Book excerpt: This book combines the topics of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Lubrication Degradation Mechanisms (LDM) with the goal of allowing the reader to develop the disciplined thought process for getting to the root causes of each of the degradation mechanisms. This new way of thinking can be applied to other areas within their facility to mitigate or eliminate any future recurrence. Lubrication Degradation: Getting into the Root Causes strives to break down the complex topic of Lubrication Degradation into its six most common failure mechanisms. It presents the mechanisms as manageable components and then teaches the reader how to identify the typical root causes associated with each failure mechanism. The main aim of this book is to get the audience to look past the physical root causes and really unearth the underlying human and/or systemic roots to prevent recurrence of these types of failures. The book offers a field-proven and practical root cause analysis approach. An ideal practical book for industry professionals involved with Plant Operations, Engineering, Management, Maintenance, Reliability, Quality, and also useful for Technicians.