The failure of safety-critical components can have catastrophic consequences in aircraft, rail vehicles, cable cars, elevators, and power plants. Any damage that occurs is thoroughly analyzed to prevent future occurrences. This manual is a compilation of exemplary damage cases from power plant construction in the areas of design, manufacturing, assembly, and operation. The damages are categorized by mechanical, thermal, and chemical causes. The focus of the discussed damage cases is the metallurgical assessment of the causes of damage, remedial measures, and prevention. Through "lessons learned," the case studies can be easily transferred to other areas of mechanical engineering. A comprehensive atlas of scanning electron microscope images for the classification of damage patterns serves as a guide for conducting one's own analyses.