In industrial production and test engineering environments, the documentation and categorization of recurring failures is essential for:
- Improving process efficiency
- Increasing product reliability
- Reducing rework and waste
- Supporting sustainable corrective and preventive actions
Knowing how to correctly classify failures allows attacking the root of problems and building a virtuous cycle of continuous improvement.
📋 How to document failures effectively?
Efficient documentation should contain:
- Detailed description of the failure (observed behavior, symptoms, occurrence conditions)
- Classification of the type of failure (electrical, mechanical, software, communication, etc.)
- Recording of relevant data (serial number of the DUT, date, operator, test equipment used)
- Capture of evidence (photos, screenshots, measurements)
- Correlation with test parameters (which tolerance range failed?)
- Recurrence history (first occurrence, recurrence, dispersion)
Tools like databases, MES, Power BI, or even well-structured spreadsheets help standardize the recording.
🧩 How to categorize recurring failures?
Categorization organizes failures into families of causes to facilitate analysis:
| Failure Category | Typical Examples |
|---|---|
| Electrical | Short circuit, open circuit, noise |
| Mechanical | Poor contact, misalignment, wear |
| Software | Firmware crash, initialization error |
| Communication | Timeout, protocol error |
| Process | Assembly error, soldering problem |
| Operational | Misuse, incorrect parameterization |
Structured categorization allows effective use of tools like Pareto, Ishikawa, and FMEA.
🔧 How AJOLLY Testing supports failure management
AJOLLY Testing integrates into its systems and test benches:
- Automatic failure logging directly into the database (integrated with the DUT serial number)
- Analytical dashboards to identify Top Failures in real-time
- Intelligent reports that group failures by type, symptom, and impact
- Support in technical diagnosis and guidance for corrective and preventive actions
🎯 Benefits of correctly documenting and categorizing
- Reduction in diagnostic time
- Ease in identifying failure trends
- Prioritization of corrective actions by impact
- Better communication with suppliers and engineering areas
- Solid basis for quality audits (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, etc.)
“You cannot improve what you cannot measure. And you cannot measure without documenting correctly.” – Work philosophy of AJOLLY Testing.