Licensed Professional Engineer
Mechanical PE - CA, NV, OR, WA, AZ
OUR SERVICES
Mechanical Failure Investigations
A broken component may be the cause of an equipment failure—or the result of another problem. Determining what occurred requires evaluating the physical evidence, equipment design, operating conditions, and maintenance history together.
Bona Fide Forensics investigates mechanical failures to identify how equipment failed, evaluate contributing conditions, and develop conclusions supported by the available evidence.
Assignments may involve residential equipment, commercial machinery, appliances, and vehicle components.
Common areas of investigation include:
✓ Heating and cooling equipment
✓ Pumps and fluid-handling systems
✓ Motors and driven equipment
✓ Bearings, shafts, and couplings
✓ Valves, seals, and connections
✓ Gas-fired equipment
✓ Appliance mechanisms and components
✓ Vehicle mechanical systems
✓ Installation and repair issues
✓ Overheating, vibration, and seizure
OUR APPROACH
Our Mechanical Failure Investigation Process
A methodical, evidence-based approach from leak identification to failure analysis.
1. Examine Equipment
Evaluate equipment condition, visible damage, and the reported circumstances of the failure.
2. Document Evidence
Record component positions, connections, identification labels, and damage through photographs, notes, and measurements.
3. Review History
Review available operating information, maintenance records, repair history, and relevant product documentation.
4. Evaluate Failure
Assess potential failure mechanisms and contributing conditions against the physical evidence.
5. Examine & Test
Conduct or arrange component examinations, disassembly, and testing as needed to evaluate potential causes.
6. Develop Findings
Integrate the evidence and engineering analysis into clear, supported conclusions.
EVIDENCE MATTERS
Evidence Preservation & Subrogation Support
Failed equipment may contain evidence relevant to product performance, installation, maintenance, or repair. Replacing parts or dismantling machinery can alter the relationships needed to understand the failure.
Bona Fide Forensics helps identify and preserve significant components and document equipment condition before further examination.
Services may include:
✓ Equipment and component identification
✓ Documentation before disassembly
✓ Evidence collection and preservation
✓ Chain-of-custody documentation
✓ Secure storage of collected components
✓ Coordination of joint examinations
✓ Participation in destructive examinations
✓ Documentation of testing and disassembly
When potentially responsible parties are identified, examinations can be coordinated to provide an opportunity for their participation.
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
Engineering Evaluation of Failure Mechanisms
Understanding why equipment failed requires examining how its components function together. Loading, alignment, lubrication, temperature, and operating conditions may all be relevant to the analysis.
Our mechanical engineering background supports the evaluation of potential failure mechanisms and the sequence of events leading to equipment damage.
Areas of evaluation may include:
✓ Fracture and deformation
✓ Wear and component deterioration
✓ Lubrication loss or contamination
✓ Overheating and thermal damage
✓ Misalignment and vibration
✓ Pressure and flow conditions
✓ Sealing and connection failures
✓ Installation and assembly methods
✓ Maintenance and repair practices
✓ Operating conditions and equipment use
When needed, the investigation can include functional testing, detailed measurements, or specialized laboratory analysis.
DELIVERING RESULTS
Clear, Defensible Findings
Our goal is to explain what failed, how it failed, and what conditions contributed, to the extent supported by the evidence.
Findings help clients evaluate equipment losses, potential recovery opportunities, and disputed technical issues.
Depending on the assignment, our work may include:
✓ Site and equipment inspection
✓ Photographic documentation
✓ Operating and maintenance record review
✓ Component failure analysis
✓ Installation and repair evaluation
✓ Evidence collection and storage
✓ Joint examinations
✓ Component testing
✓ Engineering analysis
✓ Verbal consultation
✓ Written reports
✓ Deposition and litigation support
✓ Expert witness testimony
Conclusions reflect the available evidence, with limitations and unresolved questions clearly explained.
MEET KIRK LUMAYE
Experienced Mechanical and Forensic Engineer
Bona Fide Forensics applies mechanical engineering principles to the investigation of equipment failures and property losses.
Investigations are led by Kirk LuMaye, a licensed Professional Engineer with a degree in mechanical engineering and more than a decade of experience investigating mechanical failures, fires, and water losses.
This background supports the evaluation of individual components, interacting systems, and questions about installation, operation, and maintenance.
Our mission is simple: Seek the truth through honest and thorough investigation.
- Kirk LuMaye, PE
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SERVICE AREA
Mechanical Failure Analysis Across California and the West
Bona Fide Forensics provides forensic engineering and fire investigation services throughout Northern California and Southern California, with regular travel for assignments in Reno and Northern Nevada.
We also accept engineering and fire investigation assignments throughout Arizona, Oregon, and Washington, and travel as needed to support losses across the western United States.
QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Frequently Asked Questions
READY TO GET STARTED?
Have a Mechanical Failure to Investigate?
Early involvement helps preserve failed components and document equipment conditions before repairs or disassembly alter the evidence.
Contact Bona Fide Forensics to discuss the equipment, available evidence, and the questions you need answered.