What is a failure mode?

The specific way an asset fails — the 'how' behind every breakdown.

A failure mode is a specific, describable way something fails: bearing fatigue, shaft misalignment, seal leakage, insulation breakdown. An asset can have dozens of failure modes, each with its own warning signs and prevention strategy.

Listing an asset's failure modes is the core of reliability work — it tells you which conditions to monitor, which PMs actually matter and what a maintenance plan must defend against.

• How it's used