About Karl Hoffower

Dr. Karl Hoffower is the founder and Executive Director of Failure Prevention Associates, LLC (FPA), which he established in 2007 to help industrial organizations build effective predictive and condition-based maintenance programs. Under his leadership, FPA provides vibration analysis, ultrasound condition monitoring, and reliability engineering services. The firm also helps maintenance teams close the skill gaps that open as experienced personnel retire. Dr. Hoffower came to industrial reliability from a distinguished career in healthcare, which concluded with his service as a department chief with the LBH Medical Group in Silicon Valley. He is board certified in chiropractic (DC), has pursued post-doctoral study in neurology, and is qualified as a radiology (X-ray) operator and supervisor. That clinical background shapes his approach to machinery. The diagnostic discipline used to assess human health applies directly to rotating equipment: establish a baseline, detect early symptoms, isolate the underlying cause, and intervene before a minor fault becomes a failure. He now applies those principles to prevent equipment failures in manufacturing, heavy industry, and related sectors. Dr. Hoffower is an active voice in the maintenance and reliability community. He has appeared as a guest on programs including Reliability Radio, Industrial Talk, and Maintenance Disrupted, where he has discussed the fundamentals of vibration analysis. He leads technical workshops, including sessions on ultrasound condition monitoring, and writes and speaks on knowledge transfer, skill-gap assessment, and maintenance process optimization. He also shares his perspective as an industrial reliability leader on LinkedIn and Facebook.