Calculation device, maintenance fee setting method, and determination device

Abstract

A calculation device (1) comprises a first calculation unit (13), a second calculation unit (15), a third calculation unit (16), and a fourth calculation unit (17). The second calculation unit (15) calculates a first period P1 required until a value indicating component quality no longer satisfies a request of a reuse destination. The third calculation unit (16) calculates a second period P2 required until the value indicating component quality reaches a value calculated by the first calculation unit (13). The fourth calculation unit (17) calculates, on the basis of the first period P1 and the second period P2, a usability period P3 in which the component can be used at the reuse destination.

Description

Calculation device, method for setting maintenance fee, and determination device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a calculation device, a method for setting a maintenance fee, and a determination device.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a system for sorting reusable parts. In the system described in Patent Document 1, determination criteria for determining whether a part can be reused are set according to the type of the part. In this system, the remaining life of the part is calculated based on these determination criteria.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-119948

[0004] When parts are collected and reused, the conditions of use may be different between the collection source and the reuse destination. In the system described in Patent Document 1, it is not possible to accurately calculate the remaining life in such a case.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-described problems. An object of the present disclosure is to provide a calculation device capable of accurately calculating the usable period of a part at the reuse destination. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for setting a maintenance fee using such a calculation device. Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide a determination device capable of easily determining the number of parts that can be reused at a plurality of reuse destinations among the collected parts from a plurality of collection sources.

[0006] The calculation device according to the present disclosure includes: a first calculation unit that calculates a value indicating the quality of a part collected from or to be collected from a collection source at the time of collection; a second calculation unit that calculates a first period required until a value indicating the quality of the part becomes a value that does not satisfy the requirements of the reuse destination when the part is used at the reuse destination from a new state; a third calculation unit that calculates a second period required until a value indicating the quality of the part becomes the value calculated by the first calculation unit when the part is used at the reuse destination from a new state; and a fourth calculation unit that calculates the usable period of the part at the reuse destination based on the first period calculated by the second calculation unit and the second period calculated by the third calculation unit.

[0007] The method for setting maintenance fees relating to this disclosure is a method for setting maintenance fees using the calculation device described above, comprising: a determination step of determining whether or not a part can be reused at a reuse destination based on the usable period calculated by the fourth calculation unit and the minimum usage period of the part required at the reuse destination; and a setting step of setting the maintenance fee for maintenance performed using a part that has been determined to be reusable in the determination step to be lower than the maintenance fee for maintenance performed using a new part.

[0008] The determination device according to this disclosure includes: a first calculation unit that calculates a value indicating the quality of parts recovered or to be recovered from a recovery source at the time of recovery; a first list creation unit that creates a first list representing the relationship between the value calculated by the first calculation unit and the number of parts, based on the results calculated by the first calculation unit for multiple recovery sources; a second calculation unit that calculates a first period of time required for the value indicating the quality of a part to become a value that no longer meets the requirements of the reuse destination when the part is used at the reuse destination from a new condition; a fifth calculation unit that calculates a value indicating the quality of a part required at the start of use at the reuse destination, based on the first period calculated by the second calculation unit and the minimum usage period of the part required by the reuse destination; a second list creation unit that creates a second list representing the relationship between the value calculated by the fifth calculation unit and the number of parts, based on the results calculated by the fifth calculation unit for multiple reuse destinations; and a second determination unit that determines the number of parts that can be reused at multiple reuse destinations from among the parts used at multiple recovery sources, based on the first list created by the first list creation unit and the second list created by the second list creation unit.

[0009] The calculation device described in this disclosure can accurately calculate the usable period of parts at their reuse destinations. Furthermore, the determination device described in this disclosure can easily determine the number of parts from multiple collection sources that can be reused at multiple reuse destinations.

[0010] This is a diagram showing an example of the calculation device in Embodiment 1. This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the calculation device in Embodiment 1. This is a diagram illustrating the functions of the first model generation unit and the first calculation unit. This is a diagram illustrating the functions of the second model generation unit and the second calculation unit. This is a diagram illustrating the functions of the third calculation unit. This is a diagram showing another example of the calculation device. This is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of the calculation device. This is a diagram illustrating the functions of the first determination unit. This is a flowchart showing an example of a maintenance fee setting method. This is a diagram showing an example of the hardware resources of the calculation device. This is a diagram showing another example of the hardware resources of the calculation device. This is a diagram showing an example of the determination device in Embodiment 2. This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the determination device in Embodiment 2. This is a diagram illustrating the functions of the first list creation unit. This is a diagram illustrating the functions of the fifth calculation unit. This is a diagram illustrating the functions of the second determination unit.

[0011] A detailed explanation follows, with reference to the drawings. Repetitive explanations will be simplified or omitted as appropriate. In each drawing, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

[0012] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 shows an example of the calculation device 1 in Embodiment 1. The calculation device 1 is a device for calculating the period during which a part can be used at a reuse destination, or so-called remaining lifespan, when a part recovered from a source or a part scheduled to be recovered is to be reused at a reuse destination. Hereinafter, the part will also be referred to as part A. The period will also be referred to as the usable period.

[0013] In the example shown in Figure 1, the calculation device 1 comprises a storage unit 10, an information acquisition unit 11, a first model generation unit 12, a first calculation unit 13, a second model generation unit 14, a second calculation unit 15, a third calculation unit 16, and a fourth calculation unit 17.

[0014] The functions of the calculation device 1 will be described in detail below, with reference to Figures 2 to 5. Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the calculation device 1 in Embodiment 1.

[0015] First, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires information regarding the source of recovery of part A and information regarding its reuse destination (S101). For example, part A is a part installed in a specific piece of equipment. The storage unit 10 builds a database of usage conditions for each owner of the equipment, for each part used in the equipment or for each type of part. Therefore, a database of usage conditions for part A is also built for each owner of the equipment.

[0016] The usage conditions database contains various information such as maintenance information, operating conditions, part specifications, installation environment, and owner (customer) requirements. Other information may also be included in the usage conditions database. In S101, the information acquisition unit 11 identifies the source and reuse destination of part A and reads the necessary information from the respective usage conditions databases.

[0017] Next, the first model generation unit 12 generates a first prediction model to predict the quality state of part A at the source of collection (S102). The first prediction model is generated based on the conditions under which part A was used at the source of collection. That is, the first model generation unit 12 generates the first prediction model based on the information about the source of collection acquired by the information acquisition unit 11 in S101.

[0018] The method for generating the first predictive model can be any method that takes into account the conditions under which part A was used at the source of recovery. This method may be a statistical method or some kind of physical model. For example, the Weibull degradation hazard model may be used.

[0019] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the functions of the first model generation unit 12 and the first calculation unit 13. Figure 3 shows an example in which the first model generation unit 12 generates a degradation prediction curve C1 of component A as a first prediction model. As shown in Figure 3, the degradation prediction curve C1 shows the relationship between the elapsed time that component A has been used and the failure rate of component A, assuming that component A has only been used at the source of recovery.

[0020] In Figure 3, the horizontal axis represents the elapsed time of use of component A. However, if the lifespan of component A is expressed in other units, the horizontal axis in Figure 3 will be expressed in those units. For example, if the lifespan of component A is expressed in the number of starts, the horizontal axis in Figure 3 will be the number of starts. In the following, the unit representing the lifespan of component A will also be expressed as "period." That is, in the examples shown below, "period" may include concepts such as time and the number of times.

[0021] Next, the first calculation unit 13 calculates a value indicating the quality of part A at the time of retrieval (S103). In the following, an example in which this value is the failure rate will be described. That is, in S103, the first calculation unit 13 calculates the failure rate of part A at the time of retrieval. Note that the value calculated by the first calculation unit 13 does not have to be the failure rate, as long as it is a value indicating the quality of part A. This value may be soundness, survival rate, or functional level, etc. This value may be any other value.

[0022] In the example shown in Figure 3, the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 11 in S101 includes the time that part A was used at the source of collection. The first calculation unit 13 calculates the failure rate FR1 of part A at the time of collection from this time based on the degradation prediction curve C1. The failure rate FR1 is the failure rate of part A considering the usage conditions at the source of collection.

[0023] The above describes a preferred example in which the calculation device 1 includes a first model generation unit 12. In other examples, the calculation device 1 does not need to include a first model generation unit 12. In such cases, for example, a first prediction model is pre-stored in the storage unit 10. This first prediction model is acquired by the information acquisition unit 11 in S101.

[0024] Next, the second model generation unit 14 generates a second prediction model for predicting the quality state of part A at the reuse destination (S104). The second prediction model is generated based on the conditions under which part A is used at the reuse destination. That is, the second model generation unit 14 generates the second prediction model based on the information about the reuse destination acquired by the information acquisition unit 11 in S101. Any method is acceptable for generating the second prediction model, as long as it takes into account the conditions under which part A is used at the reuse destination.

[0025] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the functions of the second model generation unit 14 and the second calculation unit 15. Figure 4 shows an example in which the second model generation unit 14 generates a degradation prediction curve C2 for component A as a second prediction model. As shown in Figure 4, the degradation prediction curve C2 shows the relationship between the elapsed time of use of component A and the failure rate of component A, assuming that component A is used only in a reuse location.

[0026] Next, the second calculation unit 15 calculates the first period P1 required for the failure rate of part A to reach a value that no longer meets the requirements of the reuse destination, when part A is used at the reuse destination from a new state (S105). For example, each user of part A sets an upper limit (failure rate FR2) for the failure rate of part A in order to properly operate the equipment. That is, if the failure rate of part A exceeds the failure rate FR2, it cannot meet the quality requirements of the user. Therefore, part A cannot be used at that user. In S105, the second calculation unit 15 calculates the period from when a new part A is first used at the reuse destination until the failure rate reaches the failure rate FR2 as the first period P1.

[0027] In the example shown in Figure 4, the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 11 in S101 includes the failure rate FR2, which is the required quality for the reuse destination of part A. The second calculation unit 15 calculates the first period P1 from the failure rate FR2 based on the degradation prediction curve C2. The first period P1 corresponds to the lifespan of part A, taking into account the usage conditions at the reuse destination.

[0028] The above describes a preferred example in which the calculation device 1 includes a second model generation unit 14. In other examples, the calculation device 1 does not need to include a second model generation unit 14. In such cases, for example, a second prediction model is pre-stored in the storage unit 10. This second prediction model is acquired by the information acquisition unit 11 in S101.

[0029] Next, the third calculation unit 16 calculates the second period P2 required for the failure rate of part A to reach the failure rate FR1 calculated by the first calculation unit 13 in S103, when part A is used at a reuse site from a new state (S106).

[0030] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the function of the third calculation unit 16. Figure 5 shows the degradation prediction curve C1 shown in Figure 3 and the degradation prediction curve C2 shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 5, the third calculation unit 16 calculates the second period P2 from the failure rate FR1 based on the degradation prediction curve C2. The second period P2 corresponds to the elapsed usage time of part A at the time of recovery, taking into account the usage conditions at the reuse destination.

[0031] Next, the fourth calculation unit 17 calculates the usable period P3 of part A at the reuse destination (S107). The usable period P3 is calculated based on the first period P1 calculated by the second calculation unit 15 in S105 and the second period P2 calculated by the third calculation unit 16 in S106.

[0032] In the simplest example, as shown in Figure 5, the fourth calculation unit 17 calculates the usable period P3 as the period obtained by subtracting the second period P2 from the first period P1. In another example, the fourth calculation unit 17 may calculate the usable period P3 as the period obtained by multiplying the period obtained by subtracting the second period P2 from the first period P1 by a coefficient less than 1. The fourth calculation unit 17 may also calculate the usable period P3 by other methods.

[0033] In the example shown in this embodiment, the usable period P3 of part A at the reuse destination can be calculated with high accuracy by considering both the conditions under which part A was used at the collection source and the conditions under which it will be used at the reuse destination.

[0034] The processes shown in S104 and S105 of Figure 2 may be performed before the processes shown in S102 and S103, or they may be performed in parallel.

[0035] Figures 1 and 2 show a preferred example in which the calculation device 1 further comprises a display control unit 18 and a display unit 20. When the usable period P3 is calculated in S107, the display control unit 18 displays the calculation result by the fourth calculation unit 17, i.e., the usable period P3, on the display unit 20 (S108). A maintenance worker who manages equipment equipped with part A can look at the display on the display unit 20 and determine whether or not part A can be reused.

[0036] As another example, the calculation device 1 may include a communication unit (not shown) instead of, or together with, the display control unit 18. The communication unit transmits the calculation result from the fourth calculation unit 17 to a specific terminal or mobile terminal not provided with the calculation device 1. A maintenance worker can look at the display on the terminal or mobile terminal and determine whether or not part A can be reused.

[0037] As another example, the calculation results from the fourth calculation unit 17 may simply be stored in the storage unit 10 so that maintenance personnel can perform searches or other operations later.

[0038] Figure 6 shows another example of the calculation device 1. The calculation device 1 shown in Figure 6 differs from the calculation device 1 shown in Figure 1 in that it includes a first determination unit 19.

[0039] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of the calculation device 1. The processes shown in S201 to S207 in Figure 7 are the same as the processes shown in S101 to S107 in Figure 2. When the usable period P3 is calculated in S207, the first determination unit 19 determines whether or not part A can be reused at the reuse destination (S208). The determination in S208 is made based on the usable period P3 calculated by the fourth calculation unit 17 in S207 and the minimum usable period P4 of part A required by the reuse destination. The minimum usable period P4 is the period determined by each user as the period during which part A must be used without failure.

[0040] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the function of the first determination unit 19. Figure 8 is equivalent to Figure 5 with the addition of a minimum service life P4. For example, each user of part A sets a minimum service life P4 for part A in order to properly operate the equipment. That is, if part A becomes unusable due to a malfunction or the like before the minimum service life P4 has elapsed since the start of use of part A, the quality requirements of the user cannot be met.

[0041] In this example, the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 11 in S101 includes the minimum usage period P4 of component A required by the reuse destination. The first determination unit 19 compares the available period P3 and the minimum usage period P4. For example, if the available period P3 is longer than the minimum usage period P4, it is determined that component A can be reused at the reuse destination (Yes in S208).

[0042] Even if the minimum usage period of component A alone is registered as "5 years" in the usage condition database, if the replacement of the upper-level device equipped with component A is scheduled 3 years later in the maintenance information, the first determination unit 19 may determine the minimum usage period P4 of component A as "3 years".

[0043] When it is determined Yes in S208, the display control unit 18 displays on the display 20 the determination result by the first determination unit 19, that is, the fact that component A can be reused at the reuse destination (S209). The maintenance staff can easily know that component A can be reused by looking at the display on the display 20.

[0044] On the other hand, the first determination unit 19 compares the available period P3 and the minimum usage period P4. For example, if the available period P3 is shorter than the minimum usage period P4, it is determined that component A cannot be reused at the reuse destination (No in S208). When it is determined No in S208, the display control unit 18 displays on the display 20 the determination result by the first determination unit 19, that is, the fact that component A cannot be reused at the reuse destination (S210). The maintenance staff can easily know that component A cannot be reused by looking at the display on the display 20.

[0045] Next, a method for setting the maintenance fee using the above-described calculation device 1 will be described. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a method for setting the maintenance fee.

[0046] The procedure shown in S301 of FIG. 9 is the same as the determination process performed by the first determination unit 19 in S208 of FIG. 7. That is, first, in the determination step shown in S301, based on the available period P3 and the minimum usage period P4 calculated by the calculation device 1, it is determined whether component A can be reused at the reuse destination. When the calculation device 1 includes the first determination unit 19 and the process shown in S208 of FIG. 7 is performed by the calculation device 1, the procedure shown in S301 of FIG. 9 is omitted.

[0047] When it is determined as Yes in S301, next, in the setting step shown in S302, when performing maintenance using part A determined to be reusable at the reuse destination, the maintenance cost is set. In S302, the maintenance cost when using reused part A is set to a lower cost than the maintenance cost when performing maintenance using a new part.

[0048] For example, regarding equipment that requires maintenance within a certain period, considering the required quality of the owner (reuse destination), the types and quantities of parts that can be reused in the maintenance of the equipment are determined. Here, consider the case where in the next maintenance of the equipment, 2 reused parts can be used for part A1 and 1 reused part can be used for part A2. Table 1 shows an example of a parts price list.

[0049]

[0050] In the above example, the cost of parts when using new parts is 32,000 yen as follows. - Cost for part A1: 10,000 yen × 2 pieces = 20,000 yen - Cost for part A2: 12,000 yen × 1 piece = 12,000 yen On the other hand, the cost of parts when using reused parts is 20,000 yen as follows. - Cost for part A1: 10,000 yen × (1 - 0.3) × 2 pieces = 14,000 yen - Cost for part A2: 12,000 yen × (1 - 0.5) × 1 piece = 6,000 yen Note that the maintenance cost is calculated by adding labor costs and other various expenses to the above parts cost.

[0051] For example, as the maintenance cost, the cost when using new parts and the cost when using reused parts are presented to the owner. If the owner agrees to use the reused parts, maintenance is performed using the reused parts.

[0052] Note that the reuse discount rate shown in Table 1 may vary according to the required quality required by the owner, for example, the failure rate that the owner can accept. The reuse discount rate may also vary according to the number of reused parts used.

[0053] Furthermore, in this example, a refund step may be provided in which a portion of the maintenance fee is refunded under certain conditions. In the refund step, for example, if maintenance is performed using a part that has been determined to be reusable in the determination step shown in S301, and the part becomes unusable before the minimum service life has elapsed, a portion of the maintenance fee may be refunded. In this example, "becoming unusable" includes not only the case where the reusable part becomes completely unusable due to a malfunction, etc., but also the case where the quality of the part falls below a predetermined standard value and becomes unusable due to quality issues. For example, the above refund step may be implemented if the downtime of the equipment exceeds the standard time.

[0054] By adopting this method of setting maintenance fees, it is possible to reduce owners' reluctance to reuse parts and improve their satisfaction with maintenance fees and services. Furthermore, by promoting the reuse of parts, the environmental impact can also be reduced.

[0055] Figure 10 shows an example of the hardware resources of the calculation device 1. The calculation device 1 includes a processing circuit 30 as a hardware resource, which includes a processor 31 and a memory 32. The processing circuit 30 may include multiple processors 31. The processing circuit 30 may also include multiple memory 32.

[0056] In this embodiment, the parts indicated by reference numerals 10 to 19 represent functions of the calculation device 1. The function of the storage unit 10 is realized by the memory 32. The functions of the parts indicated by reference numerals 11 to 19 can be realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware written as a program. The program is stored in the memory 32. The calculation device 1 realizes the functions of the parts indicated by reference numerals 11 to 19 by executing the program stored in the memory 32 using the processor 31 (computer).

[0057] The processor 31 is also called a CPU (Central Processing Unit), etc. Semiconductor memory, etc., may be used as the memory 32.

[0058] Figure 11 shows another example of the hardware resources of the computing device 1. In the example shown in Figure 11, the computing device 1 includes a processor 31, memory 32, and a processing circuit 30 including dedicated hardware 33. Figure 11 shows an example in which some of the functions of the computing device 1 are realized by the dedicated hardware 33. All of the functions of the computing device 1 may also be realized by the dedicated hardware 33. As the dedicated hardware 33, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof can be used.

[0059] Embodiment 2. In this embodiment, the explanation of matters already described in Embodiment 1 will be omitted as appropriate. Any example disclosed in Embodiment 1 may be adopted in the examples shown in this embodiment, if applicable.

[0060] Figure 12 shows an example of the determination device 4 in Embodiment 2. Embodiment 1 described an example in which parts recovered from a certain recovery source are reused at a specific reuse destination. However, some parts may be used in a large number of facilities. This embodiment describes an example in which parts recovered from a large number of recovery sources can be reused at a large number of use destinations.

[0061] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 does not describe the reuse of parts recovered from multiple sources at multiple destinations for parts used in multiple pieces of equipment. One objective of the disclosure in this embodiment is to provide a determination device 4 that can easily determine the number of parts recovered from multiple sources that can be reused at multiple destinations.

[0062] In the example shown in Figure 12, the determination device 4 comprises a storage unit 40, an information acquisition unit 41, a field extraction unit 42, a first model generation unit 43, a first calculation unit 44, a first list creation unit 45, a second model generation unit 46, a second calculation unit 47, a fifth calculation unit 48, a second list creation unit 49, and a second determination unit 50.

[0063] The functions of the determination device 4 will be described in detail below, with reference to Figures 13 to 16. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the determination device 4 in Embodiment 2.

[0064] First, the information acquisition unit 41 acquires information about each site (each piece of equipment) that uses a specific part (S401). In this embodiment, "site" may be read as "equipment". The function of the information acquisition unit 41 is substantially the same as that of the information acquisition unit 11. Also, the function of the storage unit 40 is substantially the same as that of the storage unit 10. The information acquisition unit 41 acquires necessary information from the usage condition database, etc., in the storage unit 40.

[0065] Next, the field extraction unit 42 extracts fields where the part needs to be replaced within a predetermined period (S402). The extraction in S402 is performed based on maintenance information and the like acquired by the information acquisition unit 41.

[0066] Next, a process is carried out to calculate the supply quantity of the part in question. Specifically, after the site where the part is scheduled to be replaced, i.e., the source of the collection, is identified, the processes shown in S403 and S404 are performed for each part that has been collected or is scheduled to be collected from the collection source. Hereafter, the part in question will also be referred to as part B.

[0067] First, the first model generation unit 43 generates a first prediction model to predict the quality state of part B at the site from which it was recovered (S403). The function of the first model generation unit 43 is substantially the same as that of the first model generation unit 12. The first prediction model is generated based on the conditions under which part B was used at the site from which it was recovered. The first model generation unit 43 may also generate a deterioration prediction curve C1 of part B as the first prediction model, as shown in Figure 3.

[0068] Next, the first calculation unit 44 calculates a value indicating the quality of part B at the time of recovery (S404). The function of the first calculation unit 44 is substantially the same as that of the first calculation unit 13. In the following, an example in which this value is the failure rate will be described, similar to Embodiment 1. For example, the first calculation unit 44 calculates the failure rate FR1 of part B at the time of recovery from the time that part B was used at the recovery source, based on the deterioration prediction curve C1.

[0069] The above describes a preferred example in which the determination device 4 includes a first model generation unit 43. The determination device 4 does not necessarily have to include a first model generation unit 43. A first prediction model that takes into account the usage conditions at the recovery source may be pre-stored in the storage unit 40.

[0070] If there are multiple sites from which parts are collected, the processes shown in S403 and S404 are performed for each site. As a result, for part B, the failure rate FR1 at the time of collection is calculated for each site (each collection source) and for each part, according to the usage conditions of the collection source.

[0071] The first list creation unit 45 creates a first list (S405) based on the results calculated by the first calculation unit 44 for the above-mentioned multiple sites. The first list is a list that shows the relationship between the failure rate FR1 calculated by the first calculation unit 44 and the number of parts B. The first list may be in any format as long as it shows the said relationship.

[0072] Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the function of the first list creation unit 45. Figure 14 shows the first list created by the first list creation unit 45 as a distribution diagram of the failure rate FR1 and the number of parts B, i.e., a distribution curve C3. The distribution curve C3 shown in Figure 14 is obtained by integrating the results calculated by the first calculation unit 44 for the above-mentioned multiple sites, and represents the amount of reusable parts B. The first list creation unit 45 may also add new parts B currently held in stock to the first list with a failure rate FR1 = 0.

[0073] Next, a process is carried out to calculate the demand for part B. Specifically, for each part B scheduled for replacement, the processes shown in S406 to S408 are performed for each site where the part will be reused.

[0074] First, the second model generation unit 46 generates a second prediction model to predict the quality state of part B at the site where it will be reused (S406). The function of the second model generation unit 46 is substantially the same as that of the second model generation unit 14. The second prediction model is generated based on the conditions under which part B will be used at the reuse site. The second model generation unit 46 may also generate a deterioration prediction curve C2 for part B as the second prediction model, as shown in Figure 4.

[0075] Next, the second calculation unit 47 calculates the first period P1 required for the failure rate of part B to reach a value that no longer meets the requirements of the reuse destination, when part B is used at the reuse destination from a new state (S407). The function of the second calculation unit 47 is substantially the same as that of the second calculation unit 15. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the second calculation unit 47 calculates the first period P1 from the failure rate FR2 based on the degradation prediction curve C2.

[0076] Next, the fifth calculation unit 48 calculates the failure rate FR3 of component B required at the start of use at the reuse destination (S408). The failure rate FR3 of component B is calculated based on the first period P1 calculated by the second calculation unit 47 and the minimum usage period P4 of component B required at the reuse destination.

[0077] Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating the function of the fifth calculation unit 48. As described above, each user of part B has set a minimum service life P4 for part B in order to properly operate the equipment. The fifth calculation unit 48 calculates the failure rate FR3 from the first period P1 and the minimum service life P4, for example, based on the deterioration prediction curve C2. The failure rate FR3 corresponds to the quality of part B required at the start of reuse when part B is reused at the reuse site.

[0078] The above describes a preferred example in which the determination device 4 includes a second model generation unit 46. The determination device 4 does not necessarily have to include a second model generation unit 46. A second prediction model that takes into account the usage conditions at the reuse destination may be pre-stored in the storage unit 10.

[0079] If there are multiple sites that can be reused, the processes shown in S406 to S408 are performed for each site. As a result, for part B, the failure rate FR3 required at the start of use is calculated for each site (each reuse site) and for each part, according to the usage conditions of the reuse site.

[0080] The second list creation unit 49 creates a second list based on the results calculated by the fifth calculation unit 48 for the above-mentioned multiple sites (S409). The second list is a list that shows the relationship between the failure rate FR3 calculated by the fifth calculation unit 48 and the number of parts B. The second list may be in any format as long as it shows the said relationship.

[0081] The second list created by the second list creation unit 49 may be represented as a distribution diagram, or distribution curve, of the failure rate FR3 and the number of parts B, as shown in Figure 14. In this case, the distribution curve is obtained by integrating the results calculated by the fifth calculation unit 48 for the multiple sites mentioned above, and represents the demand for parts B. The second list creation unit 49 may also add to the second list the number of parts B that will be needed in the future due to factors other than maintenance, such as the installation or renewal of equipment.

[0082] Next, the second determination unit 50 determines the number N1 of parts B used at the multiple collection sources that can be reused at the multiple reuse destinations (S410). The determination in S410 is made based on the first list created by the first list creation unit 45 and the second list created by the second list creation unit 49.

[0083] Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating the function of the second determination unit 50. Figure 16 shows a distribution curve C3 based on the first list and a distribution curve C4 based on the second list. As described above, distribution curve C3 represents the amount of reusable parts B, and distribution curve C4 represents the demand for parts B. Therefore, the second determination unit 50 can determine that the quantity of parts B corresponding to the region AR1 (the region indicated by the diagonal lines) enclosed by both distribution curves C3 and C4 is number N1.

[0084] Furthermore, the second determination unit 50 may determine, based on the first list and the second list, the number N2 of parts B used at the multiple collection sources that will need to be discarded or repaired after collection. The number N2 is the quantity of parts B that cannot be used as is after collection. The second determination unit 50 can determine that the quantity of parts B corresponding to the region AR2 enclosed by the distribution curve C3 but not enclosed by the distribution curve C4 is the number N2.

[0085] The second determination unit 50 may determine the number N3 of new parts that will be needed at the above-mentioned multiple reuse destinations based on the first list and the second list. The second determination unit 50 can determine that the quantity of parts B corresponding to the region AR3 enclosed by the distribution curve C4 but not enclosed by the distribution curve C3 is the number N3.

[0086] The determination result from the second determination unit 50 may be displayed on the display unit 53 by the display control unit 52, similar to the example shown in Embodiment 1. The determination result may be transmitted to a specific terminal or mobile terminal by a communication unit (not shown), or it may be stored in the storage unit 40 so that maintenance personnel can search for it later.

[0087] Figures 12 and 13 show a preferred example in which the determination device 4 further includes a planning unit 51. The planning unit 51 creates a maintenance plan for the collection source and reuse destination of part B based on the determination result from the second determination unit 50 (S411). For example, the planning unit 51 creates a maintenance plan so as to optimize the order in which part B is collected and the combination of the collection source and reuse destination of part B by employing a multi-objective optimization method or the like. In such a case, the above-mentioned number N1 and the travel cost between sites may be used as objective variables.

[0088] With respect to part B for which no reuse destination can be found, the planning unit 51 may determine whether it can be reused through maintenance and repair, or whether it must be discarded. Preferably, this determination is made by comprehensively considering the necessary costs, environmental impact, and the effect of extending the lifespan through maintenance and repair.

[0089] Furthermore, the planning unit 51 may create an ordering plan or production plan for necessary new parts based on the determination result by the second determination unit 50. The planning unit 51 can determine the number of new parts needed from the number N3. The planning unit 51 may also create an ordering plan or production plan by taking into account the number of parts B included in the number N1 for which no reuse destination can be found.

[0090] The plan created by the plan creation unit 51 may be displayed on the display unit 53 by the display control unit 52. The plan may also be transmitted to a specific terminal or mobile terminal by a communication unit (not shown), or it may be stored in the storage unit 40 so that maintenance personnel can search for it later.

[0091] In the example shown in this embodiment, as in the example shown in Embodiment 1, the maintenance fee may be set using the determination device 4. In this case, the maintenance fee when using recycled parts is set lower than the maintenance fee when performing maintenance using new parts. Also in this example, if maintenance is performed using recycled parts and the parts become unusable before the minimum service period has elapsed, a partial refund of the maintenance fee may be provided.

[0092] The determination device 4 shown in this embodiment can acquire information about reusable parts necessary for creating maintenance plans, etc.

[0093] The hardware resources of the determination device 4 are the same as those shown in the example in Figure 10 or Figure 11. The determination device 4 includes a processing circuit that includes a processor and memory as hardware resources. The processing circuit may include multiple processors. The processing circuit may also include multiple memories. The functions of the storage unit 40 are realized by the memory. The determination device 4 realizes the functions of each part shown by reference numerals 41 to 52 by executing a program stored in memory using a processor (computer). The determination device 4 may include a processing circuit that includes a processor, memory, and dedicated hardware as hardware resources. Some or all of the functions of the determination device 4 may be realized by dedicated hardware.

[0094] The calculation device described herein can be used when parts recovered from a source or parts that are scheduled to be recovered are to be reused at a reuse destination.

[0095] 1 Calculation unit, 4 Judgment unit, 10 Storage unit, 11 Information acquisition unit, 12 First model generation unit, 13 First calculation unit, 14 Second model generation unit, 15 Second calculation unit, 16 Third calculation unit, 17 Fourth calculation unit, 18 Display control unit, 19 First judgment unit, 20 Display unit, 30 Processing circuit, 31 Processor, 32 Memory, 33 Dedicated hardware, 40 Storage unit, 41 Information acquisition unit, 42 Field extraction unit, 43 First model generation unit, 44 First calculation unit, 45 First list creation unit, 46 Second model generation unit, 47 Second calculation unit, 48 Fifth calculation unit, 49 Second list creation unit, 50 Second judgment unit, 51 Plan creation unit, 52 Display control unit, 53 Display unit

Claims

1. A calculation device comprising: a first calculation unit that calculates a value indicating the quality of a part recovered from or to be recovered from a source at the time of recovery; a second calculation unit that calculates a first period of time required for the value indicating the quality of the part to become a value that no longer meets the requirements of the reuse destination when the part is used from a new condition to a reuse destination; a third calculation unit that calculates a second period of time required for the value indicating the quality of the part to become a value calculated by the first calculation unit when the part is used from a new condition to a reuse destination; and a fourth calculation unit that calculates the usable period of the part at the reuse destination based on the first period calculated by the second calculation unit and the second period calculated by the third calculation unit.

2. The calculation device according to claim 1, further comprising a first determination unit that determines whether or not the part can be reused at the reuse destination based on the usable period calculated by the fourth calculation unit and the minimum usable period of the part required at the reuse destination.

3. The calculation device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a first model generation unit that generates a first prediction model for predicting the quality state of the part based on the conditions under which the part was used at the source of recovery, wherein the first calculation unit calculates a value indicating the quality of the part at the time of recovery based on the first prediction model generated by the first model generation unit.

4. The calculation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a second model generation unit that generates a second prediction model for predicting the quality state of the part based on the conditions under which the part is used at the reuse destination, the second calculation unit calculates the first period based on the second prediction model generated by the second model generation unit, and the third calculation unit calculates the second period based on the second prediction model generated by the second model generation unit.

5. A method for setting maintenance fees using the calculation device described in claim 1, comprising: a determination step of determining whether the part can be reused at the reuse destination based on the usable period calculated by the fourth calculation unit and the minimum usage period of the part required at the reuse destination; and a setting step of setting the maintenance fee for maintenance performed using the part that has been determined to be reusable in the determination step to be lower than the maintenance fee for maintenance performed using a new part.

6. The method for setting maintenance fees according to claim 5, further comprising a refund step of refunding a portion of the maintenance fee if, when maintenance is performed using the part determined to be reusable in the determination step, the part becomes unusable before the minimum service life of the part has elapsed.

7. A first calculation unit calculates a value indicating the quality of parts recovered or to be recovered from a recovery source at the time of recovery; a first list creation unit creates a first list representing the relationship between the value calculated by the first calculation unit and the number of parts, based on the results calculated by the first calculation unit for multiple recovery sources; a second calculation unit calculates a first period of time required for the value indicating the quality of the parts to reach a value that no longer meets the requirements of the reuse destination when the parts are used at the reuse destination from a new condition; a fifth calculation unit calculates a value indicating the quality of the parts required at the start of use at the reuse destination, based on the first period calculated by the second calculation unit and the minimum usage period of the parts required by the reuse destination; a second list creation unit creates a second list representing the relationship between the value calculated by the fifth calculation unit and the number of parts, based on the results calculated by the fifth calculation unit for multiple reuse destinations; and a second determination unit determines the number of parts that were used at the multiple recovery sources and are reusable at the multiple reuse destinations, based on the first list created by the first list creation unit and the second list created by the second list creation unit. A determination device equipped with this device.

8. The determination device according to claim 7, wherein the second determination unit determines, based on the first list created by the first list creation unit and the second list created by the second list creation unit, the number of parts used at the plurality of collection sources that will need to be disposed of or repaired after collection.

9. The determination device according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the second determination unit determines the number of new parts that will be needed in the future at the plurality of reuse destinations based on the first list created by the first list creation unit and the second list created by the second list creation unit.

10. The determination device according to claim 9, further comprising a planning unit that creates an ordering plan or production plan for new parts based on the determination result of the second determination unit.

11. The determination device according to any one of claims 7 to 10, further comprising a planning unit for creating maintenance plans at the source and reuse destination of the parts based on the determination results from the second determination unit.

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