The 8D sequence: 

1 Forming a team is easy without the board.

2 Describing the problem in measureable terms may be possible with a very
good x-ray, CAD and a good team.

3 Short term actions to protect the customer almost requires B from your
post, not for failure analysis but to protect the customer, unless there is
some reason to believe that this could only happen once. 

4 Defining the Root Cause is going to be compromised by not having the
defect in hand. But, may be possible given a good team, a little luck and a
very good x-ray. If no luck, poor x-ray, and defect not available, I would
consider the trail cold and end the action with a statement to that effect
and proceed to step 8. 

5 Verification can be done if step 4 is successful

6 Implementation is always a hassle anyway. 

7 Prevention is harder than implementation, we rarely have time to stay
focused on something we think we fixed. We have other fires to fight.

8 This step can be accomplished even if we have in sufficient information to
proceed with steps 5, 6 and 7. 

I agree with Marsal's post don't hide from the problem. Follow the process
with the best information you have. There is always an information wall.
Sometimes is stops the process, sometimes we simply make a leap of faith
over it. 

Guy


-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of bob wettermann
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 5:00 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [TN] Determining Root Cause

Dear Technetters:

Here's a situation where your opinions would be helpful:

Assume
your company  have shipped a PWB to a customer and the customer
determines a functional failure and via XRAY determines that there was
problem via a solder short. As the builder you review the XRAY image
and you confirm that it is indeed a short. The customer asks you for an
8D analysis. You politely request that the board be returned so that
you can ask the 5 "Whys" or generate an "Ishikawa diagram" or a get to a
root cause.

Upon asking this question the customer indicates that the board is no longer
available. Do you:

A. Tel the customer that without the actual board (1 out of a lot size of
25) the root cause analysis is not possible and you cannot perfom an 8D
B. Ask for the balance of the lot back to see and begin the root analysis
and trust that you can actually get to a root cause
C. Guess at a root cause 
D. Do not answer your phone

Regards 
 Bob Wettermann
PH 847-767-5745

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