A failure code in a marker, usually alphanumeric or in text, that indicates in a Maintenance Management Software or in a Manufacturing Software with a Maintenance Module, the reason why a specific asset has failed. 

Failure codes can be cross-referenced with a list of reasons for failures and can be applied to a work order for a quick reference. 

If the failure codes are successful in easily describing the most common causes for failure in equipment and assets, maintenance teams can easily track the most repeated issues and collect important and relevant information to improve maintenance tasks.

Causes for Failure

There are many different common causes for failures, such as Asset or inspection-based, that can be cross-referenced with the Failure codes used in a Manufacturing Software. In general, there are some widely known and used failure codes:

• Maintenance codes – which describe issues resulting from poor maintenance
• User errors – which refer to failures related to operators’ errors
• Calibration Problems
• Asset defects – which describe failures related to specific pieces of equipment

How can you benefit from using failure codes?

By using failure codes, it is easy to learn facts about your equipment, such as how often does a piece of equipment requires maintenance, or if the main causes for failure can eventually be prevented with a new preventive maintenance strategy.

Also, by corresponding failure codes with text information and the measures taken to address it, will save your maintenance team a lot of time, improving their efficiency.

To learn more about levering your maintenance, read our blog and sign-up on our software!