{"id":14227,"date":"2023-09-06T10:27:41","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T16:27:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/limblecmms.com\/?page_id=14227"},"modified":"2025-03-24T13:55:45","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T19:55:45","slug":"fault-tree-analysis","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/limblecmms.com\/learn\/definitions\/fault-tree-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"Fault Tree Analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)<\/h1>

Everything you ever needed to know about fault tree analysis.<\/h2><\/header>Free CMMS Buyer's Guide<\/span><\/a>\n
\n \n <\/span>Last updated on March 24, 2025<\/span>\n <\/span>\n bBrinton<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n [\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_video link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HTjJr72hHSg” align=”right” el_class=”video-shadow”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row kd_background_image_position=”vc_row-bg-position-top” css=”.vc_custom_1687442797424{margin-top: 40px !important;}” el_class=”limble-page-blog-width”][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

What is Fault Tree Analysis?<\/h2>\n

Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)<\/b> is a tool to analyze the potential for system or machine failure by graphically and mathematically representing the system itself. It is a top-down approach that reverse-engineers the root causes of a potential failure through the <\/span>root cause analysis process.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

In other words, if you ask yourself, \u201chow likely is it that this machine will break down,\u201d Fault Tree Analysis will help you answer that question.<\/span><\/p>\n

FTA replicates how failure moves through a system. It creates a graphical model of how component failures lead to system-wide failures. These models help <\/span>reliability engineers<\/span><\/a> create well-defined systems with the proper redundancies that prevent component failures from cascading into system-wide failures \u2013 in other words, <\/span>create more fault-tolerant systems<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if the process sounds like rocket science, the terms used in FTA are pretty straightforward.<\/span><\/p>\n

The analytical graphs used to model FTA\u2019s look like trees, so (unsurprisingly) they are called fault <\/span>trees<\/span><\/i>. The fault tree diagram will help you understand how one or more small failure events lead to a catastrophic failure. This will help you choose the right corrective and preventive measures in the future.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row kd_background_image_position=”vc_row-bg-position-top” css=”.vc_custom_1687442797424{margin-top: 40px !important;}” el_class=”limble-page-blog-width”][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Table of Contents<\/span><\/h2>\n

When to use Fault Tree Analysis<\/span><\/a>
\nWho uses FTA and why?<\/a>
\nWhy Fault Tree Analysis is worth the effort<\/a>
\nFault Tree Analysis symbols and structure<\/a>
\nTypes of Fault Tree Analysis<\/a>
\nFault Tree Analysis examples<\/a>
\nFault Tree Analysis compared to other analytical methods<\/a>
\nStreamlining the process with FTA software<\/a>
\nKey takeaway<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row kd_background_image_position=”vc_row-bg-position-top” css=”.vc_custom_1687440273251{margin-top: 40px !important;}” el_class=”limble-page-blog-width”][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

When to use Fault Tree Analysis<\/h2>\n

Fault tree analysis can be done at the time of design of the system or during operation<\/b> (to anticipate potential failures and take preventive actions). The goal is to boost the subsystems and components that are highly likely to fail or cause a major incident before it actually happens.
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>It can be implemented alone or as a complement to FMEA analysis.\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row kd_background_image_position=”vc_row-bg-position-top” css=”.vc_custom_1687440273251{margin-top: 40px !important;}” el_class=”limble-page-blog-width”][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Who uses FTA and why?<\/h2>\n

In general, fault tree analysis helps prevent future failures and identify critical areas of concern for new workflows, products, and services. That is why various industries use FTA as a method for safety analysis and risk mitigation like:<\/span><\/p>\n