Systems and methods for adaptive preventive maintenance in fluid dispensing systems and related apparatus

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system and method for adaptive preventive maintenance. In a method for determining a maintenance interval estimate for a device, a first maintenance interval estimate associated with the device is provided. The first maintenance interval estimate is expressed according to a usage measurement associated with the device. An indication that the device has been replaced may be received. The consumption usage of the device over a period of time may be determined. The period of time may span from a reference time point associated with the first maintenance interval estimate to a later replacement time point associated with the replacement of the device. A second maintenance interval estimate may be determined based on the consumption usage of the device. The second maintenance interval estimate may be expressed according to a usage measurement associated with the device.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related patent applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 579,881, filed October 31, 2017, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to equipment maintenance. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to adaptive preventive maintenance in fluid dispensing systems and related equipment. Background Art

[0004] Most manufacturing and other industrial businesses rely too heavily on a variety of machines, tools, and other kinds of equipment, often in large numbers. For example, a manufacturing plant may operate dozens or even hundreds of pieces of equipment that are often identical in make and model. Such equipment may run for long periods of time under harsh conditions, causing wear and tear, and if wear is not addressed will inevitably lead to malfunction or failure. Unexpected failures can have serious consequences due to the loss of output from that equipment. Or worse, equipment failure can shut down an entire production line.

[0005] Therefore, it is desirable to replace equipment or perform maintenance on equipment in a timely manner, preferably during intervals that will have minimal impact on production. While equipment manufacturers and suppliers desire to provide customers with an accurate schedule of replacement or maintenance intervals, this effort is hampered by the wide variation in operating conditions for any given type of equipment. For example, one facility may run its equipment twenty-two hours a day in hot and dusty conditions, while another facility may run its equipment of the same type as the first class twelve hours a day in clean and climate-controlled conditions. Not surprisingly, the life cycle of the former equipment will be reduced compared to the latter equipment. Because the life expectancy of a given type of equipment may be affected by unknown parameters, equipment manufacturers or suppliers are often unable to confidently provide maintenance or replacement schedules for these equipment.

[0006] These and other disadvantages are discussed in this disclosure. Summary of the invention

[0007] Systems and methods for adaptive preventive maintenance are disclosed herein. In a method for determining a maintenance interval estimate for a device, a first maintenance interval estimate associated with the device may be provided. The first maintenance interval estimate may be expressed in terms of a usage metric associated with the device. An indication may be received that the device has been replaced. A consumption usage of the device over a time period may be determined. The time period may span from a reference time point associated with the first maintenance interval estimate to a later replacement time point associated with the replacement of the device. A second maintenance interval estimate may be determined based on the consumption usage of the device. The second maintenance interval estimate may be expressed in terms of a usage metric associated with the device.

[0008] The reason for the replacement of the equipment may be another basis for determining the second maintenance interval estimate. When the reason for the replacement is preventive, the second maintenance interval estimate may also be based on the difference between the consumption usage and the first maintenance interval estimate. The second maintenance interval estimate may also be based on a user-defined adjustment parameter.

[0009] When the reason for the replacement is a device failure, the second maintenance interval estimate may also be based on a user-defined failure parameter. A replacement due to a device failure may result in a larger adjustment to the second maintenance interval estimate than a preventive replacement. The determined second maintenance interval estimate may only take effect if the determined second maintenance interval estimate will fall outside a predefined percentage range of the first maintenance interval estimate.

[0010] If the consumed usage is greater than the first maintenance interval estimate, a notification may be sent to a user associated with the device.

[0011] Further iterations of the above method may be performed, such as with respect to a second replacement of the equipment and a second depleted usage of the equipment.In one aspect, the second replacement of the equipment and the depleted usage may be used to determine another third maintenance interval estimate.

[0012] Examples of usage metrics may include operating time, number of actuation cycles, number of operating cycles, number of objects, and amount of material. In another aspect, the usage metric may include an aggregation of at least two of these usage metrics.

[0013] In some cases, the device may include a fluid dispenser.Replacement of the device or reason for replacement may be received via user input.

[0014] In another embodiment, a method of implementing a notification related to maintenance of a device is disclosed. The method may include determining that a first consumption usage of a device exceeds a first maintenance interval estimate associated with the device. The first maintenance interval estimate may be expressed based on a usage metric associated with the device. A first notification may be transmitted to a user and indicate that the first consumption usage exceeds the first maintenance interval estimate. The consumption usage may span a first time period that begins at a first time point associated with the first maintenance interval estimate and ends at a second time point associated with determining that the first consumption usage of the device exceeds the first maintenance interval estimate. A failure to replace the device may be determined. A second notification associated with the failure to replace the device may be transmitted to a user associated with the device.

[0015] If a device replacement is subsequently indicated, a second maintenance interval estimate may be determined based on the consumed usage from the time point associated with the first maintenance interval estimate to the time point associated with the replacement of the device. If the device is not replaced, another notification may be transmitted to the user. The interval between this notification and the previous notification may be shorter than the interval between the earlier notifications. In addition, the third notification and other subsequent notifications may be transmitted via a different transmission medium than the earlier notifications, and to different recipients. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the methods and systems:

[0017] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a fluid dispenser according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 2 shows a data flow diagram according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 3 shows a decision flow chart according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0020] Figure 4 A method flow chart according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The disclosed systems and methods relate to adaptive preventive maintenance, which can be used in the context of fluid distribution systems and other related equipment. Due to the above-mentioned changes in operating conditions, equipment manufacturers and suppliers are often unable to provide reliable maintenance and / or replacement schedules. Among other aspects, the adaptive preventive maintenance technology disclosed herein solves this problem by utilizing empirical data collected under actual operating conditions to iteratively optimize maintenance interval estimates.

[0022] The maintenance interval estimate may represent a time period after which an operator should replace or perform maintenance on the type of equipment before the equipment fails, within a reasonable confidence level. The maintenance interval estimate may be determined in each iteration of the process based on the usage of the equipment between successive replacements or maintenance of the equipment. The usage may be represented by one or more usage metrics such as time of use, number of actuation cycles, or number of dispense operations. The reason for replacing the equipment may be preventive or equipment failure. This reason may affect the adjusted maintenance interval estimate for the determination iteration. If the usage of the equipment exceeds the maintenance interval estimate, this may indicate that the equipment has an unexpected risk of failure. When this occurs, a notification message may be sent to the operator or other responsible party to inform them of the situation. Therefore, the operator can resolve the problem situation by replacing or performing maintenance on the equipment.

[0023] See also Figure 1 , an electric fluid dispenser or dispensing gun 20 includes one or more dispensing modules or valves 22 mounted on a fluid dispensing manifold plate 24 in a known manner. The dispensing valve 22 includes a dispenser body 26 and a fluid dispensing nozzle body 28. The dispenser 20 is typically used to dispense high viscosity fluids, such as hot melt adhesives, solder flux, thermal grease, etc., but low viscosity fluids can be dispensed by the dispenser 20 or similar dispensers. In addition, the dispenser 20 is mounted in a dispensing machine or system (not shown) in a known manner to dispense the fluid in discrete amounts, such as drops or droplets but optionally in a continuous bead form. Figure 1 As shown, a dispenser body 26 used in conjunction with a fluid dispensing nozzle body 28 is specifically configured to dispense a fluid 30 onto a substrate 32. Relative movement between the substrate 32 and the dispenser 20 is provided in a known manner.

[0024] The valve stem 34 is mounted in the interior 36 of the dispenser body 26 and includes a shaft 38 extending through the interior 36. A ball 40 is mounted to the lower end of the shaft 38, such as Figure 1 As shown, it is sealingly engaged with a valve seat 42 positioned in the nozzle body 28. Therefore, the valve stem 34 and the ball reciprocate between an open position and a closed position relative to the valve seat 42, thereby operating as a dispensing valve 22. When the valve stem 34 is in the open position, fluid is received from a fluid source 44, passes through a fluid channel 46 in the manifold 24 and passes through an inlet channel 48. The source 44 of hot melt adhesive is usually pressurized. Arrow 50 indicates the flow path of the fluid. An armature 52 is disposed in the interior 36 and is coaxially aligned with the shaft 38, and is preferably formed integrally with the shaft 38. An electromagnetic coil 54 is disposed around the armature 52. The coil 54 is housed in a housing 56 and is connected to a power source (not shown). As will be described below, when a current is supplied, the coil 54 generates an electromagnetic field that actuates the valve stem 34 to the open position.

[0025] The bore 58 extends into the armature 52 to accommodate a return spring 60. The return spring 60 biases the valve stem 34, and more specifically, the ball 40, to sealingly engage the valve seat 42 in the closed position. The return spring 60 is typically a compression spring that is placed under compression within the bore 58 by engaging the electromagnetic pole 62. To achieve the open position, the electromagnetic coil 54 must generate a sufficient electromagnetic field between the armature 52 and the pole 62 to attract the armature 52 and the pole 62 together. Because the pole 62 cannot move, the armature 52 will move against the force of the spring 60 until it hits the pole 62.

[0026] Figure 2 A data flow diagram 200 is shown that at least partially represents a process for adaptive preventive maintenance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. By way of introduction, an adaptive preventive maintenance process may estimate a replacement schedule (e.g., expected life) and / or a maintenance schedule for a piece of equipment. The adaptive preventive maintenance process or portions thereof may be iteratively performed to determine increasingly accurate times or other cumulative usage metrics at which equipment should be replaced or maintenance otherwise performed. A first maintenance interval estimate 204 that falls within an operating band 202 may be initially determined. When equipment is subsequently replaced (as reflected in a replacement indication 206) and a replacement reason 208 is determined, the maintenance interval estimate 204 is recalculated based on at least the replacement reason 208 and the depletion usage 214 of the equipment at the time of replacement. Periodic portions of the process may be repeated to adaptively optimize the maintenance interval estimate 204. If at any time the depletion usage 214 reaches the maintenance interval estimate 204, a notification 212 may be sent to an operator or other personnel to notify them of it.

[0027] Adaptive preventive maintenance processes can be performed with respect to a variety of equipment types, including Figure 1 The distributor 20 shown in the figure can be a larger distribution system ( Figure 1 100) is a part of a system (not shown). Other non-exhaustive examples to which adaptive preventive maintenance may be applied include hot melt adhesive dispenser systems (jet and non-jet), powder or spray systems, extrusion systems, conformal coating systems, and other related equipment and / or systems. Other examples include solenoids, pumps, dispensing guns, and heaters. In fact, the adaptive preventive maintenance process can be applied to almost any equipment that has some measurable (or at least easily estimated) usage metric.

[0028] The adaptive preventive maintenance process described herein can be applied at various levels of a given system. For example, the adaptive preventive maintenance process can be implemented with respect to: a complete system (or multiple systems); a mechanism, module, or assembly having several sub-components or sub-assemblies; a single component or assembly; or even smaller aspects of a system. Figure 1Taking the dispensing system in which the dispenser 20 is a component as an example, the adaptive preventive maintenance process may involve the entire dispensing system, the dispenser 20 of the dispensing system, the dispensing module / valve 22 of the dispenser 20, or the nozzle body 28 of the dispensing module / valve 22. In some aspects, the adaptive preventive maintenance process may generally involve the system, but some sub-parts of the system may also be appropriately considered.

[0029] In some embodiments, the adaptive preventive maintenance process may involve equipment that operates according to one or more parameters. In this case, the equipment can be identified not only by a specific equipment model, but also by associated operating parameters. In such embodiments, equipment using a model operated by one parameter and equipment of the same model but operated by a second different parameter can be considered as two independent "equipment" for the process. The operating parameters may include related materials (e.g., materials dispensed by a dispensing gun) or operating cycle rates (e.g., material dispensing rate, reciprocating rate of a piston pump or gas pump, solenoid activation rate, etc.). Specific operating parameters can significantly affect the time interval between equipment replacement. For example, a pump can perform a specific number of cycles at a high rate. Otherwise, the same second pump can perform the same number of cycles, but at a lower speed. Although the same number of cycles are performed, the first instance of the pump may need to be replaced earlier due to the additional heat caused by the rapid cycle. For example, although the number of dispensing cycles is equal, the difference in temperature or material can also affect the replacement interval of the dispensing gun.

[0030] In some embodiments, adaptive preventive maintenance may be collectively applied to a group of several discrete systems (or portions thereof) that may share similarities in mechanical, operational, and / or environmental characteristics. For example, a manufacturing plant may house an array of substantially identical or similar distribution systems, each operating under the same general environmental conditions, operating for approximately the same period of time each day, and / or operating according to other parameters. Such parameters may include those described above. In some aspects, maintenance interval estimates 204 may be determined for each discrete system in the group of systems, which may then be aggregated (e.g., averaged) to further optimize the aggregated maintenance interval estimate 204, which may then be applied to each of the systems in the group of systems. In other aspects, the group of systems (e.g., the aforementioned group of distribution systems) may be treated as a single system for the purposes of the adaptive preventive maintenance process.

[0031] For ease of reference, the above aspects of the system, the system itself, or a group of systems are referred to herein as "devices" unless otherwise explicitly or in context. In addition, it should be understood that "devices" may refer to multiple instances of the same or similar equipment during multiple iterations of the process. For example, the pumps discussed with respect to the adaptive preventive maintenance process (i.e., "devices") may be collectively referred to as a first pump, which is replaced by a second pump of the same type in a second iteration, which is then replaced by a third pump of the same type in a third iteration, and so on. In some aspects, "devices" may refer to instances of equipment on successive iterations, the equipment typically having the same make and model, etc., but also having one or more improvements or changes, especially compared to earlier instances of the equipment. In fact, one of the improvements observed in the present disclosure is that the maintenance interval estimate 204 (and thus the replacement or maintenance schedule) is inherently adaptable to these or other changes affecting the equipment. This adaptability is achieved at least in part by the iterative nature of the process and the use of actual replacement intervals.

[0032] As noted, the exemplary adaptive preventive maintenance process implemented in data flow diagram 200 may involve equipment. One or more usage values ​​(or an aggregate of multiple usage values) for the equipment may be represented by consumption usage 214 and expressed in a usage metric. The usage metric represented by consumption usage 214 may indicate, for example, a continuous time interval, including a continuous time interval since the equipment was initially installed or put into service (e.g., a "lifetime" calculated in time, without regard to actual use) or an aggregate of time intervals (e.g., the number of hours the equipment has actually been running).

[0033] As other examples, a usage metric may indicate the number of cycles or discrete operations performed by a device, such as the number of reciprocating cycles of a piston pump or solenoid or the number of separate dispenses performed by a dispensing gun. As another example, a usage metric may describe the amount of material or the number of objects (or other metrics) associated with the operation of a device, such as the amount of fluid passing through a heated fluid conduit or the number of printed circuit boards processed by a conformal coating system. As noted, a usage metric may refer to an aggregation of several usage metrics. For example, a usage metric for a heater may be an aggregation of its operating temperature and its cumulative operating time. Such an aggregate usage metric may be represented as the product of two or more usage metric values ​​or integers thereof.

[0034] The consumption usage 214 is generally expected to be a monotonically increasing value. As the number of operations, time intervals, amount of material processed, or other usage metrics increase, the consumption usage 214 may similarly increase or grow. The increase or growth in consumption usage 214 is determined by Figure 2 The consumed usage 214 need not be updated in real time, but may be updated at various regular or irregular intervals or at certain quantitative events associated with the usage metric.

[0035] At various points in the adaptive preventive maintenance process, the consumption usage 214 can be reset to zero or a default starting value. For example, this can occur at the beginning of an iteration of the process or a portion thereof, such as when equipment is replaced or when the maintenance interval estimate 204 is recalculated thereafter.

[0036] The consumption usage 214 may be updated by automated methods, such as by appropriate sensors, counters, or other measuring devices incorporated into or otherwise associated with the equipment. These measuring devices may be equipped with radio transmitters to upload the collected usage data to an external computer system. The computer system may store the usage data and / or process the usage data in accordance with at least a portion of the disclosed adaptive preventive maintenance process.

[0037] In other cases, the consumption usage 214 can be collected and / or maintained by a manual process such as an operator recording the operating time of the equipment or other usage measurements. The manual process of maintaining the consumption usage 214 can be performed via the user interface of the computer application of the computer system. The consumption usage 214 and / or the historical records of the consumption usage 214 can be stored in the database of the computer system or other storage medium. As pointed out, the computer system can use manual input to perform at least a portion of the adaptive preventive maintenance process. Whether through an automatic or manual process, the consumption usage 214 can be an estimated value of the corresponding usage measurement. For example, a fluid distribution system may perform tens of thousands of separate fluid applications in a day, thus making accurate counting impractical.

[0038] In some cases, manual tracking and recording of consumption usage 214 (including via user input to a computer system) may be preferred over automated processes that require sensors or the like to be incorporated into the device. Including sensors or similar devices in a device may be expensive and have a negative impact on the production costs of the device manufacturer. The increased production costs are then passed on to the purchaser of the device. In continuous operation and often under harsh conditions, many purchasers quickly exhaust the useful life of the device, thereby increasing the additional cost of each device due to sensor integration. Therefore, due to concerns about reducing sales of the device, device manufacturers may be reluctant to integrate sensors or other measuring devices into their devices.

[0039] Continuing with the description of data flow diagram 200, operating interval 202 may refer to a range of usage metric values ​​represented in consumption usage 214. The range of values ​​may include a maintenance interval at which the adaptive preventive maintenance process estimates that the equipment should be replaced or undergo maintenance. In addition, the process may send a notification 212 to an operator when consumption usage 214 reaches maintenance interval estimate 204. Thus, operating interval 202 may be defined by a range of usage metric values ​​spanning from a minimum value 202a to a maximum value 202b. Minimum value 202a may represent a value of consumption usage 214 before which a notification is never sent to an operator even if consumption usage 214 exceeds maintenance interval estimate 204. Conversely, maximum value 202b may represent a value of consumption usage 214 after which a notification is always sent to an operator even if consumption usage 214 does not exceed maintenance interval estimate 204. Operating interval 202 may be determined by a manufacturer or supplier of the equipment, such as based on various engineered properties of the equipment.

[0040] Maintenance interval estimate 204 may represent consumption usage 214 (e.g., operating time, number of operating cycles, etc.) during which the equipment is estimated to require replacement or maintenance (or at least should receive replacement or maintenance). As noted, maintenance interval estimate 204 is constrained by minimum value 202a and maximum value 202b of operating interval 202. That is, the relationship may be represented by the following formula.

[0041] MI_MIN≤MI_EST≤MI_MAX

[0042] MI_MIN represents the minimum value 202a, MI_MAX represents the maximum value 202b, and MI_EST represents the maintenance interval estimate 204. This designation shall be used throughout the disclosed formulas. The maintenance interval estimate 204 may initially be a default value at the midpoint of the operating interval 202, which is represented in the following formula.

[0043]

[0044] As will be described in greater detail herein, the maintenance interval estimate 204 can be recalculated and updated during successive iterations of the adaptive preventive maintenance process. In addition, it will be described that when the depletion usage 214 reaches the maintenance interval estimate 204, a notification 212 can be sent to an operator or other personnel.

[0045] After the maintenance interval estimate 204 is initially calculated or recalculated to determine a new value (performed under certain conditions described below), the equipment may be operated or otherwise used in a normal manner until replacement of the equipment is identified. This operating period is represented by Figure 2 Indicated by reference numeral 205 in the figure.

[0046] When a replacement of a device or a part thereof is detected or determined, the process may determine a replacement indication 206. In other words, the replacement indication 206 may reflect that the device has been replaced. Replacing a device may include replacing the current device with another instance of the device (e.g., the same make and model). In some cases, the new instance of the device may have the same make and model, but may include some improvements or other minor changes.

[0047] Replacement indication 206 may be based on an automated process for determining replacement. For example, the device may include a sensor configured to determine that the device has been replaced. As another example, the device may be part of a larger system that can also identify that the device has been replaced. Additionally or alternatively, replacement indication 206 may be based on a manual process. For example, an operator or other relevant personnel may record the replacement, such as via a user interface of a computer application running on a computer system. Replacement indication 206 may be stored in a database associated with the computer system.

[0048] It is contemplated that a "replacement" of equipment may exclude situations where the equipment is merely "changed", such as converting the equipment to a similar equipment of another type, model, brand, etc. A "replacement" of equipment may be due to some operating condition (e.g., equipment failure or experiencing performance degradation) and / or usage metrics associated with the equipment, while a "change" of equipment may be due to some other reason, such as dissatisfaction with the performance of the original equipment or better pricing for a new equipment of another manufacturer, model, brand, etc. In the event of a "change", the adaptive preventive maintenance process may be reset because the process data of the replaced equipment may not be appropriate for the new equipment.

[0049] Although data flow diagram 200 is primarily concerned with equipment replacement, the same or similar principles may be applied to repair, maintenance, or any combination or subcombination of the three activities without arrangement. As used herein, "maintenance" may refer to the general care or maintenance of equipment, including activities performed according to a schedule or set intervals. Although maintenance may result in improved equipment performance, it is not in response to a major failure of the equipment. On the other hand, "repair" may be performed in response to a major failure that results in an adverse effect on the function of the equipment, including complete failure. Repair can restore equipment to normal working condition and can be an alternative to replacement.

[0050] This process determines the reason or cause of the equipment replacement ( Figure 2208). The replacement reason 208 may be determined after indicating that the device was replaced. The replacement reason 208 may be a binary value indicating whether the replacement was a preventive replacement (e.g., the device was functional at the time of replacement) or a replacement due to a failure (e.g., the device was not functional at the time of replacement). It is contemplated that other reasons for replacement may be identified or further described according to the same or similar principles described herein and incorporated into the adaptive preventive maintenance process. For example, a replacement for a device failure may be separately categorized as a device failure due to the failure of one particular subcomponent or as a device failure due to the failure of another particular subcomponent.

[0051] The replacement reason 208 may be indicated by an operator or other personnel. For example, the operator may provide such input by selecting one of two replacement reasons presented as radio buttons in a user interface of the computer application. In other cases, the replacement reason may be indicated via an automatic process, such as may occur if the device is configured to detect whether it has experienced a failure and transmit it to a computer system.

[0052] When a device replacement occurs (e.g., at the time indicated in the replacement indication 206), the consumption usage 214 at the time of replacement can be recorded. For example, the consumption usage 214 at the time of replacement can represent the change in usage value between the last time the maintenance interval estimate 204 was determined and the time when the replacement occurred. For another example, the consumption usage 214 can represent the change in usage value between the time when the device was replaced in a previous iteration and the time when the device was replaced in the instant iteration of the process.

[0053] A new maintenance interval estimate 204 may be calculated (e.g., the maintenance interval estimate 204 from a previous iteration may be recalculated) based on at least a previous maintenance interval estimate 204, a replacement reason 208, and / or a consumption usage 214 at the time of replacement. The maintenance interval estimate 204 may be adjusted over time to a value that more accurately represents when the particular equipment should be maintained and / or replaced, based on empirical evidence reflecting actual usage conditions unique to the particular installation.

[0054] Generally speaking, if the replacement reason 208 indicates a preventive replacement, the current maintenance interval estimate 204 may be adjusted toward the depleted usage 214 at the time of the replacement to a lesser extent than if the replacement reason 208 indicates a replacement due to equipment failure. This difference in the degree of adjustment between preventive replacements and replacements due to failures may be beneficial because equipment failures more directly indicate the actual useful life of the equipment (in terms of an appropriate usage metric). In the case of preventive replacements, the assumed usage value for the actual failure of the equipment is unknown because the equipment failure is likely to occur immediately at the time of the preventive replacement. However, it is also possible that the failure may not occur for a considerable period of time (or other increments of an appropriate usage metric).

[0055] The new maintenance interval estimate 204 may also be determined based on an adjustment parameter 216. The adjustment parameter 216 may be a value that affects how and to what extent the current maintenance interval estimate 204 is adjusted toward the depleted usage 214 at the time of replacement. The adjustment parameter 216 may include a preventive parameter 216a and / or a failure parameter 216b. The preventive parameter 216a may be used when the replacement reason 208 is preventive, and the failure parameter 216b may be used when the replacement reason 208 is a failure. In addition, the replacement reason 208 may affect the formula or method for calculating the new maintenance interval estimate 204.

[0056] In the case of preventive replacement, the new maintenance interval estimate may be based at least in part on the difference between the current maintenance interval estimate 204 and the depleted usage 214. For example, the new maintenance interval estimate 204 may be calculated according to the following formula:

[0057] MI_NEW=MI_EST+K_PRV*(EL_USE–MI_EST)

[0058] MI_NEW represents what will typically be a new maintenance interval estimate 204, EL_USE represents the consumption usage 214 at the time of replacement, and K_PRV represents the preventive parameter 216a. Likewise, MI_EST represents the current maintenance interval estimate 204 (ie, the maintenance interval estimate 204 that is being recalculated).

[0059] The preventive parameter 216a may affect the degree to which the current maintenance interval estimate 204 is adjusted toward the depleted usage 214 at the time of replacement. As used in the above formula, the preventive parameter 216a is a value between 0 and 1. At one extreme, if the preventive parameter 216a is 0, then the maintenance interval estimate 204 will not be adjusted in any way. That is, the new maintenance interval estimate 204 will be equal to the current maintenance interval estimate 204. At another extreme, if the preventive parameter 216a is 1, then the new maintenance interval estimate 204 will be equal to the depleted usage 214, which is the maximum adjustment possible.

[0060] At some intermediate preventive parameter 216a, the maintenance interval estimate 204 will be adjusted by only some fraction of the difference between the current maintenance interval estimate 204 and the depletion usage 214 at the time of replacement. For example, if the preventive parameter 216a is 0.5, the maintenance interval estimate 204 will be adjusted to be halfway between the current maintenance interval 204 and the depletion usage 214. In this exemplary implementation, higher values ​​will result in larger adjustments to the maintenance interval estimate 204 and lower values ​​will result in smaller adjustments. Assuming that the depletion usage 214 remains the same or similar during these iterations, the maintenance interval estimate 204 will be within 6.3% of the depletion usage 214 during four iterations. Again assuming that the depletion usage 214 remains the same or similar during these iterations, a preventive parameter 216a at 0.63 will result in the maintenance interval estimate 204 being within 5% of the depletion usage 214 after three iterations.

[0061] If the equipment is replaced due to equipment failure, the new maintenance interval estimate 204 may be based on the product of the depleted usage 214 and an operator-defined parameter such as failure parameter 216b. Failure parameter 216a may be a value less than 1, so the new maintenance interval estimate 204 may be equal to a fraction of the depleted usage 214. For example, the new maintenance interval estimate 204 may be calculated according to the following formula:

[0062] MI_NEW=K_FLR*EL_USE

[0063] K_FLR represents the failure parameter 216b. As previously described, MI_EST represents the current maintenance interval estimate 204, MI_NEW represents the new maintenance interval estimate 204, and EL_USE represents the consumption usage 214 at the time of replacement.

[0064] It should be appreciated that when equipment is replaced due to failure, at the time of replacement, the maintenance interval estimate 204 may move toward the depleted usage 214 more quickly than would normally be the case when equipment is replaced preventively. It is believed that the degree of adjustment produced by the failure parameter 216b when equipment is replaced due to failure is the desired degree of adjustment. In some cases, the equipment operator may perform several iterations of a process in which the equipment was intentionally operated prior to failure. This may allow the operator to more quickly determine a more accurate maintenance interval estimate 204, albeit at the cost of the failed equipment, than if the process were performed without such purposeful initial intervention.

[0065] The preventive parameter 216a and / or the failure parameter 216b may be set by the equipment manufacturer, for example, by an engineer of the equipment manufacturer. In other cases, the operator using the equipment may set the preventive parameter 216a and / or the failure parameter 216b. In either case, for example, the parameter may be set to make a more aggressive adjustment, and thus the preventive parameter 216a and / or the failure parameter 216b may be set to a higher value. Conversely, a more conservative approach may be preferred, and therefore a lower value may be selected for the preventive parameter 216a and / or the failure parameter 216b. The preventive parameter 216a and / or the failure parameter 216b may be adjusted between iterations of the process, or may remain constant during multiple iterations.

[0066] In some embodiments, recalculating the maintenance interval estimate 204 may include steps for preventing "drift" in the maintenance interval estimate 204. That is, minor adjustments to the maintenance interval estimate 204 are not taken into account. If the potential new maintenance interval estimate 204 is within certain limits relative to the current maintenance interval estimate 204, the current maintenance interval estimate 204 is not adjusted, and a subsequent iteration of the process (or portion thereof) is performed using the current, unadjusted maintenance interval estimate 204. The certain limits for determining whether to use the new, recalculated maintenance interval estimate 204 may be represented by a percentage value that indicates the lowest allowed percentage difference between the potential new maintenance interval estimate 204 and the current maintenance interval estimate 204. Whether to adjust the maintenance interval estimate 204 may be determined according to the following algorithm.

[0067]

[0068] MI_NEW=MI_EST

[0069] else:

[0070] MI_NEW=MI_NEW

[0071] ADJ_LMT represents the lowest allowed relative change from the currently effective maintenance interval estimate 204 to the newly calculated but not yet effective maintenance interval estimate 204, expressed as a percentage value. In order to be used in the above formula, ADJ_LMT must be expressed in decimal format (e.g., .05 instead of 5%). To summarize the above formula, the potential percentage change (expressed in decimal form) from the current maintenance interval estimate 204 to the expected new maintenance interval estimate 204 is calculated by determining the non-negative difference between the two and dividing the difference by the current maintenance interval estimate 204. If this value is greater than the specified allowed change percentage, then the new maintenance interval estimate 204 replaces the current maintenance interval estimate 204 in the subsequent iteration. However, if the value is less than or equal to the specified allowed change percentage, then the newly calculated maintenance interval estimate 204 is not effective, and the current maintenance interval estimate 204 continues to be implemented in the subsequent iteration.

[0072] The adjustment of the current maintenance interval estimate 204 to the new maintenance interval estimate 204 may also be constrained by the operating interval 202. For example, if the newly calculated maintenance interval estimate 204 would fall below or exceed the limits of the operating interval 202, then the maintenance interval estimate 204 would not be used in a subsequent iteration of the process. In other cases, if the newly calculated maintenance interval estimate 204 would exceed the maximum value 202b, then the maintenance interval estimate 204 may assume the maximum value 202b. Similarly, if the newly calculated maintenance interval estimate 204 would fall below the minimum value 202a, then the maintenance interval estimate 204 may be set to the minimum value 202a.

[0073] If the consumption usage 214 equals or exceeds the maintenance interval estimate 204, a notification 212 may be generated and sent to an operator or other person associated with the device. That is, when the existing consumption usage 214 associated with the device equals or exceeds the maintenance interval estimate 204, a notification 212 is generated and / or sent. The existing consumption usage 214 may be relative to a previous time when the maintenance interval estimate 204 was calculated or a time when the device was replaced. The determination that the consumption usage has exceeded the maintenance interval estimate 204 may be performed by an operator, who may enter an indication thereof in a computer application of the computer system. Additionally or alternatively, such a determination may be performed by a computer system. It should also be noted that the consumption usage 214 may be polled in real time or at less frequent intervals, which may be regular or irregular. Similar delays may occur when generating and / or transmitting the notification 212.

[0074] The notification 212 may indicate that the maintenance interval estimate 204 has been exceeded, thereby notifying the operator that the equipment may be at an increased risk of failure. The notification 212 may also include an identification of the equipment, such as the equipment brand, model, and serial number, and the location of the equipment. The notification 212 may indicate the maintenance interval estimate 204, the value of the consumed usage 214 when the maintenance interval estimate 204 was exceeded, and the current value of the consumed usage 214.

[0075] The notification 212 may be implemented in a variety of forms. For example, the notification 212 may be sent to an operator or other personnel via an email, text message, or automated telephone message. As another example, the notification 212 may be presented on a user interface of a computer application running on a computer system. The user interface may be implemented in the same computer application that is used to accept various user inputs or automated inputs, such as indications of device usage, device replacement events, and replacement reasons.

[0076] When the maintenance interval estimate 204 is initially exceeded, a notification 212 may be sent. If the equipment has not been replaced (or failure has not actually occurred), a subsequent notification 212 may be transmitted to the operator. Subsequent notifications 212 may occur at set intervals relative to usage metrics, time, or other factors. If the equipment has not been replaced, the intervals between subsequent notifications 212 may gradually decrease. That is, the longer the equipment has not been replaced, the more often the operator is notified. In addition to more frequent notifications 212, subsequent notifications 212 may also be transmitted via other forms of communication. For example, the initial notification 212 may be transmitted via email, while later notifications 212 may be transmitted via text messages or automated phone calls. The recipients of the notifications 212 may also be upgraded. For example, the notification 212 may initially be sent to a floor operator. Later notifications 212 may instead be transmitted to the operator's supervisor or manager. Subsequent notifications 212 may be sent based on upgraded consumption usage 214 exceeding one or more thresholds. The thresholds may represent certain percentage thresholds of the current consumed usage 214 that exceed the maintenance interval estimate 204 (eg, every 20% of the maintenance interval estimate 204 ).

[0077] The adaptive preventive maintenance method may also include a logging function with respect to any aspect described herein. For example, instances of consumption usage 214 exceeding maintenance interval estimates 204 may be logged, including relevant information such as the device identification, the time of the exceedance, and the specific consumption usage 214. Instances of equipment replacement may also be logged, and may also include the device identification, the time of replacement, the reason for the replacement, and the value of the associated consumption usage 214. Any notifications 212 generated and sent may also be logged, including the time, manner, and recipient(s) of the notification 212, the associated device identification, the associated maintenance interval estimate 204, the value of the consumption usage 214 when the maintenance interval estimate 204 was exceeded, and the consumption usage 214 at the time of the notification 212. The logging may be implemented in a storage device of a computer system, such as the computer system for operator interaction mentioned above.

[0078] In one aspect, the disclosed adaptive preventive maintenance process and various embodiments thereof may utilize additional techniques to filter and / or smooth data inputs used to determine and / or recalculate maintenance interval estimates 204. For example, such techniques may be applied to data inputs representing consumption usage 214 at the time of a recent replacement of equipment. For example, consumption usage 214 inputs may be filtered in a manner that provides less weight to recent data points than data points prior to these recent data points. For example, the data filtering may be implemented using one or more types of moving average analysis. Moving average analysis may include, for example, a simple moving average (SMA), a cumulative moving average (CMA), a weighted moving average (WMA), and an exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA).

[0079] In an exemplary technique for smoothing and filtering the depletion usage 214 input data used to determine or recalculate the maintenance interval estimate 204 , the following formula can be implemented.

[0080] FILT_EL_USE=K*MI_EST+(1-K)*EL_USE

[0081] In this formula, EL_USE represents the consumption usage 214 at the time the equipment was most recently replaced. MI_EST represents the current maintenance interval estimate 204 (i.e., before recalculation). K represents a value between 0 and 1, where a lower K value will result in greater responsiveness and a higher K value will result in less responsiveness. Finally, FILT_EL_USE represents the filtered consumption usage 214. The filtered consumption usage 214—rather than the actual consumption usage 214 (EL_USE)—can then be used as input when recalculating or determining a new maintenance interval estimate 204. In a cumulative effect, multiple consumption usages at the time of corresponding replacements can be filtered or smoothed to reduce the weight that would otherwise be given to abnormal or deviating consumption usages (i.e., the "noise" of the consumption usage of the input group).

[0082] In another aspect, data for multiple individual installations of equipment may be collected collectively by a third party and used to better understand the tolerances of the equipment. The individual installations may each use the same or similar equipment and be under the same or similar operating conditions. The third party may analyze the maintenance interval estimates 204 determined independently for each installation to determine an aggregate maintenance interval estimate 204 for the equipment. This aggregate maintenance interval estimate 204 may allow the equipment manufacturer to provide a recommended maintenance or replacement schedule to customers, which they may not have been able to achieve previously.

[0083] Figure 3 A flow chart 300 illustrating the conditional flow of an embodiment of adaptive preventive maintenance is shown. Figure 3 The illustrated embodiment may utilize the above-described techniques to filter and smooth the input data by providing less weight to recent data points and relatively more weight to earlier data points preceding the recent data points. Exemplary techniques may include moving averages, such as simple moving average (SMA), cumulative moving average (CMA), weighted moving average (WMA), and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA).

[0084] Compared with some aspects and Figure 2 Similar equipment, usage measurement, consumption usage, maintenance interval estimation, notification, etc. are discussed in the flowchart 300. First, in step 302, the consumption usage of a piece of equipment (e.g., Figure 2 The consumption usage 214) exceeds the maintenance interval estimate (e.g., Figure 2 Maintenance interval estimate 204). It should be recalled that, as some examples, the consumed usage can be expressed in terms of a usage metric such as cumulative time of operation, number of actuation cycles, or number of coated substrates. Figure 2A notification 212 is sent to an operator or other personnel associated with the equipment to inform them that the maintenance interval estimate has been exceeded. As described above, the notification can be sent via an email, text, or user interface of a computer application.

[0085] It should be understood that prior to step 302, the equipment was already in operation and that consumption usage was tracked or recorded during that time or a portion of that time. In fact, at step 318, the equipment fails before the associated consumption usage even reaches the maintenance interval estimate. In this case, the maintenance interval estimate is reduced, such as by 1% relative to the maintenance interval estimate. Figure 2 The usage metric is then reset. The equipment may have been replaced under this failure. If so, the equipment may then be returned to operation.

[0086] In step 304, an additional notification is sent to the user to remind him or her that the maintenance interval estimate has been exceeded and the device has not been replaced. After the notification is sent, such as in response to the notification sent in step 302 or step 304, it is determined whether the operator has replaced the device. If it has been replaced, in step 306, the maintenance interval estimate remains unchanged. That is, the immediate maintenance interval estimate continues to be applied to subsequent iterations of the process using the replaced device. In addition, the adaptation rate is reduced. The adaptation rate may refer to the degree of weight given to the immediate consumption usage at the time of replacement and / or the later consumption usage when determining a new or recalculated maintenance interval estimate. For example, in the above formula "FILT_EL_USE=K*MI_EST+(1-K)*EL_USE", the adaptation rate is expressed as "(1-K)". Thereafter, the consumption usage is reset. The device can then return to operation.

[0087] If the operator has not replaced the equipment at step 304, then at step 310, the maintenance interval estimate is increased. The maintenance interval estimate increase may be based on the amount of usage of the equipment at the time of the increase to the maintenance interval estimate or at another identified time. The adaptation rate is further reduced. Additionally, notifications continue to be sent to the operator, but then the frequency of sending the notifications increases (i.e., the notifications are sent more quickly than at other times).

[0088] At step 312, it is determined whether the device has failed. If the device has not failed, then process 300 returns to step 304 where additional notifications are sent to the user, except this time at an increased frequency. If the device has failed, then at step 314, the maintenance interval estimate is reduced accordingly, which may be based on the consumption usage at the time of failure (or subsequent replacement) and the fact that any replacement was due to the failure. As noted, the device may be replaced after failure. The consumption usage is reset and the device may be returned to operation. The notification frequency may also be increased.

[0089] Figure 4A method 400 of determining a maintenance interval estimate for a device and then optimizing the maintenance interval estimate in multiple iterations is shown. In describing the method 400, reference will be made to Figure 2 The same or similar maintenance interval estimates, equipment, usage metrics, notifications, equipment replacements, consumption usage, etc. as those described in.

[0090] At step 402, a first maintenance interval estimate is determined. The first maintenance interval estimate may be associated with the device and may be represented as a value of a usage metric associated with the device. As some examples, the usage metric may refer to the number of actuation cycles of a pump, the operating time of a heater, or the total time since the device was installed. If step 402 occurs in an initial iteration of method 400, the first maintenance interval estimate may be a default value, such as a value indicated by the manufacturer of the device. Alternatively, the first maintenance interval estimate may be a maintenance interval estimate determined and continued to be implemented in a previous iteration of method 400 (e.g., the second maintenance interval estimate of step 410). The maintenance interval estimate may be limited to an operating interval.

[0091] At step 404, an indication is received that the device has been replaced. The indication may be received via an automated process. For example, the device or the system to which the device belongs may be equipped with a sensor that indicates that the device has been replaced. In other cases, an operator may record the replacement. A computer may be used to receive the indication of the replacement, whether the indication is manually input by an operator or received from a sensor.

[0092] At step 406, a consumption usage of the device is determined and / or received. The consumption usage may reflect cumulative usage of the device in terms of usage metrics during a time period spanning from a reference point in time associated with a first maintenance interval estimate to a later second point in time associated with replacement of the device.

[0093] In some cases, the reference time point may be the time point at which the first maintenance interval estimate is determined. In other cases, the reference time point may be the time point at which the device was replaced earlier in a previous iteration of method 400, or the time point at which the device was put into service or started operation after being replaced in a previous iteration of method 400.

[0094] The second time point may refer to the time at which the replacement referenced in step 404 was performed (or an indication of the replacement was received). This time point may be preferred if the device was replaced before failure. Alternatively, the second time point may refer to the time point at which the device failed and thus caused the replacement indicated in step 404. This time point may be appropriate when the device failed before replacement.

[0095] Alternatively, the second time point may refer to the earlier time point of the device failure or the time point of the device replacement. In one example, the reference time point may be the time when the device first enters service or begins operation, and the second time point may be the time when the device is out of service or stops operating, regardless of whether this is due to failure or preventive replacement.

[0096] The consumption usage may be determined by the computer system based on data collected directly from sensors associated with the device or data entered by an operator. Alternatively, the consumption usage may be entered into the computer system by an operator. Note that the consumption usage may be an estimate, and in one example, the operator may calculate an estimate of the consumption usage based on the number of days the device has been in operation and the estimated number of daily actuation cycles, motions, usage time, etc. This estimated consumption usage may be entered into the computer system.

[0097] In step 408, an indication of a reason for replacing the device referenced in step 404 is received and / or determined. In the case of expected use, the reason for the replacement may be preventive or a failure of the device. The decision to perform a preventive replacement may be based on the consumption usage of the device and the maintenance interval estimate. For example, a preventive replacement may be in response to a consumption usage approaching, equaling, or exceeding the maintenance interval estimate. The reasons for the replacement are not limited to preventive or failure, but may include other reasons, such as performance degradation (e.g., a performance value falls outside a threshold). The indication of the reason for the replacement may be received by the computer system via a user interface input to the computer system by an operator.

[0098] At step 410, a second maintenance interval estimate is determined. The second maintenance interval estimate may be based on the amount of wear and tear on the device (step 406) and the reason for replacing the device (step 408). In some aspects, the second maintenance interval estimate may be based on the amount of wear and tear on the device (step 406) without considering the reason for replacement (step 408). The second maintenance interval estimate may be determined according to any of the techniques described herein, such as relative to Figure 2 The techniques described.

[0099] In most cases, the second maintenance interval estimate will be adjusted toward the depleted usage. Using this empirical method, the running maintenance interval estimates (embodied in this illustration as the first and second maintenance interval estimates) can be optimized in multiple iterations to the theoretical ideal interval at which the equipment should be replaced.

[0100] The second maintenance interval estimate may also be based on the adjustment parameters (e.g., Figure 2The adjustment parameter 216 may affect whether and to what extent the second maintenance interval estimate is adjusted toward the depleted usage. The adjustment parameter may be user-defined, such as to control the degree of the adjustment. In some aspects, the adjustment parameter may be based on whether the equipment is replaced as preventive maintenance prior to failure (e.g., Figure 2 216a) or due to failure (e.g., Figure 2 A preventive replacement may tend to result in a smaller degree of adjustment between the first maintenance interval estimate and the second maintenance interval estimate than if the replacement were performed in response to a device failure.

[0101] At the end of step 410, the second maintenance interval estimate may continue to be implemented in further iterations of method 400. Thus, with respect to the illustrated method 400, in subsequent iterations, the first maintenance interval estimate of step 402 may assume the value of the second maintenance interval estimate of the now ended iteration. However, in some implementations, more similar to Figure 2 As shown, the running maintenance interval estimate can be simply recalculated each time a device is replaced.

[0102] As described in more detail above, if the depleted usage equals or exceeds the maintenance interval estimate, a notification (e.g., Figure 2 The notification 212 may be sent at any time in the method 400. If the device is not subsequently changed, additional notifications may be sent to a greater number and / or different recipients at shortened intervals between notifications and / or via additional transmission means.

[0103] The various steps may be performed in any feasible order, including concurrently. However, it will be specifically noted that steps 406 and 408 may be performed in any order and / or concurrently with one another and step 404. For example, steps 404, 406, and 408 may be performed concurrently. For another example, steps 404 and 406 may be performed concurrently, and step 408 may be performed thereafter. For another example, steps 404 and 408 may be performed concurrently, and step 406 may be performed subsequently. For another example, step 404 may be performed concurrently, and step 406 may be performed subsequently. For another example, step 404 may be performed initially, and steps 406 and 408 may be performed concurrently thereafter.

[0104] The method and system of the present invention can operate with many other general or special computing system environments or configurations. Examples of computing systems, environments and / or configurations that can be applied to the system and method include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, laptop devices, and multiprocessor systems. Other examples include set-top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, microcomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments including any of the above systems or devices, and the like.

[0105] The processing of the methods and systems disclosed in the present invention may be performed by software components. The systems and methods disclosed in the present invention may be described in the general context of computer executable instructions such as program modules executed by one or more computers or other devices. Typically, program modules include computer code, routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. The methods disclosed in the present invention may also be implemented in grid-based and distributed computing environments, where tasks are performed by remote processing devices connected through a communication network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.

[0106] In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented via a general purpose computing device in the form of a computing device. The components of the computing device may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors, a system memory, and a system bus that couples the various system components including the processors to the system memory. In the case of multiple processors, the system may utilize parallel computing.

[0107] For the purpose of illustration, application programs and other executable program components such as operating systems are shown herein as discrete blocks, but it should be recognized that such programs and components reside in different storage components of the computing device at different times and are executed by the data processor of the computer. The specific implementation of the service software can be stored or transmitted across some form of computer-readable media. Any method disclosed in the present invention can be executed by computer-readable instructions embodied on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium can be any available medium accessible to the computer. By way of example and not intended to be limiting, computer-readable media may include "computer storage media" and "communication media". "Computer storage media" includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Exemplary computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical storage devices, magnetic cassettes, tapes, disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices or any other media that can be used to store desired information and can be accessed by a computer.

[0108] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as "about" one particular value and / or "about" another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from one particular value and / or to another particular value. Similarly, when a value is expressed as an approximation by using the antecedent "about", it should be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It should also be understood that each of the endpoints in the range is significant with respect to the other endpoints and is independent of the other endpoints.

[0109] Recitation of ranges of values ​​herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context.

[0110] "Optional" or "optionally" means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not occur.

[0111] Throughout the specification and claims of this specification, the word "include" and variations of the word such as "including" and "comprising" mean "including but not limited to", and are not intended to exclude, for example, other components, integers or steps. "Exemplary" means "an example of..." and is not intended to convey an indication of a preferred or ideal embodiment. "Such as" is not used in a limiting sense, but for illustrative purposes.

[0112] Disclosed herein are components that can be used to perform the disclosed methods and systems. These and other components are disclosed herein, and it should be understood that when combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc. of these components are disclosed, although specific references to each of the various individual and collective combinations and arrangements of these components may not be explicitly disclosed, each of them is specifically contemplated and described herein for all methods and systems. This applies to all aspects of this patent application, including but not limited to the steps in the disclosed methods. Therefore, if there are multiple additional steps that can be performed, it should be understood that each of these additional steps can be performed using any specific embodiment or combination of embodiments of the methods disclosed herein.

[0113] Although the method and system have been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments and specific examples, it is not intended to limit the scope to the specific embodiments shown, as the embodiments herein are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0114] Unless otherwise expressly stated, it is not intended that any method described herein be construed as requiring that the steps of the method be performed in a specific order. Thus, if a method claim does not actually state the order in which its steps are to be followed, or if it is not specifically stated in the claims or specification that the steps are to be limited to a specific order, it is not intended that an order be inferred in any respect. This provides for any possible non-explicit basis for the description, including: logical issues regarding the arrangement of steps or operational flows; plain meaning derived from grammatical structure or punctuation; the number or type of embodiments described in the specification.

[0115] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the specification and practice disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples should be regarded as merely exemplary, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for determining a maintenance interval estimate for a device, the method comprising: executing a computer system configured to store usage data, process the usage data, and implement an adaptive preventive maintenance process, the usage data being generated by at least one sensor, counter, measuring device, and / or the usage data being obtained by a user via a user interface; determining, by a computer system, a first maintenance interval estimate associated with the device, wherein the first maintenance interval estimate represents an estimated amount of usage of the device that requires replacement or maintenance; receiving, by the computer system, a change indication reflecting a change of the device, the change indication being provided by the at least one sensor, a user input via the user interface, and / or other systems; Determining, by the computer system, a consumption usage of the device over a time period spanning from a reference time point associated with the first maintenance interval estimate to a later replacement time point associated with the replacement of the device, and determining a second maintenance interval estimate associated with the device based on the consumption usage of the device over the time period, wherein the second maintenance interval estimate represents a consumption usage at which the device is estimated to require replacement or maintenance; adjusting, by the computer system, the second maintenance interval estimate based on an adjustment parameter, wherein the adjustment parameter comprises a failure parameter associated with a detected failure associated with a replacement of a device, or a preventive parameter associated with preventive maintenance associated with a replacement of a device, the computer system receiving the failure parameter or the preventive parameter by the user via the user interface; updating, by the computer system, a consumption usage of the device based on the usage data received from the at least one sensor, the counter or other measuring device associated with the device; Determining, by the computer system, when the consumption usage of the equipment exceeds the second maintenance interval estimate; and A notification is sent, by the computer system, to a user device of a user associated with the device, the notification indicating that the consumed usage of the device exceeds the second maintenance interval estimate.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving the replacement indication and an indication of a reason for replacement of the device, wherein the reason for replacement of the device comprises a detected failure associated with replacement of the device; and adjusting, by the computer system, the second maintenance interval estimate based on the adjustment parameter, wherein the adjustment parameter includes the failure parameter, the failure parameter is associated with a detected failure, the detected failure is associated with a replacement of the device, wherein the first maintenance interval estimate is initially determined based on an operating interval of the equipment, wherein the notification comprises an email, a text message, an automated phone message, and / or information presented on the user interface, and wherein the notification includes an identification of the device and / or a location of the device, and Therein, the apparatus is implemented in a liquid dispensing system.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The replacement reason is preventive, and wherein the second maintenance interval estimate is further based on a difference between consumption usage of the equipment during the time period and the first maintenance interval estimate, and wherein preventive maintenance results in the maintenance interval estimate being adjusted to a lesser degree than that associated with equipment failure.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: The second maintenance interval estimate is also based on a user defined tuning parameter.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The replacement reason is a failure of the equipment, and wherein the second maintenance interval estimate is further based on the failure parameter.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: The second maintenance interval estimate is the product of the failure parameter and the second maintenance interval estimate.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The reason for the replacement is one of preventive or equipment failure, where: in the case where the replacement reason is preventive, the difference between the second maintenance interval estimate and the first maintenance interval estimate is a first value, In the event that the replacement reason is equipment failure, the difference between the second maintenance interval estimate and the first maintenance interval estimate is a second value, and The first value is smaller than the second value.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: determining that the second maintenance interval estimate is outside a predefined range of usage values ​​defined by a lower usage value and an upper usage value; as well as responsive to determining that the second maintenance interval estimate is greater than the higher usage value, transmitting a second notification to a user associated with the device, wherein the first maintenance interval estimate is initially determined based on an operating interval of the equipment, wherein the second notification comprises an email, a text message, an automated phone message, and / or information presented on the user interface, and The second notification includes an identification of the device and / or a location of the device.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving a second indication of a second replacement of the device in response to determining the second maintenance interval estimate; determining a second consumed usage of the equipment during a time period spanning from a second reference time point associated with the second maintenance interval estimate to a later second replacement time point associated with the second replacement of the equipment; as well as A third maintenance interval estimate is determined based on the second maintenance interval estimate and the second depleted usage of the device, wherein the third maintenance interval estimate is expressed in terms of a usage metric associated with the device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Determining the second maintenance interval estimate is responsive to determining that a non-negative difference between the second maintenance interval estimate and the first maintenance interval estimate is greater than an offset value, and wherein the offset value is based on a predefined percentage of the first maintenance interval estimate.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The first maintenance interval estimate is expressed in terms of a usage metric associated with the device, the usage metric comprising at least one of: The operating time of the equipment; the number of actuation cycles of the device; the number of operating cycles of the device; the number of objects processed by the device; or The amount of material handled by the equipment.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The first maintenance interval estimate is expressed in terms of a usage metric associated with the device, the usage metric comprising an aggregated usage metric based on at least two of: The operating time of the equipment; the number of actuation cycles of the device; the number of operating cycles of the device; the number of objects processed by the device; and The amount of material handled by the equipment.

13. The method according to claim 2, wherein: At least one of a replacement indication and an indication of a reason for replacement reflecting replacement of the device is received via user input.

14. A method for implementing a notification related to maintenance of a device, the method comprising: executing a computer system configured to store usage data, process the usage data, and implement an adaptive preventive maintenance process, the usage data being generated by at least one sensor, counter, measuring device, and / or the usage data being obtained by a user via a user interface; determining, by the computer system, a first consumption usage of the device that exceeds a first maintenance interval estimate associated with the device, wherein the first maintenance interval estimate represents a consumption usage at which the device is estimated to require replacement or maintenance; transmitting, by the computer system, a first notification to a user device of a user associated with the apparatus, the first notification indicating that the first consumed usage exceeds the first maintenance interval estimate; determining, by the computer system, a failure to replace the device based on failure indications provided by the at least one sensor, user input via the user interface, and / or other systems; transmitting, by the computer system, a second notification to a user device of a user associated with the device, wherein the second notification is associated with a failure to replace the device; Determining, by the computer system, a consumption usage of the device over a time period spanning from a reference time point associated with the first maintenance interval estimate to a later replacement time point associated with the replacement of the device, and determining a second maintenance interval estimate associated with the device based on the consumption usage of the device over the time period, wherein the second maintenance interval estimate represents a consumption usage at which the device is estimated to require replacement or maintenance; adjusting, by the computer system, the second maintenance interval estimate based on an adjustment parameter, wherein the adjustment parameter comprises a failure parameter associated with a detected failure associated with a replacement of a device, or a preventive parameter associated with preventive maintenance associated with a replacement of a device, the computer system receiving the failure parameter or the preventive parameter by the user via the user interface; updating, by the computer system, a consumption usage of the device based on the usage data received from the at least one sensor, the counter or other measuring device associated with the device; and A determination is made by the computer system when the depleted usage of the equipment exceeds the second maintenance interval estimate.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: Receiving, by the computer system, a change indication reflecting a change of the device, the change indication being provided by the at least one sensor, user input, and / or other system; adjusting, by the computer system, the second maintenance interval estimate based on the adjustment parameter, wherein the adjustment parameter includes the failure parameter, the failure parameter is associated with a detected failure, the detected failure is associated with a replacement of the device, wherein the first maintenance interval estimate is initially determined based on an operating interval of the equipment, wherein the first notification comprises an email, a text message, an automated phone message, and / or information presented on the user interface, and wherein the first notification includes an identification of the device and / or a location of the device, and Therein, the apparatus is implemented in a liquid dispensing system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein: The adjustment parameter varies based on whether the replacement of the equipment is associated with preventive maintenance prior to failure of the equipment or due to failure of the equipment, and wherein the method further comprises: The replacement indication and an indication of a reason for replacement of the device are received, wherein the reason for replacement of the device comprises preventive maintenance associated with replacement of the device.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: determining a second failure to replace the device; as well as transmitting, by the computer system, a third notification to a user device of a user associated with the device, the third notification being associated with the second failure to replace the device, wherein a time interval between transmitting the second notification and transmitting the third notification is greater than a time interval between transmitting the first notification and transmitting the second notification, The transmission medium of the third notification is different from the transmission medium of at least one of the first notification or the second notification.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein: The third notification is transmitted to an additional user via a recipient of at least one of the first notification or the second notification, and wherein the first notification indicating that the first consumption usage exceeds the first maintenance interval estimate is a notification that the device may be at an increased risk of failure.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: determining a third failure for replacing said device; as well as A fourth notification is transmitted, via the computer system, to a user device of a user associated with the device, the fourth notification being associated with a third failure for replacing the device, wherein a time interval between transmitting the third notification and transmitting the fourth notification is greater than a time interval between transmitting the first notification and transmitting the second notification.

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