// ROBOTICS AND SMART FACTORIES TERM

Root Cause

The root cause is the fundamental reason for a problem or defect, which, if removed, would prevent the problem from recurring. It's not just the symptom, but the underlying issue.

TECHNICAL DEFINITION

The Root Cause, in Industry 5.0 problem-solving and quality improvement, is the deepest underlying factor or sequence of factors that, if eliminated or corrected, would prevent the recurrence of a non-conformance, defect, or system failure, identified through structured analysis.

BACKGROUND

In science and reliability engineering, root-cause analysis (RCA) is a method of problem solving used for identifying the root causes of faults or problems. It is widely used in IT operations, manufacturing, telecommunications, industrial process control, accident analysis, medical diagnosis, the healthcare industry. Root-cause analysis is a form of inductive inference and deductive inference.

READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIA

SYNONYMS & ALIASES

  • Underlying Cause
  • Primary Cause
  • Fundamental Reason
  • Origin of Problem

USAGE NOTE

Identifying the root cause is essential for implementing effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).

DEVELOPERS

Organizations developing technology related to Root Cause.

  • Siemens

    Develops the MindSphere Industrial IoT platform and Opcenter Quality software, which use data analytics and AI to identify the root causes of production inefficiencies, equipment failures, and quality deviations.

  • Seeq

    Specializes in advanced analytics software for process manufacturing data. Their application enables engineers to rapidly investigate time-series data to discover the root cause of process variability and production losses.

  • Rockwell Automation

    Offers the FactoryTalk software suite, which includes analytics and asset management tools that help manufacturers monitor production processes, track downtime, and perform root cause analysis to improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

  • Sight Machine

    Offers a manufacturing data platform that uses AI to automatically digitize and model entire production processes. The platform helps manufacturers uncover the root causes of complex quality, throughput, and maintenance problems.

  • GE Digital

    Provides the Predix platform and Asset Performance Management (APM) software that utilize digital twins and advanced analytics to predict equipment failures and diagnose the underlying root causes of operational issues.

  • AVEVA

    Develops industrial software, including the PI System, for collecting and analyzing real-time operational data. Their analytics and asset performance management tools enable engineers to conduct detailed root cause analysis on equipment downtime and process disruptions.

  • PTC

    Develops the ThingWorx Industrial IoT platform, which provides tools for data aggregation, contextualization, and machine learning. This enables manufacturers to build applications for root cause analysis of asset failures and production bottlenecks.

  • Braincube

    Provides an Industrial IoT platform with integrated AI and advanced analytics. Their solution helps manufacturers analyze complex production data to automatically identify key variables and determine the root causes of quality defects and performance issues.

RELATED TERMS IN QUALITY & COMPLIANCE