In an ideal world, there would be no incidents of damage. In the real world, they do occur: Damage is unexpected and sometimes very painful.
1. Secure evidence
The root cause analysis must begin as soon as the damage becomes known. The first important step is to secure all evidence and circumstantial data. A quick and good documentation of all affected parts is the most important first step, despite the often difficult conditions. For example, I have experienced a case where the decisive importance of a deformed screw head that flew far away in the chain of evidence only became apparent much later.
2. Material analyses
After securing all evidence, a material analysis is often started. In order to carry out meaningful material analyses, I support the close coordination and guidance of the certified specialist laboratories commissioned.
3. Evidence using simulation
Many other technical experts end their investigation with a seemingly plausible description (hypothesis) of how the damage occurred. This can be a decisive methodological disadvantage. For me, the most intensive work begins at this point. In numerical calculations or through experiments, I have to exactly reconstruct the course of the damage. This must be based on the objective laws of physics.
Only when this physical simulation of the damage process agrees with all the evidence from the damage site is the damage case solved. The three-dimensional visualisations of modern simulation programmes enable me to explain the often complex physical interactions in an understandable way even to non-technical experts. This is an advantage not to be underestimated when it comes to negotiations with lawyers and insurance companies. Use this advantage to protect your company!
In this exceptional situation, you must be able to rely on your team.
Strengthen your team with my support!
4. My qualification
- my particular approach:
- Gathering all information/evidence on site
- Formulation of working hypotheses
- Testing the hypotheses by numerical calculations.
- Only when the physical explanation is consistent with all the circumstantial evidence of the incident is the cause of the damage reliably explained.
- Carrying out damage analyses in various branches of industry
- my independence from interest groups, certifiers, lobbyists
- Lecture: Simulation-based damage analysis – the shortest way to reliably identify the cause of damage (on behalf of MET Motoren- und Energietechnik GmbH, Rostock) 37th SIMULATION CONFERENCE, the specialist conference on numerical simulation in industry and research in Germany