Case Studies
The Case of Ipse Dixit
Here, two PhD, P.E.s bumble and bungle their way through a lawsuit over a failed sump pump.
Read MoreThe Case of the Chagrined Chandelier
Here, electronic circuitry was far too simple and the pennies saved caused a major loss.
Read MoreThe Case of the Cool Cabin
Ben Franklin’s “A penny saved is a penny earned” needs to be tempered with Pliny the Elder’s “taken with a grain of salt”.
Read MoreThe Case of the Silver Lining in the Hailstorm
Silver Lining in the Hailstorm Cloud Ever wonder if a quote for repair of hail damage to a condensing unit coil is reasonable? Odds are, it is not, and for multiple reasons.
Read MoreThe Case of the Crushed Cartons
Crushed Cartons A half-baked new product idea taken directly into high volume production without testing because of similarity to other products backfires in a most embarrassing manner.
Read MoreThe Case of the Swamped Sump Pump
Swamped Sump Pump Having the right tools for the job, and knowing how to use them, can prevent many a false start.
Read MoreThe Case of the Barrister's Boiler
Barrister's BoilerHaving the right tool for the job is an advertising slogan in use for over a century. But, sometimes you have to design and build the right tool you need to do the job.
Read MoreThe Case of the Dead Diesel
Dead Diesel The complexity of modern machines often renders them vulnerable to the slightest defect. A heat treating error on a minor component takes down this large, 16-cylinder diesel engine.
Read MoreThe Case of the Flea on the Elephant's Back
Flea on the Elephants Back A hydraulic cylinder with 275-ton lifting capacity is destroyed by a failed component weighing less than 2 grams.
Read MoreThe Case of the Frozen Fertilizer
Frozen Fertilizer Testing under real-world conditions trumps lofty theory every time. A truck driver falsely accused is vindicated by precise testing that indeed shows that Truth is in the Details.
Read MoreThe Case of the Shivering Shafts
Shivering Shafts Coverage for machine repair often hinges on cause: accidental damage, breakdown, or wear-and-tear. Truth is in the Details.
Read MoreThe Case of the Cooties in the Cooling Tower
Cooties in the Cooling Tower In this case, “Truth is in the Details” is well demonstrated where a building owner insisted that a leaking cooling tower was the result of freezing, but Boreas was not to...
Read MoreThe Case of the Awful Automation
Awful Automation Machinery failure often involves a complex mix of accidental damage, breakdown, wear-and-tear, and design defects.
Read MoreThe Case of the Ancient Lift Station
Ancient Lift Station Sometimes, “They don’t make ‘em like they used to” is really true. Here, three venerable motors are saved from replacement by inferior new motors.
Read MoreThe Case of the Crappy Crimp
Crappy Crimp Going off half-cocked is sometimes aggravated when shooting from the hip. Pre-emptive replacement assuming insurance coverage sometimes runs afoul of the facts. Here again, Truth is in th...
Read MoreThe Case of the Leaky Lagoon
Leaky Lagoon A broken underground pipe gave the appearance that ground water pressure ruptured a large concrete tank, but investigation showed that ground water was not involved, thus resulting in cov...
Read MoreThe Case of the Lousy Lube
Lousy Lube Another case of a tiny, untested product change producing disastrous results.
Read MoreThe Case of the Radiant Rodent
Radiant Rodent Penny wise and pound foolish business decisions sometimes come back to bite you.
Read MoreThe Case of the Flooded Felon
Flooded Felon A comedy of engineering errors results in major damage to a new MRI and waterboards a convicted felon.
Read MoreThe Case of the Tumbled Tower
Tumbled Tower Critical evidence is often perishable and a technical investigator with the dedication and perseverance to collect it can result in cove...
Read MoreThe Case of the Rock and the Hard Spot
Rock and the Hard Spot A stitch in time saves nine was a foreign concept to the operator of a gravel pit, and the resulting tear was costly.
Read MoreThe Case of the Medical Equipment Malpractice
Medical Equipment Malpractice If any case demonstrates that “Truth is in the Details” this is it.
Read MoreThe Case of the Hydrophobic Hydro Plant
Hydrophobic Hydro Plant A complex loss where good business decisions greatly complicated determination of insurance coverage for property damage as we...
Read MoreThe Case of the Tipsy Turbine
Tipsy Turbine Descendants of 19th-century snake oil peddlers are today selling huge profits to be made by investing in wind energy and then sitting back and cashing checks.
Read MoreThe Case of the Hasty Hydro Repair
Hasty Hydro Repair The financial pressure to repair major revenue producing machinery can sometimes substantially increase the revenue lost.
Read MoreThe Case of the Copper Crisis Diesel
Copper Crisis Diesel Here, impending doom and gloom turned out to be a few leaking O-rings. But, the investigation found impending doom elsewhere
Read MoreThe Case of the Wet Water Plant
Wet Water PlantSometimes the saying “They’re the same, only different” gets you in trouble when they really aren’t the same.
Read MoreThe Case of the Elevated Invoice
Elevated Invoice“You’d better be sitting down when you read this” applies frequently to invoices for repair of damage to elevators.
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