Spare parts pool management system

Abstract

To provide a management system capable of more appropriately managing spare parts.SOLUTION: The spare parts pool management system according to the present embodiment comprises a business operator spare parts database, a shared spare parts database, a rerepair spare parts database, and a business operator spare parts information management section. The enterprise spare parts database stores information on spare parts owned by a plurality of users of a spare parts pool management system for managing spare parts of facilities. The shared spare parts database stores information on spare parts owned by the provider of the spare parts pool management system. The re-repair spares database stores information about repaired spares. The business entity spare parts information management section enables a plurality of users to input and output information to and from the business entity spare parts database, and enables a plurality of users to output information from the shared spare parts database and the rerepair spare parts database.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention relates to a spare parts pool management system. [Background technology]

[0002] Japan's offshore wind power plants are forced to use overseas-made wind turbines, and spare parts for the turbines are often sourced from overseas vendors. Procuring parts from overseas requires long lead times, so stocking spare parts domestically is one way to avoid reduced availability. However, each offshore wind power plant operator's spare parts stockpile results in long inventory days, leading to unused parts. Furthermore, vendors may discontinue production or withdraw from production, making it impossible to supply existing spare parts, forcing them to use alternatives. Therefore, verifying compatibility with alternative parts is crucial. However, information on the compatibility of existing and alternative parts is not shared. Furthermore, failure rates, which are important criteria for operators to replenish spare parts, are limited to data from each operator's power plant, and are insufficient as statistical data, making them unshared. In other words, there is no centralized management, sharing, or exchange of spare parts available in Japan.

[0003] A management system is needed to optimize and further utilize spare parts stocks. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-112294 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-173792 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] To provide a spare parts pool management system capable of more appropriately managing spare parts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The spare parts pool management system according to this embodiment includes a business operator spare parts database, a shared spare parts database, a refurbished spare parts database, and a business operator spare parts information management unit. The business operator spare parts database stores information about spare parts owned by multiple users of the spare parts pool management system that manages spare parts for equipment. The shared spare parts database stores information about spare parts owned by a provider of the spare parts pool management system. The refurbished spare parts database stores information about repaired spare parts. The business operator spare parts information management unit allows multiple users to input and output information from the business operator spare parts database and the refurbished spare parts database. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a spare parts pool management system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display on a display unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of display of search results according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of display of search results according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of detailed display of search results according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display of a spare part consumption rate search result according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display of spare part compatibility search results according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a spare parts pool management system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of detailed display of search results according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a spare parts pool management system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a spare parts pool management system according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a spare parts pool management system according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment. The drawings are schematic or conceptual, and the proportions of the various parts are not necessarily the same as those in reality. In the specification and drawings, elements similar to those described above with reference to the previous drawings are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0009] (First embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a spare parts pool management system 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0010] The spare parts pool management system 1 is a system for managing spare parts (components) for equipment. In the following, the user of the spare parts pool management system 1 will be described as a business operator such as a power generation business operator, but is not limited to this. In the following, the equipment owned by the user will be described as a wind turbine, but is not limited to this.

[0011] The spare parts pool management system 1 includes an inventory database D10, a spare parts consumption rate database D20, a substitute / repair / replacement information database D30, a purchase history database D40, a business operator spare parts information management device 10, a spare parts purchasing device 20, an operation data collection device 30, a maintenance history collection device 40, a wind turbine basic information collection device 50, a shared spare parts information collection device 60, a re-repair spare parts information collection device 70, a spare parts consumption rate calculation device 80, and a replenishment spare parts extraction device 90.

[0012] The business operator spare parts information management device 10, spare parts purchasing device 20, operation data collection device 30, maintenance history collection device 40, wind turbine basic information collection device 50, shared spare parts information collection device 60, re-repair spare parts information collection device 70, spare parts consumption rate calculation device 80, and replenishment spare parts extraction device 90 may be realized by one CPU (Central Processing Unit), or may each be realized by an individual CPU.

[0013] Each of the power generation companies A to N has a UI (User Interface) unit 2 that can input and output information and the like to and from the spare parts pool management system 1. The manager (system provider) of the spare parts pool management system 1 has a UI unit 3 that can input and output information and the like to and from the spare parts pool management system 1. The UI units 2 and 3 may be included in the spare parts pool management system 1.

[0014] Each of the UI units 2 and 3 has an information input unit for inputting information and an information output unit for outputting information. The information input unit is, for example, a mouse, a keyboard, a microphone (voice input), a touchpad, etc. The information output unit is, for example, a display unit such as a monitor.

[0015] The inventory database D10 includes a business spare parts database D11, a shared spare parts database D12, and a refurbished spare parts database D13.

[0016] The business operator spare parts database D11 stores information about spare parts owned by multiple users (power generation business operators A to N) of the spare parts pool management system 1. Business operators can search for and purchase spare parts owned by other business operators.

[0017] The shared spare parts database D12 stores information about spare parts (shared spare parts) held by the provider of the spare parts pool management system. Businesses can search for and purchase shared spare parts.

[0018] The refurbished spare parts database D13 stores information about repaired spare parts (refurbished spare parts). Refurbished spare parts are spare parts that have been removed due to a malfunction and then re-repaired and reused. The price of refurbished spare parts is set lower than the price of new spare parts. Businesses can search for and purchase refurbished spare parts. For example, if the usage period of a wind turbine is set to be relatively short, or due to delivery deadlines, etc., businesses may choose refurbished spare parts instead of new spare parts.

[0019] The spare part consumption rate database D20 stores the consumption rates of spare parts. The consumption rates are calculated by a spare part consumption rate calculation device 80. The business operator can check the consumption rates of spare parts.

[0020] The substitute / replacement / discontinuation information database D30 stores information on substitutes for spare parts and information on the replacement / replacement / discontinuation of spare parts. The information stored in the substitute / replacement / discontinuation information database D30 is input by the system provider and output to the business operator spare parts information management device 10. In other words, the business operator spare parts information management device 10 allows multiple businesses to output information from the substitute / replacement / discontinuation database. This allows businesses to check information on substitutes (interchangeability) and replacement / discontinuation.

[0021] The purchase history database D40 stores the purchase history of spare parts of businesses, allowing businesses to check the purchase history of spare parts.

[0022] The operator spare parts information management device 10 allows multiple operators to input and output information from the operator spare parts database D11. The operator spare parts information management device 10 also allows multiple operators to output information from the shared spare parts database D12 and the re-repair spare parts database D13. This allows each operator to share inventory information on spare parts. As a result, information can be managed in a unified manner, leading to more appropriate spare part management. Furthermore, when an operator does not have spare parts needed for emergency response, they can utilize spare parts owned by other operators or by the provider of the spare parts pool management system, which is expected to shorten recovery time.

[0023] The spare parts purchasing device 20 can input and output information related to the purchase of spare parts to and from a plurality of businesses. The spare parts purchasing device 20 may also be able to input and output information related to the sale of spare parts. The spare parts purchasing device 20 also receives information output from an inventory database D10, a spare parts consumption rate database D20, a replacement / replacement / discontinuation information database D30, and a purchase history database D40.

[0024] The operation data collection device 30 collects operation data of the operator's wind turbines. The operation data includes, for example, the operating status of the wind turbines and operation data of the motors, pumps, etc.

[0025] The maintenance history collection device 40 collects the maintenance history of the operator's wind turbines. The maintenance history includes, for example, information such as periodic inspection reports and troubleshooting.

[0026] The wind turbine basic information collecting device 50 collects basic information about the operator's wind turbines. The basic information includes, for example, the wind turbine location or the wind turbine's operating parameters. The wind turbine location includes, for example, mountainous areas or coastal areas. The operating parameters include, for example, the number of years of operation and the operating method.

[0027] The shared spare parts information collection device 60 receives information about shared spare parts from the system provider and stores it in the shared spare parts database D12.

[0028] The remanufacturable spare parts information collecting device 70 receives information on remanufacturable spare parts from the system provider and stores it in the remanufacturable spare parts database D13.

[0029] The spare part consumption rate calculation device 80 calculates the consumption rate of spare parts based on the wind turbine operation data and the wind turbine maintenance history. The operation data is collected by the operation data collection device 30. The maintenance history is collected by the maintenance history collection device 40. Note that the spare part consumption rate calculation device 80 may further use basic information collected by the wind turbine basic information collection device 50 to calculate the consumption rate.

[0030] The replenishment spare parts extraction device 90 extracts spare parts to be replenished in the shared spare parts database D12 based on the spare part inventory status and spare part consumption rate in the operator spare parts database D11, the shared spare parts database D12, and the re-repair spare parts database D13. The replenishment spare parts extraction device 90 sends a replenishment notice to the system provider as the extraction result. Upon receiving the replenishment notice, the system provider replenishes the shared spare parts. The replenishment spare parts extraction device 90 may further use operating data, maintenance history, and basic information to extract spare parts.

[0031] Next, the display on the display unit of the UI unit 2 owned by the business operator will be described.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display on the display unit according to the first embodiment.

[0033] The display unit displays a quick search field S, a user information icon U, a help icon H, icons I1 to I5, and the like.

[0034] The quick search field S is displayed so that text can be entered. The quick search field S allows for a quick spare part search.

[0035] The user information icon U is displayed so that it can be selected (pressed). When the user information icon U is selected, the details of the user information can be confirmed.

[0036] The help icon H is displayed so that it can be selected. When the help icon H is selected, for example, it becomes possible to obtain a manual or to inquire of a system administrator.

[0037] An icon I1 indicating "Search for spare parts" is displayed so that it can be selected. When the icon I1 is selected, for example, the display unit displays a screen for inputting conditions to search for spare parts.

[0038] An icon I2 indicating "check compatibility" is displayed so that it can be selected. When the icon I2 is selected, the display unit displays, for example, a screen for searching for which wind turbine model the target spare part is used for, or a screen for searching for a compatible substitute part.

[0039] An icon I3 indicating "Inventory" is displayed so that it can be selected. When the icon I3 is selected, for example, the display unit displays a screen for updating the inventory status of spare parts held by the business operator.

[0040] An icon I4 indicating "spare part consumption rate" is displayed so that it can be selected. When icon I4 is selected, for example, the display unit displays a screen for referencing a spare part consumption rate database for each spare part and each wind turbine model.

[0041] An icon I5 indicating "Purchase History" is displayed so that it can be selected. When icon I5 is selected, a screen is displayed for, for example, checking the purchase history and sales history up to now, issuing invoices, and checking the status of spare part transportation.

[0042] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of display of search results according to the first embodiment. The upper part of Fig. 3 shows the search contents. The lower part of Fig. 3 shows the search results. In Fig. 3, "list display" is selected as the search result display method from "list display" and "map display."

[0043] In the example shown in Figure 3, a search can be performed by wind turbine model, system, delivery WF (Wind Farm), model number / drawing number, and product name. The search results are displayed in a list. The search results show the wind turbine model, system, model number / drawing number, product name, owner, quantity, condition, storage location, cost, delivery date, etc. By pressing the "Details" button, detailed information about the spare part can be confirmed, as will be explained later with reference to Figure 5.

[0044] The business operator spare parts information management device 10 displays on the display unit the search results of spare parts owned by other business operators stored in the business operator spare parts database, without displaying information about the other business operators. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the other business operators are displayed as "User K" and "User M" in the "Owner" column. For example, if another business operator wishes to purchase a spare part owned by the business operator, the business operator is notified as to whether or not to permit the purchase.

[0045] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of display of search results according to the first embodiment. The upper part of Fig. 4 shows the search contents. The lower part of Fig. 4 shows the search results. In Fig. 4, "map display" is selected as the method for displaying the search results.

[0046] The business operator spare parts information management device 10 displays on the display unit a map and the locations of spare parts corresponding to positions on the map. This makes it easy to purchase spare parts from nearby locations, such as in the same prefecture, when it is necessary to receive spare parts quickly, for example, in an emergency.

[0047] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of detailed display of search results according to the first embodiment.

[0048] The business operator spare parts information management device 10 displays, for example, a photograph of the spare part, the price, the product name, the wind turbine model, the system, the model number, the drawing number, the specifications, the storage location, the quantity, the condition, the supplier, the year of manufacture, the year of receipt, and the substitute product, etc., on the display unit.

[0049] For the spare parts displayed in detail, you can use the display to purchase them ("Add to Cart") or view "Warranty Options." Details of the "Rental / Lease Options" will be explained later.

[0050] That is, the business operator spare parts information management device 10 allows a plurality of businesses to purchase spare parts stored in the business operator spare parts database D11, the shared spare parts database D12, and the re-repair spare parts database D13.

[0051] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the display of spare part consumption rate search results according to the first embodiment. The upper part of Fig. 6 shows the search contents. The lower left part of Fig. 6 shows a list of wind turbine models, systems, model numbers, drawing numbers, product names, and failure rates (consumption rates). The lower right part of Fig. 6 shows a graph of the failure rates. The horizontal axis of the graph indicates the number of years. The vertical axis of the graph indicates the number of failures per wind turbine.

[0052] Pressing the "Failure Rate" button displays a graph of failure rates. The graph shows the failure rates of wind turbines installed in mountainous and coastal areas. In other words, the failure rate varies depending on the parameters of the wind turbine. Operators can display the failure rates of parts in conditions similar to those of their own wind turbines.

[0053] That is, the operator spare parts information management device 10 displays the consumption rate calculated by the spare parts consumption rate calculation device 80 on the display unit. More specifically, the operator spare parts information management device 10 displays the consumption rate calculated by the spare parts consumption rate calculation device 80 for each piece of basic information about the wind turbine on the display unit. As described above, the basic information includes, for example, the wind turbine location or the wind turbine's operating parameters. The wind turbine location includes, for example, mountainous or coastal areas. The operating parameters include, for example, the number of years of operation and the operating method. This allows the operator to check the consumption rates stored in the spare parts consumption rate database D20. For example, the operator can refer to a graph to see how often the searched spare parts are consumed. As a result, the operator can replenish spare parts taking into account the actual consumption history of spare parts and the specific conditions of the wind turbine.

[0054] 7 is a diagram showing an example of a display of a spare part compatibility search result according to the first embodiment. The upper part of Fig. 7 shows the search contents. The lower part of Fig. 7 shows the search results.

[0055] Search results are displayed in a list format, including wind turbine model, system, model number / drawing number, product name, supplier, manufacturing year, and notes.

[0056] As shown in Figure 7, the remarks column lists information about part compatibility and discontinuation of production (information about alternatives and changes / eliminations). Businesses can also purchase compatible parts.

[0057] Furthermore, the carrier spare parts information management device 10 may notify the carrier of spare parts stored in the carrier spare parts database D11 that have been updated for a predetermined period of time or more since the last update. This can prompt the carrier to take inventory. There is a possibility that the carrier may use spare parts while forgetting to update the information in the carrier spare parts database D11. By prompting the carrier to take inventory, the information in the carrier spare parts database D11 can be made to match the actual status of spare parts (quantity, storage location, etc.). Note that the information in the carrier spare parts database D11 may be updated automatically. This can further reduce the burden on the carrier.

[0058] Furthermore, the business operator spare parts information management device 10 may notify the business operator or recommend the purchase of spare parts when the number of spare parts stored in the business operator spare parts database D11 is below a predetermined number, thereby enabling the business operator to replenish spare parts at a more appropriate time.

[0059] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the carrier spare parts information management device 10 allows multiple carriers to input and output information to the carrier spare parts database D11. The carrier spare parts information management device 10 also allows multiple carriers to output information from the shared spare parts database D12 and the re-repair spare parts database D13. This allows each carrier to share inventory information on spare parts. As a result, information can be managed in an integrated manner, enabling more appropriate management of spare parts.

[0060] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the spare part consumption rate calculation device 80 calculates the consumption rate of spare parts based on the operation data of the wind turbine and the maintenance history of the wind turbine. The business operator spare part information management device 10 displays the consumption rate calculated by the spare part consumption rate calculation device 80 on a display unit. This allows the business operator, who is the user, to manage spare parts more appropriately based on the consumption rate of spare parts.

[0061] If consumption rates are not used, businesses will not know the actual consumption of spare parts and will need to stock a large number of spare parts.

[0062] In contrast to this, in the first embodiment, the business operator can check the consumption rate stored in the spare part consumption rate database D20, which allows the business operator to replenish spare parts in consideration of the actual consumption record of spare parts.

[0063] (Second embodiment) 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a spare parts pool management system 1 according to a second embodiment. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that simultaneous purchase of spare parts is recommended. Note that part of the configuration of the spare parts pool management system 1 shown in the first embodiment is omitted.

[0064] The spare parts pool management system 1 further includes a spare parts simultaneous purchase recommendation information collecting device 100, a spare parts simultaneous purchase record extracting device 110, and a spare parts simultaneous purchase recommending device 120.

[0065] The spare part simultaneous purchase recommendation information collection device 100, the spare part simultaneous purchase record extraction device 110, and the spare part simultaneous purchase recommendation device 120 may be realized, for example, by a single CPU together with the business operator spare part information management device 10, etc., or each may be realized by a separate CPU.

[0066] The spare part simultaneous purchase recommendation information collecting device 100 receives information input from the system provider and outputs it to the spare part simultaneous purchase record extracting device 110 .

[0067] The spare part simultaneous purchase record extraction device 110 extracts data from the purchase history database D40 based on the information input from the spare part simultaneous purchase recommendation information collection device 100. The spare part simultaneous purchase record extraction device 110 outputs the extracted data to the spare part simultaneous purchase recommendation device 120.

[0068] The spare part simultaneous purchase recommendation device 120 recommends to the business operator the purchase of spare parts related to the spare part selected by the business operator based on the purchase history of the spare parts. The spare part simultaneous purchase recommendation device 120 outputs recommendation information to, for example, the business operator spare part information management device 10. The business operator spare part information management device 10 displays the recommendation information on, for example, a display unit. The spare parts recommended by the spare part simultaneous purchase recommendation device 120 are, for example, spare parts that are likely to be purchased by the business operator who purchased the spare part displayed in detail.

[0069] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a detailed display of search results according to the second embodiment. The left side of Fig. 9 shows a detailed display of spare parts, similar to Fig. 5. The right side of Fig. 9 shows a display of recommended functions by the spare parts simultaneous purchase recommendation device 120.

[0070] Furthermore, the business operator spare parts information management device 10 displays recommended spare parts related to the spare parts displayed in detail on the display unit. For example, the recommended spare parts can be purchased by pressing a picture of the displayed spare part.

[0071] The purchase history to be extracted may be the purchase history of the business being searched for, or may be the purchase history of another business.

[0072] Simultaneous purchase of spare parts may be recommended as in the second embodiment. The spare parts pool management system 1 according to the second embodiment can obtain the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0073] (Third embodiment) 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a spare parts pool management system 1 according to the third embodiment. The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the sale of spare parts held by a business operator is recommended.

[0074] The spare part pool management system 1 further includes a spare part inventory expiration information collection device 130, a spare part for sale extraction device 140, a spare part new price information collection device 150, a spare part for sale price assessment device 160, and a spare part sales recommendation device 170.

[0075] The spare part inventory expiration information collection device 130, the spare part extraction device 140 for sale, the new spare part price information collection device 150, the spare part price assessment device 160 for sale, and the spare part sales recommendation device 170 may be realized, for example, by a single CPU together with the business operator spare part information management device 10, etc., or each may be realized by a separate CPU.

[0076] The spare parts inventory expiration information collection device 130 receives information input from the system provider and outputs it to the sale target spare parts extraction device 140 .

[0077] The saleable spare parts extraction device 140 extracts spare parts for which a predetermined period of time has passed since the latest update from the business operator spare parts database D11. The saleable spare parts extraction device 140, for example, sends the extraction results to the saleable spare parts price assessment device 160. The saleable spare parts extraction device 140 extracts, for example, spare parts for which a predetermined period of time has passed since the latest update as saleable spare parts. The predetermined period is, for example, five years, but is not limited to this.

[0078] The new spare parts price information collection device 150 collects new spare parts prices (spare parts to be sold) input by the system provider, and outputs the prices to the spare parts to be sold price assessment device 160 .

[0079] The sale target spare part price assessment device 160 assesses the prices of the sale target spare parts extracted by the sale target spare part extraction device 140. That is, the sale target spare part price assessment device 160 assesses the prices of spare parts for which a predetermined period of time or more has elapsed since the latest update.

[0080] The spare parts for sale price assessment device 160 assesses the price of the spare parts based on at least one of, for example, the inventory period of the spare parts, their appearance (photograph), model, new spare part price, and the number of wind turbines (wind turbine sites) that may be used.

[0081] The spare part sale recommendation device 170 recommends the sale of spare parts to a business operator. The spare part sale recommendation device 170 outputs the spare parts to be sold and their assessed prices to, for example, the business operator spare parts information management device 10. The business operator spare parts information management device 10 displays the spare parts to be sold and their assessed prices on a display unit, for example.

[0082] This allows businesses to sell spare parts that have been stored unused for a certain period of time.

[0083] The sale of spare parts held by a business operator may be recommended as in the third embodiment. The spare parts pool management system 1 according to the third embodiment can obtain the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0084] (Fourth embodiment) 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a spare parts pool management system 1 according to the fourth embodiment. The fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a spare parts repair plan is formulated.

[0085] From the consumption rate, it is possible to predict the number of spare parts that will need repair in the future, and to develop a repair plan, for example, that five motors from several wind turbine sites will need repair this year.

[0086] The spare parts pool management system 1 further includes a spare parts repair planning device 180 .

[0087] The spare part repair plan formulation device 180 may be realized, for example, by one CPU together with the business operator spare part information management device 10 or the like, or may be realized by a separate CPU.

[0088] The spare part repair plan formulation device 180 formulates a spare part repair plan (spare part repair plan) based on the wind turbine's operating data (operating status), the wind turbine's maintenance history, and the spare part consumption rate. Note that basic information about the wind turbine may also be used to formulate the spare part repair plan. The spare part repair plan formulation device 180 notifies the system provider of the spare part repair plan.

[0089] A spare parts repair plan may be formulated as in the fourth embodiment. The spare parts pool management system 1 according to the fourth embodiment can obtain the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0090] (Fifth embodiment) 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a spare parts pool management system 1 according to a fifth embodiment. The fifth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that rental and lease prices of spare parts are presented.

[0091] For example, if a wind turbine is intended to be used for a relatively short period of time, operators may choose to rent or lease rather than purchase spare parts to keep costs down.

[0092] The spare parts pool management system 1 further includes a rental / lease price calculation device 190 and a spare parts price option display device 200.

[0093] The rental / lease price calculation device 190 and the spare part price option display device 200 may be realized, for example, together with the business operator spare part information management device 10, etc., on a single CPU, or each may be realized on a separate CPU.

[0094] The rental / lease price calculation device 190 calculates the rental or lease price of a spare part stored in at least one of the business spare parts database D11, the shared spare parts database D12, and the re-repair spare parts database D13. The rental / lease price calculation device 190 outputs the calculated rental / lease price to the spare parts price option display device.

[0095] More specifically, the rental / lease price calculation device 190 calculates the rental / lease price based on the price adjustment coefficient of the spare part and the rental / lease period. The price adjustment coefficient is input in advance according to the price of the spare part, for example.

[0096] The spare part price option display device 200 displays information relating to the rental / lease options and rental / lease prices of spare parts. The spare part price option display device 200 outputs information relating to the rental / lease options and rental / lease prices to, for example, the business operator spare part information management device 10. The business operator spare part information management device 10 displays information relating to the rental / lease options and rental / lease prices on a display unit, for example.

[0097] The spare parts price option display device 200 (business spare parts information management device 10) may further display the purchase price, which allows the business to compare the rental / lease price with the purchase price.

[0098] In the display shown in Figure 5, for the spare parts displayed in detail, it is possible to select the "rental / lease option" by operating the display unit.

[0099] As in the fifth embodiment, the rental / lease price of the spare parts may be presented. The spare parts pool management system 1 according to the fifth embodiment can obtain the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0100] At least a part of the data processing method in the spare parts pool management system 1 according to this embodiment may be configured with hardware or software. When configured with software, a program that realizes at least a part of the functions of the data processing method may be stored on a recording medium such as a flexible disk or a CD-ROM and read and executed by a computer. The recording medium is not limited to removable media such as magnetic disks or optical disks, but may also be fixed recording media such as hard disk drives or memory. Furthermore, a program that realizes at least a part of the functions of the data processing method may be distributed via a communication line (including wireless communication) such as the Internet. Furthermore, the program may be encrypted, modulated, or compressed and distributed via a wired or wireless line such as the Internet, or stored on a recording medium.

[0101] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 1 Spare parts pool management system, 2 UI unit, 10 Business operator spare parts information management device, 80 Spare parts consumption rate calculation device, 90 Replenishment spare parts extraction device, 120 Spare parts simultaneous purchase recommendation device, 160 Sale target spare parts price assessment device, 180 Spare parts repair plan formulation device, 190 Rental and lease price calculation device, D11 Business operator spare parts database, D12 Shared spare parts database, D13 Re-repair spare parts database, D30 Substitute and improvement / discontinuation information database

Claims

1. a business operator spare parts database that stores information about spare parts owned by multiple users of a spare parts pool management system that manages spare parts for equipment; a shared spare parts database that stores information about the spare parts owned by a provider of a spare parts pool management system; a refurbished spare parts database for storing information about the spare parts that have been repaired; a carrier spare parts information management unit that enables the plurality of users to input and output information to and from the carrier spare parts database and that enables the plurality of users to output information from the shared spare parts database and the re-repair spare parts database; A spare parts pool management system comprising:

2. a replacement database that stores information about replacements for the spare parts; 2. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 1, wherein said business operator spare parts information management unit enables said plurality of users to output information from said substitute parts database.

3. 2. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 1, further comprising a spare parts consumption rate calculation unit that calculates the consumption rate of the spare parts based on operation data of the equipment and a maintenance history of the equipment.

4. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 3 , wherein the company spare parts information management unit causes a display unit to display the consumption rate calculated by the spare parts consumption rate calculation unit.

5. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 4 , wherein the business operator spare parts information management unit causes the display unit to display the consumption rate calculated by the spare parts consumption rate calculation unit for each piece of basic information about the equipment.

6. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 5 , wherein the basic information includes a location of the equipment or an operating parameter of the equipment.

7. 4. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 3, further comprising a replenishment spare parts extraction unit that extracts the spare parts to be replenished to the shared spare parts database based on an inventory status of the spare parts and a consumption rate of the spare parts in the carrier spare parts database, the shared spare parts database, and the re-repair spare parts database.

8. 4. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 3, further comprising a spare parts repair plan formulation unit that formulates a repair plan for the spare parts based on operation data of the equipment, a maintenance history of the equipment, and a consumption rate of the spare parts.

9. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 1 , wherein the business spare parts information management unit notifies the user of the spare parts stored in the business spare parts database that have been updated for a predetermined period of time or more since the last update.

10. 2. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 1, wherein the business operator spare parts information management unit notifies the user or recommends the user to purchase the spare parts when the quantity of the spare parts owned by the user stored in the business operator spare parts database is below a predetermined quantity.

11. 2. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 1, further comprising a sale spare parts price assessment unit that assesses the prices of the spare parts stored in the business operator spare parts database for which a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the latest update.

12. 12. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 11, wherein the sale target spare parts price assessment unit assesses the prices of the spare parts based on at least one of the inventory period, appearance, model, new spare part price, and number of the equipment that may be used.

13. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 1 , wherein the business spare parts information management unit displays a map and locations of the spare parts corresponding to positions on the map on a display unit.

14. 2. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 1, further comprising a spare parts simultaneous purchase recommendation unit that recommends to the user the purchase of the spare parts related to the spare parts selected by the user based on a purchase history of the spare parts.

15. The spare parts pool management system according to claim 1 , further comprising a price calculation unit that calculates a rental / lease price based on the price adjustment coefficient of the spare parts and a rental / lease period.

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