Asset management system, asset management device, asset management procedure and program

Abstract

An asset management system retrieves asset information, including a model name and operating data, from each of several individual assets installed at a site; receives a maintenance priority input indicating a priority for performing maintenance on the asset; calculates two or more maintenance times, comprising a first maintenance time for performing a replacement of a component used in the asset at an earlier time and a second maintenance time after the first maintenance time, based on operating time obtained from the retrieved operating data; receives an input of labor information regarding the labor time and costs required to replace a component of each individual asset; and creates and outputs a maintenance schedule for the asset based on the calculated maintenance time.the entered maintenance priority and the entered working time and costs.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an asset management system, an asset management device, an asset management procedure and a program. Technical background

[0002] When several individual pieces of equipment require maintenance, it is cost-effective to perform the maintenance on multiple pieces of equipment simultaneously during a single appointment, as this reduces expenses such as travel costs. Patent document 1, for example, discloses a system that proposes a combination of maintenance time and equipment to be serviced, minimizing the total costs resulting from the sum of operating expenses and maintenance costs. List of citations from patent literature

[0003] Patent document 1: PCT International Publication No. WO 2021 / 205983 Brief description of the invention; Technical problem statement

[0004] A loss of opportunity can occur when equipment fails. Examples of such a loss include a restaurant having to close during the summer due to an air conditioning system failure. At a given location, some equipment, like the restaurant example described above, has a significant impact in terms of opportunity loss, while other equipment has a minor impact. Although the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 could have proposed a maintenance plan based on a combination of maintenance time and equipment to be serviced, minimizing the overall costs of running and maintenance, the problem is that the cost of the loss of opportunity due to equipment failure cannot be accounted for.

[0005] The present disclosure arose in view of the above-described circumstances, one purpose of the present disclosure being to specify an asset management system, an asset management device, an asset management procedure and a program that propose an asset maintenance plan which also takes into account the cost of an opportunity loss. Solution to the problem

[0006] An asset management system according to the present disclosure comprises: an asset information reference unit for obtaining asset information, including a model designation and operating data from each of several individual assets installed at a site; a maintenance information receiving unit for receiving a maintenance priority input, indicating a priority for performing maintenance on the asset; a maintenance timing calculation unit for calculating two or more maintenance times.maintenance timings), which include an initial maintenance time for performing a replacement of a component used in the plant at an earlier time and a second maintenance time that follows the initial maintenance time, based on operating time obtained from operating data obtained from the plant information reference unit; a work information receiving unit for receiving input of work information regarding labor time and costs required to replace a component of a particular plant; and a maintenance planning unit for creating and outputting a maintenance plan for the plant based on the maintenance time calculated by the maintenance time calculation unit, the maintenance priority entered into the maintenance information receiving unit, and the labor time and costs entered into the work information receiving unit.

[0007] Furthermore, an asset management device according to the present disclosure comprises: an asset information reference unit for obtaining asset information, which includes a model designation and operating data from each of several individual assets installed at a site; a maintenance information receiving unit for receiving an input of a maintenance priority, which specifies a priority for performing maintenance on the asset; a maintenance time calculation unit for calculating two or more maintenance times, comprising a first maintenance time for performing a replacement of a component used in the asset at an earlier time and a second maintenance time that is after the first maintenance time, based on operating time obtained from operating data obtained from the asset information reference unit;a work information receiving unit for receiving input of work information relating to labor time and costs required for replacing a component of a particular individual plant; and a maintenance plan creation unit for creating and outputting a maintenance plan for the plant based on the maintenance time calculated by the maintenance time calculation unit, the maintenance priority entered into the maintenance information receiving unit, and the labor time and costs entered into the work information receiving unit.

[0008] Furthermore, an asset management procedure in an asset management system according to the present disclosure comprises: a step for obtaining asset information, including a model name and operating data from each of several individual assets installed at a site, via an asset information reference unit; a step for receiving a maintenance priority input, specifying a priority for performing maintenance on the asset, via a maintenance information receiving unit; a step for calculating two or more maintenance times, including a first maintenance time for performing the replacement of a component used in the asset at an earlier time and a second maintenance time that occurs after the first maintenance time, based on operating time obtained from operating data obtained from the asset information reference unit, via a maintenance time calculation unit;a step to receive input of work information regarding labor time and costs required to replace a component of a particular piece of equipment, via a work information receiving unit; and a step to create and output a maintenance plan for the equipment based on the maintenance time calculated by the maintenance time calculation unit, the maintenance priority entered into the maintenance information receiving unit, and the labor time and costs entered into the work information receiving unit, via a maintenance plan creation unit.

[0009] Furthermore, a program according to the present disclosure causes a computer to perform: a step to obtain plant information, including a model designation and operating data of each of several individual plants installed at a site; a step to receive a maintenance priority input indicating a priority for performing maintenance on the plant; a step to calculate two or more maintenance times, including a first maintenance time for performing the replacement of a component used in the plant at an earlier time and a second maintenance time after the first maintenance time, based on operating time obtained from the operating data; a step to receive the input of labor information regarding the labor time and costs required to replace a component of each individual plant;and a step to create and output a maintenance plan for the plant based on the calculated maintenance time, the entered maintenance priority, and the entered working time and costs. Advantageous effects of the invention

[0010] According to the disclosure provided, it is possible to propose a maintenance plan for a plant that also takes into account the cost of an opportunity loss. Brief description of the characters Fig. Figure 1 shows the graphical representation of a system that represents an example of the configuration of an asset management system according to a first embodiment. Fig. Figure 2 shows the schematic block diagram of an example of the configuration of an air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. Fig. Figure 3 shows the schematic block diagram of an example of the configuration of a plant management device according to the first embodiment. Fig. Figure 4 shows the graphical representation of an example of the calculation result of a maintenance plan according to the first embodiment. Fig. Figure 5 shows the graphical representation of an example of a maintenance plan according to the first embodiment. Fig. Figure 6 shows the flowchart of an example procedure for creating a maintenance plan according to the first embodiment. Fig. Figure 7 shows the schematic block diagram of an example of the configuration of a plant management system according to a second embodiment. Fig. Figure 8 shows the flowchart of an example procedure for creating a maintenance plan according to the second embodiment. Fig. Figure 9 shows a graphical representation of an example of setting a working condition according to the second embodiment. Fig. Figure 10 shows the schematic block diagram of an example of the configuration of a plant management system according to a fourth embodiment. Fig. Figure 11 shows the schematic block diagram of an example of the configuration of an asset management system according to a fifth embodiment. Description of embodiments

[0011] The following descriptions of embodiments refer to the figures. <Erste Ausführungsform>

[0012] First, an example of the configuration of an asset management system according to the present embodiment is described. (Configuration of the plant management system)

[0013] Fig. Figure 1 shows a system diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an asset management system according to the present embodiment. The asset management system 1 shown in the figure is a system that manages an asset installed at a site and supports the maintenance of the asset. An example is shown here in which the asset to be managed is an air conditioning unit. The asset management system 1 comprises an air conditioning unit 100 installed at the site, an adapter 150, and an asset management device 30.

[0014] The air conditioner 100 is connected to a communication network NW via the adapter 150. The adapter 150 is a device for connecting systems, such as the air conditioner 100, to the communication network NW. The communication network NW includes the internet, a mobile communication network, a local area network (LAN), and the like. The air conditioner 100, for example, comprises an outdoor unit 10 and an indoor unit 20.

[0015] Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioner 100 according to the present embodiment. The outdoor unit 10 comprises an outdoor unit fan 11, an outdoor unit fan motor 12 that rotates the outdoor unit fan 11, an outdoor unit compressor 13, an outdoor unit heat exchanger 14, a four-way valve 15, an expansion valve 16, an outdoor unit control unit 18, and the like. The indoor unit 20 comprises an indoor unit fan 21, an indoor unit fan motor 22 that rotates the indoor unit fan 21, an indoor unit heat exchanger 24, an indoor unit control unit 28, a filter 29, and the like.

[0016] The outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are connected to each other via a refrigerant line 5 through which a refrigerant flows. Switching between heating and cooling modes is achieved by opening and closing the four-way valve 15 provided in the outdoor unit 10 to reverse the direction of refrigerant circulation.

[0017] During heating operation, the refrigerant, compressed by the outdoor unit compressor 13, flows in a gaseous state through the four-way valve 15 to the indoor unit heat exchanger 24. In the indoor unit heat exchanger 24, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the ambient air, thereby heating the ambient air. The refrigerant, now in a liquid state due to this heat exchange, flows through the expansion valve 16 into the outdoor unit heat exchanger 14. There, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the ambient air. Finally, the refrigerant, now in a gaseous state due to this heat exchange, returns to the outdoor unit compressor 13.

[0018] In cooling mode, the refrigerant, compressed by the outdoor unit compressor 13, flows in a gaseous state through the four-way valve 15 into the outdoor unit heat exchanger 14. In the outdoor unit heat exchanger 14, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the ambient air. The refrigerant, now liquid due to this heat exchange, flows through the expansion valve 16 into the indoor unit heat exchanger 24. In the indoor unit heat exchanger 24, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the ambient air, thereby cooling the ambient air. The refrigerant, now gaseous due to this heat exchange, returns to the outdoor unit compressor 13.

[0019] The outdoor unit control unit 18 controls each unit within the outdoor unit 10. For example, the outdoor unit control unit 18 controls the outdoor unit blower motor 12 depending on an airflow setting or the like. The indoor unit control unit 28 controls each unit within the indoor unit 20. For example, the indoor unit control unit 28 controls the indoor unit blower motor 22 depending on the set airflow or the like. Furthermore, the indoor unit 20 is equipped with a filter 29 to remove dust, dirt, gas, and similar substances from the air within an airflow generated by the rotation of the indoor unit blower 21 (e.g., an airflow from outside into the interior of the indoor unit 20).

[0020] In addition, the outdoor unit control unit 18 and the indoor unit control unit 28 have a communication function and are connected by communication lines for communication between the outdoor unit control unit 18 and the indoor unit control unit 28, as well as for communication with the adapter 150.

[0021] It will now be again Fig. 1 described. The plant management device 30 is configured with one or more server devices connected via the communication network NW, for example, configured as cloud servers. The plant management device 30 and the air conditioner 100 can send and receive data via the communication network NW. In Fig. Although only one air conditioner 100 is shown in Figure 1, there are multiple air conditioners that can communicate with the plant management device 30. For example, the plant management device 30 communicates with several air conditioners 100 installed at the site and managed as maintenance objects. Furthermore, the plant management device 30 communicates with multiple air conditioners 100 installed at each of several locations and managed as maintenance objects.

[0022] For example, the plant management device 30 obtains information about the air conditioning units 100 by communicating with the multiple air conditioning units 100 installed at the site and creating a maintenance plan. (Configuration of the plant management device)

[0023] Fig. Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an asset management device 30 according to the present embodiment. The asset management device 30 is, for example, a server device equipped with a computer. The asset management device 30 comprises, for example, an asset information reference unit 31, a maintenance information receiving unit 32, a maintenance time calculation unit 33, a work information receiving unit 34, a maintenance cost calculation unit 35, and a maintenance plan creation unit 36 ​​as functional configurations implemented by a computer executing a program. Furthermore, the asset management device 30 includes a storage unit 300 that stores information received by each unit, information generated by each unit, and the like.

[0024] The plant information reference unit 31 retrieves plant information that includes the model designation and operating data of each of the several air conditioning units 100 installed at the site. The operating data includes the date of commencement of operation, the operating time (the accumulated time the plant has been in operation from the commencement of operation until the current time), and the like.

[0025] Furthermore, the maintenance information receiving unit 32 receives a maintenance priority input, which specifies a priority for performing maintenance work on the air conditioning unit 100. The maintenance priority is determined by a user (e.g., a site manager) based on the degree of impact with respect to an opportunity loss that would occur if the air conditioning unit 100 failed. For example, even at the same location, an air conditioning unit 100 installed in a server room has a greater impact on the opportunity loss that would occur if it failed, whereas an air conditioning unit 100 installed in a storage room has a lesser impact on the opportunity loss that would occur if it failed. In this case, the maintenance priority of the air conditioning unit 100 installed in the server room is set higher, and the maintenance priority of the air conditioning unit 100 installed in the storage room is set lower.

[0026] The maintenance priority can be entered via a control unit (not shown) in the air conditioning system 100 or via an end device (e.g. a PC, a smartphone or the like) used by the user (e.g. the site manager).

[0027] The maintenance time calculation unit 33 calculates two or more maintenance times based on the operating time obtained from the operating data of the air conditioning unit 100, which is obtained from the plant information reference unit 31. The maintenance time refers, for example, to a component replacement time for replacing a component used in the air conditioning unit 100. The component to be replaced is, for example, a component that is interchangeable with the components of the air conditioning unit 100, such as the filter 29, the outdoor unit compressor 13, the outdoor unit blower motor 12, and the indoor unit blower motor 22.

[0028] For example, for each model designation of the air conditioner 100, a standard operating time at which maintenance (e.g., component replacement) should be performed, an operating time for earlier maintenance with priority on maintenance, and an operating time for later maintenance with priority on cost are defined in advance. These can be determined, for example, based on the analysis results regarding a correlation between the occurrence of component failures and past operating time for the same or a similar system model. The maintenance time calculation unit 33 checks the past operating time of each air conditioner 100 based on the operating data obtained from the multiple air conditioners 100 and calculates three maintenance times for each air conditioner 100: a standard maintenance time (e.g., a component replacement time), an earlier maintenance time (e.g.,The maintenance schedule includes two different maintenance times: a component replacement time, which is prioritized for maintenance, and a later maintenance time (e.g., a component replacement time), which is prioritized for cost. Specifically, the standard maintenance time refers to a point in time when the probability of a component failing within the next year is estimated at, for example, 50%. The earlier, maintenance-prioritized time refers to a point in time when the probability of a component failing within the next year is estimated at, for example, 20%. The later, cost-prioritized maintenance time refers to a point in time when the probability of a component failing within the next year is estimated at, for example, 80%. The maintenance time refers, for example, to the point in time when a component is replaced.

[0029] Fig. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of a maintenance time calculation result according to the present embodiment. This diagram shows the maintenance time calculation results for 16 air conditioning units 100 installed at the site. A total of 16 air conditioning units 100 are installed at this site: four in the server room, two in reception room A, three in reception room B, three in an office, two in a meeting room, and two in a storage room. The air conditioning units 100 comprise different system models, and their operating times to date also vary. Therefore, the maintenance time calculation unit 33 calculates the standard maintenance time, the previous maintenance time, and the subsequent maintenance time for each of the air conditioning units 100 based on the respective operating data. In the example shown, the maintenance times for air conditioning unit 100 No.5, which is installed in reception room A, is calculated as follows: The earlier maintenance period extends from November to December 2022, the standard maintenance period from January to February 2023, and the later maintenance period from March to May 2023.

[0030] Furthermore, the maintenance time calculations shown in the figure also indicate the maintenance priority received as input by the maintenance information receiving unit 32. In this example, the five air conditioning units 100 installed in the server room are assigned a high maintenance priority ("high") because the opportunity cost in the event of a failure would be significant. The two air conditioning units 100 installed in the meeting room and the two air conditioning units 100 installed in the storage room have a low maintenance priority ("low") because the opportunity cost in the event of a failure would be minimal.The other air conditioning units installed in reception room A, reception room B and office 100 are given a “medium” maintenance priority, as these areas are used more frequently by people compared to the meeting room and the warehouse, and the impact on opportunity loss in the event of a failure is not as great as in the server room, but still has some impact.

[0031] If, for example, the maintenance of all 100 air conditioning units is carried out in the first month of the standard maintenance period, the total number of site visits will be six, with at least one visit each in January, February, April, May, June, and October 2023. Since each visit incurs various costs (various expenses), such as travel expenses, a higher number of visits results in higher maintenance costs, which is undesirable.

[0032] To allow for adjustments to the maintenance schedule, the present embodiment flexibly offers three maintenance time slots: an earlier, a standard, and a later maintenance time. This makes it possible to reduce the number of visits and thus lower maintenance costs. For example, if all 100 air conditioning units are serviced on the same day, the number of visits is reduced to one, and the maintenance can be performed at the lowest possible cost. However, reducing the number of visits to one also means that one 100 air conditioning unit will require maintenance after the standard maintenance time, increasing the risk of failure.This may be acceptable if a failure of an air conditioner 100 has a lower impact on opportunity loss, but in a case where an air conditioner 100 fails with a higher impact on opportunity loss, the costs in terms of opportunity loss may increase.

[0033] If the loss due to the failure of an air conditioning unit (ACU) is significant, such as in a server room housing servers or in a business that cannot operate without air conditioning, it may be necessary to perform maintenance, even at a higher cost, to prevent further breakdowns. For such an ACU, the risk of failure can be reduced by setting a higher maintenance priority and scheduling maintenance earlier, or before the standard maintenance interval. Conversely, if the loss due to an ACU failure is minor, setting a lower maintenance priority and scheduling maintenance later, or after the standard interval, can reduce the costs associated with maintenance.

[0034] In this context, the plant management device 30, according to the present embodiment, creates a maintenance plan that reduces the costs required for maintenance and also takes into account the cost of an opportunity loss by combining the maintenance times for the air conditioning units 100 in accordance with the maintenance priority established for each of the air conditioning units 100, in such a way as to reduce the number of visits.

[0035] Fig. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a maintenance schedule according to the present embodiment. The maintenance schedule shown in this diagram is a schedule in which the maintenance time for each of the air conditioning units 100 is optimized and scheduled according to the maintenance priority based on the standard maintenance time, the earlier maintenance time, and the later maintenance time, as shown in Figure 5. Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the planned maintenance schedule is as follows. The optimized maintenance time for each of the 100 air conditioning units is indicated by the symbol “⊚”. By setting the 100 air conditioning units with a high maintenance priority to the earlier maintenance time and the 100 air conditioning units with a low maintenance priority to the later maintenance time, the maintenance times in August 2023 will be combined. If the 100 air conditioning units with a “medium” maintenance priority are set to the standard maintenance time, the maintenance times in February 2023 will be combined.

[0036] According to this maintenance plan, the number of site visits is reduced to a total of two: one in February 2023 and one in August 2023. Therefore, maintenance can be performed at a lower cost than if six visits were required when all air conditioning units (100) were set to the standard maintenance schedule. Because the maintenance plan prioritizes servicing air conditioning unit 100 at an earlier date, it also accounts for the cost of any missed opportunities.

[0037] It will now be again Fig. 3 described. A functional configuration in which the plant management device 30 creates a cost-effective maintenance plan, also taking into account the cost of an opportunity loss, from standard maintenance time, earlier maintenance time and later maintenance time, is now described.

[0038] The work information receiving unit 34 receives input of work information regarding the working time (e.g., man-hours) required for the maintenance (e.g., a component replacement) of each of the air conditioning units 100, and the costs (e.g., component costs, miscellaneous expenses, and the like) required for the maintenance. Miscellaneous expenses include, for example, travel costs (e.g., transportation costs) for a worker to reach the location where the maintenance is to be performed. Therefore, component costs are not affected by the number of visits, but miscellaneous expenses increase with a higher number of visits.

[0039] The maintenance cost calculation unit 35 selects a maintenance time setting for each of the multiple air conditioning units 100 installed at the site and calculates the maintenance costs required for the selected maintenance time setting based on the working time (e.g. man-hours) and costs (e.g. component costs, other expenses, and the like) required for the maintenance and entered into the work information receiving unit 34.

[0040] For example, the maintenance cost calculation unit 35 selects several maintenance time settings for each of the air conditioning units 100 in accordance with the maintenance priority from the standard maintenance time, the earlier maintenance time and the later maintenance time, and calculates the maintenance costs required for each of the several selected maintenance time settings based on the labor time (e.g. man-hours) and costs (e.g. component costs, other expenses and the like) required for maintenance, which are entered into the work information receiving unit 34.

[0041] Maintenance planning unit 36 ​​creates and outputs the maintenance plan for air conditioning unit 100 based on the maintenance time setting with the lowest calculated maintenance costs selected by maintenance cost calculation unit 35 under the maintenance time settings. Maintenance planning unit 36 ​​therefore creates and outputs the maintenance plan for each air conditioning unit 100 that is a maintenance object at the site, based on the maintenance time calculated by maintenance time calculation unit 33, the maintenance priority entered into maintenance information receiving unit 32, and the labor time (e.g., man-hours) and costs (e.g., component costs, other expenses, and the like) required for maintenance entered into work information receiving unit 34.

[0042] For example, the maintenance planning unit 36 ​​provides the information in Fig. The maintenance schedules for air conditioning units 100 Nos. 1 to 16 shown in the 5 diagrams are from the diagram. The one in Fig. The maintenance schedule shown in section 5 is an example; any format can be used as long as the optimized maintenance time for each air conditioner is known. In the section shown in Fig. In the maintenance plan shown in section 5, the optimized maintenance time is indicated, for example, by the symbol "⊚", but can also be represented by text (e.g., "February 2023"). Although the optimized maintenance time for each air conditioner is 100 in the plan shown in the plan, the maintenance time for each air conditioner is not always 100. Fig. The maintenance plan shown in section 5 is presented in tabular form; the optimized maintenance time can also be represented by text or the like at the installation location of the air conditioner 100 on the site plan (e.g. building plans or floor plans).

[0043] Storage unit 300 stores the plant information, maintenance priority, work information, and similar data obtained from the plant management device 30. It also stores the maintenance time calculated by the plant management device 30, the generated maintenance plan, and similar data. (Process of a maintenance plan creation procedure)

[0044] Next, the process of a maintenance plan creation procedure for creating and issuing a maintenance plan by the plant management device 30 is described with reference to Fig. 6 described. Fig. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a maintenance planning procedure according to the present embodiment.

[0045] (Step S101) The plant management device 30 retrieves the plant information, including the model name and operating data (e.g., operating time), for each of the multiple air conditioning units 100 installed at the site. The procedure then continues with step S103.

[0046] (Step S103) The plant management device 30 receives a maintenance priority input specifying the priority for performing maintenance work for each of the multiple air conditioning units 100 installed at the site. The procedure then continues with step S105.

[0047] (Step S105) The plant management device 30 calculates the maintenance time (e.g., the component replacement time) based on the operating time obtained from the operating data of the air conditioner 100 obtained in step S101. For example, the plant management device 30 calculates the standard maintenance time, the earlier maintenance time prioritized for maintenance, and the later maintenance time prioritized for cost for each air conditioner 100 (see Fig. 4). The procedure then proceeds to step S107.

[0048] (Step S107) The plant management device 30 receives input of work information regarding the working time (e.g., man-hours) required for maintenance (e.g., component replacement) for each of the air conditioning units 100, and the costs (e.g., component costs, other expenses, and the like) required for the maintenance. The procedure then continues with step S109.

[0049] (Step S109) The plant management device 30 calculates the maintenance costs as a reference cost if maintenance is performed on all air conditioning units 100, which are the maintenance objects at the site, during the standard maintenance time. The procedure then continues with step S111.

[0050] (Step S111) The plant management device 30 calculates the maintenance costs as a preliminary cost if the maintenance time for each air conditioner 100, which is the maintenance object at the site, is arbitrarily selected, as long as each maintenance priority is met. The procedure then proceeds to step S113.

[0051] (Step S113) The asset management device 30 determines whether the preliminary costs calculated in step 111 are lower than the reference costs calculated in step S109. If the asset management device 30 determines that the preliminary costs are lower than the reference costs (YES), the procedure proceeds to step S119. Conversely, if the asset management device 30 determines that the preliminary costs are not lower than the reference costs (NO), the processing of step S119 is not performed, and the procedure continues with step S121.

[0052] (Step S119) Asset Management Device 30 replaces the reference costs with the preliminary costs. The preliminary costs calculated in Step 111 are used by Asset Management Device 30 as reference costs for the subsequent processing. The procedure then continues with Step S121.

[0053] (Step S121) The asset management device 30 determines whether the determination of NO in step S113 (determination that the preliminary costs are not lower than the reference costs) has been repeated for N or more times. Here, N is an integer, for example, 1000 or greater, and is set to a value such as 10000 as an example. If the determination that the preliminary costs are not lower than the reference costs (determination of NO) has been repeated for N or more times, it can be determined that a maintenance period with sufficiently low costs has been selected. If the asset management device 30 determines that the determination of NO in step S113 has been repeated for N or more times (YES), the procedure proceeds to step S123.On the other hand, if the plant management device 30 determines that the determination of NO in step S113 has not been continued for N or more times (NO), the procedure returns to step 111, as there is still the possibility of selecting a maintenance period with lower costs.

[0054] (Step S123) The plant management device 30 creates and outputs a maintenance plan for the air conditioner 100 from the maintenance time settings selected in step S111 for each air conditioner 100, based on the maintenance time setting with the lowest calculated maintenance costs (see Fig. 5) This means that the maintenance plan for each air conditioning unit 100, which is the maintenance object at the site, is created and issued by the plant management device 30 based on the maintenance time calculated in step S105, the maintenance priority entered in step S103, the working time (e.g. man-hours) entered in step S107, and the costs required for maintenance (e.g. component costs, other expenses, and the like).

[0055] As described above, the asset management device 30 in the asset management system 1 according to the present embodiment comprises the asset information reference unit 31, the maintenance information receiving unit 32, the maintenance time calculation unit 33, the work information receiving unit 34, and the maintenance planning unit 36. The asset management device 30 receives the asset information, including the model designation and operating data, of each of the multiple air conditioning units 100 installed at the site (as an example of an asset). The maintenance information receiving unit 32 receives a maintenance priority input, which specifies the priority for performing maintenance on an air conditioning unit 100. The maintenance time calculation unit 33 calculates two or more maintenance times.For example, the maintenance time calculation unit 33 calculates three maintenance times (an example of two or more maintenance times), comprising the earlier maintenance time (an example of the first maintenance time) to perform the replacement of a component used in air conditioner 100 sooner, the standard maintenance time (an example of the second maintenance time) which is later than the earlier maintenance time, and the later maintenance time (an example of the second maintenance time), based on the operating time obtained from the operating data obtained by the plant information reference unit 31. The work information receiving unit 34 receives an input of work information regarding the working time (e.g., man-hours) and costs (e.g., component costs, other expenses, and the like) required to replace a component in each of the air conditioners 100.The maintenance plan creation unit 36 ​​creates and outputs the maintenance plan for the air conditioning system 100 based on the maintenance time calculated by the maintenance time calculation unit 33, the maintenance priority entered into the maintenance information receiving unit 32, and the working time and costs entered into the work information receiving unit 34.

[0056] Since the plant management system 1 creates the maintenance plan for the air conditioning unit 100 based on several maintenance times (component replacement times) that result from the operating time of the air conditioning unit 100, the maintenance priority, the working time and the costs required for maintenance (replacing the component), it is therefore possible to propose a maintenance plan for the air conditioning unit 100 that reduces the costs required for maintenance and also takes into account the costs of an opportunity loss.

[0057] Maintenance Time Calculation Unit 33 can calculate the earlier maintenance time (an example of the first maintenance time) for the earlier replacement of the component used in the air conditioning unit 100 and the standard maintenance time (an example of the second maintenance time), which is later than the earlier maintenance time, based on the operating time obtained from the operating data obtained by the plant information reference unit 31. Furthermore, Maintenance Time Calculation Unit 33 can calculate the earlier maintenance time (an example of the first maintenance time) for the earlier replacement of the component used in the air conditioning unit 100 and the later maintenance time (an example of the second maintenance time), which is later than the earlier maintenance time, based on the operating time obtained from the operating data obtained by the plant information reference unit 31.Furthermore, the maintenance time calculation unit 33 can calculate the standard maintenance time (an example of the first maintenance time) for the earlier execution of the replacement of the component used in the air conditioning system 100 and the subsequent maintenance time (an example of the second maintenance time), which is later than the standard maintenance time, based on the operating time obtained from the operating data obtained by the plant information reference unit 31. Furthermore, the maintenance time calculation unit 33 can calculate four or more maintenance times.

[0058] Furthermore, the plant management device 30 includes the maintenance cost calculation unit 35. The maintenance cost calculation unit 35 selects the multiple maintenance time settings for each of the air conditioning units 100, in accordance with the maintenance priority entered into the maintenance information receiving unit 32, from the two or more maintenance time settings calculated by the maintenance time calculation unit 33, and calculates the maintenance costs required for each of the multiple selected maintenance time settings based on the labor time and costs entered into the labor information receiving unit 34. Then, the maintenance scheduling unit 36 ​​creates the maintenance schedule for the air conditioning unit 100 based on the maintenance time setting with the lowest calculated maintenance costs from the multiple maintenance time settings selected by the maintenance cost calculation unit 35.

[0059] Since the plant management system 1 creates the maintenance plan for the air conditioner 100 based on the maintenance time setting with the lowest maintenance costs from the maintenance time settings, which was selected in accordance with the maintenance priority from the several maintenance times (component replacement times) based on the operating time of the air conditioner 100, it is possible to propose a maintenance plan for the air conditioner 100 that reduces the costs required for maintenance and also includes the costs of an opportunity loss.

[0060] Maintenance time can, for example, be the inspection time for performing an inspection of air conditioning system 100, and the maintenance time calculation unit 33 can calculate the inspection time as maintenance time. Here, an inspection includes legally required inspections (e.g., simplified inspections performed at least once every three months, and regular inspections performed at least once a year or at least once every three years). In the sense of "at least," it is permissible to perform the inspections earlier (i.e., increase the inspection frequency). However, since performing inspections later (i.e., decreasing the inspection frequency) constitutes a violation of the law, the maintenance time calculation unit 33 calculates the earlier maintenance time and the standard maintenance time for the inspection time.Maintenance planning unit 36 ​​can create the maintenance plan for the component replacement time using the earlier maintenance time, standard maintenance time, and later maintenance time, but can only create the maintenance plan for the inspection time using the earlier maintenance time and the standard maintenance time.

[0061] For example, the standard operating time at which the inspection should be performed and the operating time for earlier inspection with priority maintenance are predefined for each model designation of the Air Conditioner 100. The Maintenance Time Calculation Unit 33 can check the past operating time of each Air Conditioner 100 based on the operating data obtained from multiple Air Conditioners 100 and calculate the standard maintenance time (inspection time) and the earlier maintenance time (inspection time) with priority maintenance for each Air Conditioner 100. If the inspection is performed at the standard maintenance time (inspection time), it can be carried out at a lower cost than if the inspection is performed at an earlier maintenance time (inspection time).

[0062] Additionally, the maintenance information receiving unit 32 can obtain inspection information regarding an inspection of the air conditioner 100. This inspection information includes, for example, the standard operating time at which the inspection should be performed and the operating time for the previous inspection with a maintenance priority for a given model designation of the air conditioner 100. The maintenance time calculation unit 33 can calculate the maintenance time (inspection time) of the air conditioner 100 based on the system information obtained from the multiple air conditioners 100 and the inspection information entered into the maintenance information receiving unit 32.

[0063] The plant management system 1 can therefore create a maintenance plan for the air conditioning system 100, which reduces the costs for maintenance and also takes into account the costs of an opportunity loss, as a maintenance plan that includes an inspection of the air conditioning system 100.

[0064] Maintenance planning unit 36 ​​can create the maintenance plan for inspections other than those required by law, using the earlier, standard, and later maintenance times.

[0065] An asset management procedure carried out in the asset management system 1 according to the present embodiment further comprises a step for obtaining asset information, including the model designation and operating data of each of the several air conditioning units 100 installed at the site (an example of an asset), by the asset information reference unit 31; a step for receiving the input of a maintenance priority, indicating the priority for performing maintenance on the air conditioning unit 100, by the maintenance information receiving unit 32; and a step for calculating three maintenance times (an example of two or more maintenance times), including an earlier maintenance time (an example of the first maintenance time) for earlier performance of the replacement of a component used in the air conditioning unit 100, and the standard maintenance time (an example of the second maintenance time), which is later than the earlier maintenance time.and a subsequent maintenance period (an example of the second maintenance period), based on the operating time obtained from the operating data obtained by the plant information reference unit 31, by the maintenance time calculation unit 33, a step to receive the input of work information regarding the working time (for example, man-hours) and costs (for example, component costs, various expenses, and the like) required for the replacement of a component of the air conditioning system 100, by the work information receiving unit 34, and a step to create and output the maintenance plan for the air conditioning system 100 based on the maintenance time calculated by the maintenance time calculation unit 33, the maintenance priority entered into the maintenance information receiving unit 32, and the working time and costs entered into the work information receiving unit 34 by the maintenance plan creation unit 36.

[0066] Consequently, the maintenance plan for air conditioning unit 100 is created by the plant management process in plant management system 1 based on several maintenance intervals (component replacement intervals) determined from the operating time of air conditioning unit 100, the maintenance priority, the labor time, and the costs required for maintenance (component replacement). Accordingly, it is possible to propose a maintenance plan for air conditioning unit 100 that reduces the costs required for maintenance and also takes into account the costs of any opportunity losses.

[0067] Furthermore, a program according to the present embodiment causes a computer to perform the following steps: a step to obtain plant information, including the model name and operating data, of each of several air conditioning units 100 installed at the site (an example of a plant); a step to receive the input of a maintenance priority, which specifies the priority for performing maintenance on the air conditioning unit 100; a step to calculate three maintenance times (an example of two or more maintenance times), including an earlier maintenance time (an example of the first maintenance time) to perform the replacement of a component used in the air conditioning unit 100 in advance; a standard maintenance time (an example of the second maintenance time) that is later than the earlier maintenance time; and a later maintenance time (an example of the second maintenance time) based on the operating time.which is obtained from the acquired operational data, a step to receive the input of work information regarding the working time (e.g. man-hours) and costs (e.g. component costs, other expenses, and the like) required for the replacement of a component of the air conditioning system 100, and a step to create and output a maintenance plan for the air conditioning system 100 based on the calculated maintenance times, the entered maintenance priority, and the entered working time and costs.

[0068] Consequently, the computer, which serves as plant management device 30 in plant management system 1, executes the program described above, thereby creating a maintenance plan for air conditioner 100 based on several maintenance times (component replacement times) derived from the operating time of air conditioner 100, the maintenance priority, and the labor time and costs required for maintenance (component replacement). Accordingly, it is possible to propose a maintenance plan for air conditioner 100 that reduces the costs required for maintenance and also takes into account the costs of missed opportunities. <Zweite Ausführungsform>

[0069] Next, a second embodiment is described. In the first embodiment, to create a maintenance plan with the most cost-effective maintenance time, a method for calculating the maintenance costs (preliminary costs) was used by arbitrarily selecting a maintenance time for each air conditioning unit 100 (step S111 in Fig. 6) described. In the present embodiment, the plant management device 30 calculates the working time for a case in which maintenance is performed on each air conditioning unit 100 at the selected maintenance time setting, and checks whether the maintenance time setting meets predefined work restrictions (number of workers, number of working days, and the like).

[0070] Fig. Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a plant management device 30A according to the present embodiment. The block diagram uses the same reference numerals for the

[0071] Configuration assigned to each of the units of the Fig. The plant management device 30 shown in Figure 3 corresponds to the plant management device 30A. Plant management device 30A differs from the one shown in Figure 3. Fig. 3 plant management device 30 shown, by the fact that an additional working time calculation unit 37 is provided.

[0072] The work time calculation unit 37 calculates the work time for a case in which maintenance is performed using each of the several maintenance time settings selected by the maintenance cost calculation unit 35. The maintenance plan creation unit 36 ​​then determines whether the several selected maintenance time settings meet the specified work constraints (number of workers, number of working days, etc.) and creates a maintenance plan based on the maintenance time setting that has the lowest calculated maintenance costs among those that meet the specified work constraints (number of workers, number of working days, etc.).

[0073] In the present embodiment, the maintenance planning unit 36 ​​creates the maintenance plan for the air conditioning system 100 based on the maintenance time setting that meets the specified work restrictions (number of people, number of days, and the like) and has the lowest calculated maintenance costs among the several selected maintenance time settings.

[0074] Fig. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for creating a maintenance plan according to the present embodiment. In this diagram, each processing step that is described in Figure 8 is shown. Fig. The processing shown in section 6 corresponds to the same reference sign. The procedure shown in this diagram for creating a maintenance plan differs from the one in [reference number]. Fig. The procedure shown in section 6 for creating a maintenance plan is modified by further processing steps S115 and S117. The differences to the procedure shown in section 6 are explained below. Fig. The maintenance plan creation procedure shown in section 6 is described.

[0075] If step S113 determines that the preliminary costs are lower than the reference costs (YES), the asset management device 30A proceeds to step S115.

[0076] (Step S115) The asset management device 30A calculates the labor time for a case where maintenance is performed using the maintenance time setting selected when the preliminary costs were calculated in step 111. For example, the asset management device 30A calculates the labor time for a case where maintenance is performed using the maintenance time setting selected during the preliminary cost calculation, based on the maintenance time setting selected during the preliminary cost calculation and the labor time entered into the work information receiving unit 34. The procedure then continues with step S117.

[0077] (Step S117) Asset Management Device 30A determines whether the maintenance time setting selected during the preliminary cost calculation can be handled within the specified number of people and days. For example, Asset Management Device 30A determines whether the work time calculated in Step S115 meets the specified work constraints (number of people, number of days, etc.). If Asset Management Device 30A determines that the specified work constraints (number of people, number of days, etc.) are met (YES), Asset Management Device 30A determines that the maintenance time setting can be handled within the specified number of people and days, and the procedure proceeds to Step S121.Because, on the other hand, the plant management device 30A determines that the specified work restrictions (number of people, number of days, and the like) are not met (NO), the plant management device 30A determines that the maintenance time setting cannot be processed with the specified number of people and days, and the procedure returns to step S111.

[0078] Thus, according to the present embodiment, the plant management device 30A includes the work time calculation unit 37, which calculates the work time for a case in which maintenance is performed using one of the several maintenance time settings selected by the maintenance cost calculation unit 35. The maintenance plan creation unit 36 ​​then creates the maintenance plan for the air conditioning system 100 based on the maintenance time setting that meets the specified working conditions (number of people and number of days) and has the lowest calculated maintenance costs among the several selected maintenance time settings.

[0079] As a result, in a case where there are limitations such as the specified number of workers and working days, the asset management system 1 can ensure that no maintenance plan is created that cannot be carried out due to the limitations.

[0080] The working time for maintenance work (e.g., replacing components) varies depending on the nature of the work and the qualifications (e.g., expertise) of the worker. Furthermore, maintenance work also includes standby time, such as for vacuum pumps or waiting for stable operation during test runs. To create a maintenance plan that takes such factors into account, it is also possible to define working conditions such as standard working hours, standard standby time, and the qualifications (e.g., knowledge) of a worker.

[0081] Fig. Figure 9 is a representation showing an example of defining working conditions according to the present embodiment. In the example shown, the work content, the standard working time required for the work content (standard working time), and the standby time within the standard working time (standard standby time) are related to each other.

[0082] For example, the standard working time for replacing outdoor unit No. 10 is 14 hours. If the maximum working time per day is 8 hours and there is only one worker, it will take two days to complete the job. In this case, the working time over the two days is 16 hours. Therefore, the maintenance scheduling unit 36 ​​can create a maintenance schedule taking into account that a total of 4 hours—that is, 2 hours resulting from subtracting the standard working time of 14 hours from the 16 hours (2 days) and 2 hours of standard standby time—can be allocated to other tasks, such as inspection work.

[0083] Furthermore, the job content is defined in conjunction with a category that corresponds to the worker's qualifications (e.g., skills). In the example shown, workers are divided into three categories based on their qualifications (e.g., skills): Worker Category A, Worker Category B, and Worker Category C. The required working time for each worker category is expressed as a multiplier of the standard working time.

[0084] In this system, worker category A represents a highly skilled worker, worker category B represents a worker with standard skills, and worker category C represents a worker with limited skills who is not yet familiar with the job. The working time for each worker category can be calculated by multiplying the standard working time by the multiplier for each category. For example: The standard working time for replacing compressor No. 4 is 6 hours. However, for a worker in worker category A, the working time is 4.8 hours (6 × 0.8 = 4.8), for a worker in worker category B, the working time is 6 hours (6 × 1 = 4.8), and for a worker in worker category C, the working time is 9 hours (6 × 1.5 = 9).

[0085] For example, the work information receiving unit 34 receives the input of worker information as work information (see Fig. 9) Regarding the standard working time, the standard standby time, the work category indicating a worker's qualifications for the task (e.g., expertise), and the like. The multipliers for the worker categories can be freely entered, for example, by the executing companies or similar entities performing the work. Then, the work time calculation unit 37 calculates the working time for each of the multiple maintenance time settings, based on the worker's qualifications for the task (e.g., skills). The maintenance plan creation unit 36 ​​creates the maintenance plan for the air conditioning system 100 based on the working time calculated by the work time calculation unit 37 described above.

[0086] As a result, the asset management system 1 can more accurately estimate working time and costs by taking into account the qualifications (e.g., skills) of the workforce. <Dritte Ausführungsform>

[0087] Next, a third embodiment is described. In the present embodiment, an example of a configuration is described in which a maintenance schedule is created for the time of cleaning or replacement of the filter 29 of the air conditioning unit 100. As with reference to Fig. As described in the first embodiment, the indoor unit 20 of the air conditioning system 100 comprises the indoor unit blower 21 (an example of a blower), the indoor unit blower motor 22 (an example of a blower motor) that causes the rotation of the indoor unit blower 21, the indoor unit control unit 28 (an example of a control unit) that controls the indoor unit blower motor 22, and the filter 29 (an example of a filter) that is arranged within the airflow generated by the rotation of the indoor unit blower 21.

[0088] It is recommended to clean standard filters approximately once a year. However, a slight deviation in the cleaning schedule has only a minor impact on performance and energy consumption, and no major problems will arise. Since this impact is minimal, the user can freely choose when to clean the filter. Furthermore, the cleaning schedule can be set automatically depending on the filter type.

[0089] Furthermore, the filter's pressure loss (clogging) status can be determined based on the blower motor speed, and the recommended cleaning time can be set according to the degree of contamination. For example, an earlier cleaning time can be set if cleaning is recommended at 50% contamination, a standard cleaning time can be set if cleaning is recommended at 70% contamination, and a later cleaning time can be set if cleaning is recommended at 80% contamination.

[0090] The system information reference unit 31 also receives blower motor control information from the air conditioning system 100 (e.g., from the indoor unit control unit 28). This blower motor control information includes, for example, the rotational speed of the indoor unit blower motor 22. The maintenance time calculation unit 33 calculates the pressure drop of the filter 29 based on the system information, including the blower motor control information received from the system information reference unit 31, and calculates the time for cleaning or replacing the filter 29 as maintenance time based on the calculated pressure drop of the filter 29.

[0091] In this way, the plant management system 1 can calculate, based on the operating time of the air conditioner 100 or the pressure drop of the filter 29 calculated from the blower motor control information, the earlier cleaning or replacement time for the filter 29, which is prioritized for maintenance reasons, the later cleaning or replacement time for the filter 29, which is prioritized for cost reasons, or the standard cleaning or replacement time for the filter 29, thereby creating a maintenance schedule that takes the maintenance time for the filter 29 into account. Accordingly, the plant management system 1 can create a maintenance schedule that includes the maintenance of the filter 29. <Vierte Ausführungsform>

[0092] Next, a fourth embodiment is explained. In this embodiment, a configuration example is described for a case where the content of the maintenance is a repair. Fig. Figure 10 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a plant management device 30B according to the present embodiment. In the block diagram, identical reference numerals are assigned to the configurations, each of which corresponds to a unit of the device described in the Fig. 3 and Fig. The plant management devices 30 and 30A shown in Figure 7 correspond to the plant management devices shown. The plant management device 30B differs from the one shown in Figure 7. Fig. The plant management device 30A shown in section 7 is further enhanced by the additional provision of a fault diagnosis unit 38.

[0093] The plant information reference unit 31 also receives anomaly information relating to an anomaly in each of the multiple air conditioning units 100. This anomaly information includes, for example, information related to malfunction predictions, such as fault information, power consumption, malfunction diagnostic results, and refrigerant leak diagnostic results.

[0094] The fault diagnosis unit 38 predicts the time of a malfunction in the air conditioning system 100 based on operating data and anomaly information obtained from the system information reference unit 31. For example, the fault diagnosis unit 38 predicts the time of a malfunction in a component located in the air conditioning system 100 based on operating data and anomaly information obtained from the system information reference unit 31. The maintenance time calculation unit 33 calculates a repair time as maintenance time based on the time of a malfunction in the air conditioning system 100 predicted by the fault diagnosis unit 38.

[0095] When predicting the timing of a malfunction, the fault diagnosis unit 38 determines when and which component is likely to fail. However, the fault diagnosis unit 38 does not provide a 100% accurate prediction, but instead forecasts the probability of failure, e.g., a 60% probability of failure in ○ years or a 90% probability of failure in □ years. Therefore, depending on the recommended repair time, deviations in the repair schedule may occur.For example, if repair is recommended at a time when a 60% probability of malfunction is predicted, an earlier repair time is recommended; if repair is recommended at a time when a 70% probability of malfunction is predicted, a standard repair time is recommended; and if repair is recommended at a time when a 95% probability of malfunction is predicted, a later repair time is recommended.

[0096] From a cost perspective, it is advantageous to carry out a repair after a malfunction occurs. If no major problems arise even after a breakdown, a later repair date can be scheduled for some time in the distant future.

[0097] As a result, the plant management system 1 can predict the time of a malfunction based on the operating data and the anomaly information obtained from the air conditioning system 100 and create a maintenance plan that includes the repair time based on the predicted time of a malfunction, thereby preventing a malfunction in advance. <Fünfte Ausführungsform>

[0098] Next, a fifth embodiment is described. In this embodiment, an example configuration is described in a case where the maintenance task is the replacement of the equipment. Replacement is performed when repair is not possible or when switching to a new product is more cost-effective than repair. Similar to repair, however, there are variations in the replacement schedule depending on the recommended replacement time.

[0099] Fig. Figure 11 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a plant management device 30C according to the present embodiment. In this diagram, identical reference numerals are assigned to the configurations, each corresponding to a unit of the device described in the Fig. 3, Fig. 7 and Fig. The plant management devices 30, 30A and 30B shown in the 10 diagrams correspond to the plant management devices shown. Plant management device 30C differs from the one shown in the diagram. Fig. 10 plant management device 30B shown, by the fact that an additional renewal time calculation unit 39 is provided.

[0100] The update timing unit 39 calculates the update timing for replacing the components (for example, the outdoor unit 10 and / or the indoor unit 20) contained in the air conditioning system 100, based on the operating time obtained from the operating data obtained by the system information reference unit 31. The maintenance plan creation unit 36 ​​creates the maintenance plan for the air conditioning system 100, which includes the update timing calculated by the update timing unit 39.

[0101] Consequently, the asset management system 1 can create a maintenance plan that also includes the timing of the asset renewal. Furthermore, the asset management system 1 can compare the costs of renewing the asset with the costs of foregoing renewal (e.g., repairing the equipment) and identify cost savings.

[0102] As described in the fourth embodiment, the system information reference unit 31 also receives anomaly information relating to an anomaly in each of the multiple air conditioning units 100. Furthermore, the fault diagnosis unit 38 predicts the time of a malfunction of the air conditioning unit 100 based on the operating data and the anomaly information obtained from the system information reference unit 31. The renewal time calculation unit 39 can then calculate the renewal time of the devices provided in the air conditioning unit 100 (e.g., outdoor unit 10 and / or indoor unit 20) based on the anomaly information and the operating time obtained from the operating data obtained by the system information reference unit 31, and the time of a malfunction of the air conditioning unit 100 predicted by the fault diagnosis unit 38.

[0103] As a result, the asset management system 1 can create a maintenance plan with more accurate renewal times, taking into account anomaly information, the prediction of the time of a malfunction, and the like.

[0104] Up to this point, the embodiments have been described in detail with reference to the figures; however, certain configurations are not limited to these embodiments and the embodiments may be modified or omitted as appropriate.

[0105] In the embodiments described above, a case was described in which the system installed at the site is an air conditioning unit 100; however, the present disclosure is not limited to the air conditioning unit 100, and the method for creating a maintenance plan described in the embodiments above can be applied to creating a maintenance plan for any device.

[0106] Furthermore, the asset management device 30 can create a maintenance plan linked to the delivery date of a replacement component. For example, if the delivery date for the component is six months away, the asset management device 30 can create a maintenance plan scheduling maintenance six months from the current date.

[0107] Furthermore, when creating the maintenance plan, the plant management device 30 can try out all possible combinations of schedules or use an algorithm to reduce the computational effort, such as a genetic algorithm or artificial intelligence (AI).

[0108] In the embodiments described above, an example of a configuration was also described in which the plant management device 30 obtains the plant information, such as the operating data, via a communication network NW (e.g. in real time), but even without a network environment, a method can be used in which the plant information collected on site, e.g. during inspections, is uploaded to the cloud, enabling the plant management device 30 to obtain the information.

[0109] It is noted that a program for implementing the functions of the plant management device 30 can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on the recording medium can be loaded into the computer system and executed, thereby performing the processing of the control unit of each plant. The term "computer system," as used here, refers to a computer system that includes an operating system and hardware such as peripheral devices.

[0110] Furthermore, the term "computer-readable recording medium" refers to a portable medium, such as a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, or a CD-ROM, or a storage device such as a hard drive integrated into the computer system. The term "computer-readable recording medium" also includes a medium that dynamically stores the program for a short period of time, such as communication lines when the program is transmitted over a network such as the internet or a communication line such as a telephone line, and a medium that stores the program for a fixed period of time, such as volatile memory provided within the computer system, which in this case acts as a server or client.Furthermore, the program described above can be used to implement some of the aforementioned functions, and it can also be used to implement the aforementioned functions in combination with programs already recorded in the computer system. Additionally, the program described above can be stored on a pre-defined server, and the program can be distributed (downloaded, etc.) via the communication line in response to requests from other systems.

[0111] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of the plant management device 30 can be implemented as an integrated circuit, for example, as a large-scale integration (LSI) device. Each function can be processed individually, or some or all of the functions can be integrated and processed together. Moreover, the method for an integrated circuit is not limited to LSI and can be implemented with a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. If, due to advances in semiconductor technology, an integrated circuit technology is developed that replaces LSI, an integrated circuit using this technology can be employed. Reference symbol list 1 Asset Management System 10 outdoor units 11 outdoor unit blowers 12 Outdoor unit blower motor 13 Outdoor unit compressor 14 outdoor unit heat exchangers 15 Four-way valve 16 Expansion valve 18 Outdoor unit control unit 20 Indoor unit 21 Indoor unit blower 22 Interior unit blower motor 24 Indoor unit heat exchangers 28 Interior unit control unit 29 filters 30 Plant management device 31 Plant Information Reference Unit 32 Maintenance Information Receiving Unit 33 Maintenance time calculation unit 34 Work Information Receiving Unit 35 Maintenance cost calculation unit 36 Maintenance planning unit 37 Working time calculation unit 38 Fault diagnosis unit 39 Renewal time calculation unit 100 air conditioners 150 adapters 300 storage units QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] WO 2021 / 205 983

[0003]

Claims

[1] Asset management system that features: an asset information reference unit for obtaining asset information that includes a model name and operating data of each of several individual assets installed at a site; a maintenance information receiving unit for receiving an input of a maintenance priority, which indicates a priority for carrying out maintenance on the plant; a maintenance time calculation unit for calculating two or more maintenance times, comprising a first maintenance time for carrying out a replacement of a component used in the plant at an earlier time and a second maintenance time that is later than the first maintenance time, based on an operating time obtained from the operating data obtained from the plant information reference unit; a work information receiving unit for receiving input work information relating to working time and costs required for the replacement of a component of a particular individual plant; and A maintenance plan creation unit for creating and outputting a maintenance plan for the plant based on the maintenance time calculated by the maintenance time calculation unit, the maintenance priority entered into the maintenance information receiving unit, and the working time and costs entered into the work information receiving unit. [2] Plant management system according to claim 1, further comprising: A maintenance cost calculation unit for selecting multiple maintenance time settings for each of the individual assets among the two or more maintenance times calculated by the maintenance time calculation unit in accordance with the maintenance priority entered into the maintenance information receiving unit, and for calculating maintenance costs incurred for each of the multiple selected maintenance time settings based on the labor time and costs entered into the labor information receiving unit, wherein the maintenance plan creation unit creates the maintenance plan for the asset among the multiple maintenance time settings selected by the maintenance cost calculation unit based on a maintenance time setting with the lowest calculated maintenance costs. [3] Plant management system according to claim 2, further comprising: A work time calculation unit for calculating a work time when maintenance is performed at each of the multiple maintenance time settings selected by the maintenance cost calculation unit, wherein the maintenance plan creation unit creates the maintenance plan for the plant based on a maintenance time setting that satisfies a predefined work constraint and has the lowest calculated maintenance costs among the multiple selected maintenance time settings. [4] Plant management system according to claim 2, wherein The work information receiving unit also receives an input of labor information indicating a worker's qualifications for a job as work information. The asset management system further includes a work time calculation unit to calculate work time based on the labor information indicating a worker's qualifications for a task when maintenance is performed at each of the several maintenance time settings selected by the maintenance cost calculation unit, and The maintenance plan creation unit creates the maintenance plan for the plant based on the working time calculated by the time calculation unit. [5] Plant management system according to claim 1, wherein The maintenance information receiving unit also receives an input of inspection information with regard to an inspection of the plant, and The maintenance time calculation unit calculates an inspection time of the plant as maintenance time based on the plant information obtained from the plant information reference unit and the inspection information entered into the maintenance information receiving unit. [6] Plant management system according to claim 1, wherein The system comprises a blower, a blower motor to drive the rotation of the blower, a control unit to control the blower motor, and a filter that is arranged within the airflow generated by the rotation of the blower. The plant information reference unit obtains blower motor control information from the plant as plant information, and The maintenance time calculation unit calculates a pressure loss of the filter based on the plant information, which includes the blower motor control information obtained from the plant information reference unit, and calculates a time for cleaning or replacing the filter as maintenance time based on the calculated pressure loss of the filter. [7] Plant management system according to claim 1, wherein The plant information reference unit also receives anomaly information relating to an anomaly in each of the several individual plants; the plant management system also includes a fault diagnosis unit to predict the time of a plant malfunction based on the operating data and the anomaly information obtained from the plant information reference unit; and The maintenance time calculation unit calculates a repair time as maintenance time based on the time of a malfunction of the system predicted by the fault diagnosis unit. [8] Plant management system according to claim 1, further comprising: a renewal time calculation unit to calculate a renewal time for the replacement of the plant based on the operating time obtained from the operating data obtained by the plant information reference unit, wherein the maintenance plan creation unit creates the maintenance plan by taking into account the renewal time calculated by the renewal time calculation unit when creating the maintenance plan. [9] Plant management system according to claim 8, wherein the plant information reference unit also includes anomaly information relating to an anomaly of each of the several individual plants, The plant management system also includes a fault diagnosis unit to predict the time of a plant malfunction based on operating data and anomaly information obtained from the plant information reference unit, and The renewal time calculation unit calculates the renewal time based on the anomaly information and the operating time obtained from the operating data obtained by the plant information reference unit, and the time of a plant malfunction predicted by the fault diagnosis unit. [10] Plant management device comprising: an asset information reference unit for obtaining asset information that includes a model name and operating data of each of several individual assets installed at a site; a maintenance information receiving unit for receiving an input of a maintenance priority, which indicates a priority for carrying out maintenance on the plant; a maintenance time calculation unit for calculating two or more maintenance times, comprising a first maintenance time for carrying out a replacement of a component used in the plant at an earlier time and a second maintenance time that is after the first maintenance time, based on an operating time obtained from the operating data obtained from the plant information reference unit; a work information receiving unit for receiving input work information relating to working time and costs required for the replacement of a component of a particular individual plant; and A maintenance plan creation unit for creating and outputting a maintenance plan for the plant based on the maintenance time calculated by the maintenance time calculation unit, the maintenance priority entered into the maintenance information receiving unit, and the working time and costs entered into the work information receiving unit. [11] Asset management procedures in an asset management system, wherein the procedure includes: a step to obtain plant information, including a model name and operating data of each of several individual plants installed at a site, via a plant information reference unit; a step to receive an input of a maintenance priority, which indicates a priority for carrying out maintenance on the plant, via a maintenance information receiving unit; a step to calculate two or more maintenance times including a first maintenance time for carrying out the replacement of a component used in the plant at an earlier time and a second maintenance time which is after the first maintenance time, based on an operating time obtained from the operating data obtained from the plant information reference unit, via a maintenance time calculation unit; a step to receive an input of work information relating to working time and costs required for the replacement of a component of a particular individual plant, via a work information receiving unit; and a step to create and output a maintenance plan for the plant based on the maintenance time calculated by the maintenance time calculation unit, the maintenance priority entered into the maintenance information receiving unit, and the working time and costs entered into the work information receiving unit via a maintenance plan creation unit. [12] Program that causes a computer to execute: a step towards obtaining plant information that includes a model name and operating data for each of several individual plants installed at a site; a step to receive an input of a maintenance priority, which specifies a priority for carrying out maintenance on the plant; a step to calculate two or more maintenance times, including a first maintenance time for carrying out the replacement of a component used in the plant at an earlier time and a second maintenance time that is after the first maintenance time, based on an operating time obtained from the operating data; a step towards receiving input of work information regarding the working time and costs required to replace a component of a particular individual plant; and a step towards creating and outputting a maintenance plan for the plant based on the calculated maintenance time, the entered maintenance priority, and the entered working time and costs.

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