick [5], “Contemporary business systems have become more
Underside Corrosion
7 A36 material floor slid under knowledge intensive and this specialization of work leads to
Source
old floor and seal welded. an increasing need for knowledge workers.” Cause Maps
Develop 2011 TA repair have the potential to become a business system that
scope for box cooler facilitates the development of these knowledge workers.
All Causes / Pre-
including new design and One particular element of a Cause Map that makes it
8 Mature Failure Inside
long term solutions to possible is one of the method’s greatest strengths –
TA Cycle.
identified causes for box to visualization. The map with its full feature presentation
meet expected TA cycle. allows for a quick and thorough understanding of the events,
the lessons learned, the solutions employed and possible
With regard to the final two barriers, Cause Mapping does extensions to similar situations through its visual elements.
not require the purchase of any proprietary software to fully The Cause Map, because of these visual elements, truly
utilize this method, so there is no upfront capital cost or becomes the map for an organization from failure to
investment required to employ this method in an success.
organization with complete organizational exposure. The From the same element of creativity springs the largest
electronic version of choice for Cause Mapping is the use of weakness of the method. Cause Mapping, inclusive of all its
Microsoft Office’s Excel, so most users would already have creative capabilities is limited by the developers experience
access to the software required to use the free templates with root cause analysis and investigative methods. To the
available from ThinkReliability.com. Finally with regard to extent that an organization has good problem solvers, Cause
the creativity level allowed by the investigator and cause Mapping could be used organizationally with great results.
map creator, this method allows for complete freedom of For those organizations with a lack of experience in problem
expression in creating the map. Cause Mapping does not solving, the implementation time to value realized curve
require the developer to fit cause(s) into prescribed would mostly likely be somewhat exponential in shape.
categories and allows for the inclusion of full visual Notwithstanding for these organizations, coupling problem
elements such as photos, diagrams, charts to make the map solving and investigative methods training with Cause
more meaningful and descriptive. The map also allows the Mapping would no doubt achieve satisfactory results.
developer to directly and visually associate the evidence and
solutions with each cause in the map for easy reference and REFERENCES
summary understanding. [1] Cooper H. C. Six Sigma Keys to Lean Maintenance Reliability in 30-60
Days. Technical paper published by Society of Manufacturing
Engineers, Dearborn, Michigan, 2004.

ISBN: 978-988-19253-3-6 IMECS 2014

ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
Proceedings of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2014 Vol II,
IMECS 2014, March 12 - 14, 2014, Hong Kong

[2] Gano D. L. Apollo root cause analysis: a new way of thinking (3rd
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[9] Cormican K., Sullivan D., Enterprise knowledge management.
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ISBN: 978-988-19253-3-6 IMECS 2014

ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
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