Structural Component Life Assessment With Adaptive Damage Models
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor-based monitoring systems for construction machinery struggle to reliably distinguish critical from non-critical damage in structural components, leading to unreliable condition assessments and complex maintenance processes that require skilled personnel, often resulting in unplanned downtime and high repair costs.
Innovation Solution
A device that generates synthetic damage characteristics from design data and adapts them using real condition information, employing an AI system to create a self-learning database for accurate condition and remaining service life determination, allowing untrained personnel to plan maintenance effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If sensor-based monitoring systems are used to detect damage in structural components, then damage detection capability is improved, but the ability to reliably distinguish critical from non-critical damage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system segments damage detection into multiple independent sensor channels (vibration sensors, temperature sensors, acoustic emission sensors) that each monitor specific damage aspects. The evaluation device then integrates these segmented sensor signals to comprehensively assess damage severity, allowing reliable distinction between critical and non-critical damage states.
Solution Approach 2:
The evaluation device acts as an intermediary between raw sensor signals and damage assessment. It processes sensor signals through signal processing algorithms and comparison with reference damage patterns, translating complex sensor data into reliable damage severity classifications that distinguish critical from non-critical conditions.
2Measurement precision
If complex sensor-based monitoring systems are implemented to improve damage detection, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluation device is designed as a universal system that handles multiple sensor types (vibration, temperature, acoustic emission) and processes them through unified evaluation algorithms. It compares sensor signals against stored reference patterns for various damage types, providing comprehensive condition assessment through a single multi-functional device rather than separate specialized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses reference damage patterns stored in the evaluation device that represent typical damage signatures. By comparing actual sensor signals against these copied reference patterns, the system achieves accurate damage assessment without requiring complex real-time analysis of every signal variation.
3Device complexity
If traditional monitoring systems are used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability of condition assessment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluation device implements feedback by continuously comparing sensor signals with reference damage patterns and adjusting damage assessments based on this comparison. This feedback mechanism enables reliable condition assessment by systematically evaluating sensor data against known damage signatures rather than using simple threshold-based monitoring.
4Measurement precision
If detailed damage monitoring is implemented to improve measurement precision, then damage detection capability is improved, but loss of time in maintenance planning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary damage assessment by continuously comparing sensor signals with reference patterns and determining damage severity in real-time. This preliminary evaluation provides maintenance planners with advance information about damage criticality, enabling timely maintenance scheduling without requiring extensive post-analysis of sensor data.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus for determining the actual state and/or the remaining service life of structural components, for example large-diameter rolling bearings, of a work machine, in particular a construction machine, a material-handling machine and/or a conveyor machine, comprising a sensor system for acquiring state information relating to the structural component, and an analytical device for analyzing the acquired state information and determining the actual state and/or the remaining service life on the basis of a comparison with predetermined damage characteristics, wherein an active database device is provided for storing the damage characteristics, to which database device a determination device for determining the damage characteristics from design data of the structural component, and an adjustment device for adjusting the predetermined damage characteristics on the basis of the state and/or the remaining service life information determined by the evaluation device are connected.