Data Analysis Apparatus for Maintenance Strategy Evaluation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data analysis methods struggle to effectively evaluate maintenance strategies for devices by considering devices that have been replaced under a different maintenance strategy than the one used during data collection, making it difficult to optimize periodic inspection times and replacement criteria.
Innovation Solution
A data analysis apparatus and method that includes a database storing inspection data, a degradation prediction model, and components to generate virtual case examples simulating device degradation under alternative inspection schedules, allowing for the evaluation of maintenance strategies by accounting for devices replaced under different conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If periodic inspection data is analyzed under the original maintenance strategy, then the analysis is simple and straightforward, but it cannot evaluate alternative maintenance strategies that differ from the original strategy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual case examples that copy the structure and characteristics of actual inspection data, but modify them to represent alternative maintenance strategies. This allows the system to evaluate hypothetical scenarios without requiring physical experiments or complex simulations, by generating synthetic data that mirrors real data patterns while incorporating different inspection intervals and replacement criteria.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary generation of virtual case examples before actual strategy evaluation takes place. By pre-generating these synthetic datasets representing various alternative strategies, the system prepares evaluation material in advance, enabling comprehensive strategy comparison without computational overhead during the actual evaluation phase.
2Reliability
If devices replaced under the original maintenance strategy are excluded from analysis, then the data set is cleaner and easier to handle, but the evaluation of alternative strategies becomes invalid and inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual representations of replaced devices that preserve their historical inspection data and replacement information. These virtual case examples allow the system to maintain continuity of device histories while evaluating alternative strategies, ensuring that the evaluation accounts for devices that would have been replaced under the original strategy but might survive longer under alternative strategies.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual case examples act as intermediaries between actual inspection data and strategy evaluation. They bridge the gap by representing replaced devices in a form that can be systematically processed and evaluated under alternative maintenance strategies, without requiring direct manipulation of complex real-world device histories.
3Reliability
If virtual case examples are generated to represent replaced devices, then alternative maintenance strategies can be accurately evaluated, but the data processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system generates virtual case examples in advance, before the actual strategy evaluation process. This preliminary generation allows the computational workload to be distributed over time, and the resulting virtual datasets can be stored and reused for multiple evaluation scenarios, reducing repeated processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent generates virtual case examples by modifying key parameters of actual inspection data, such as inspection intervals and replacement criteria, while preserving the underlying data structure and patterns. This parameter-based generation is computationally more efficient than full simulations, as it leverages existing data relationships rather than requiring complete recalculations.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided with a data analysis method, including: providing a database storing for each of devices an example that includes inspection time, the degradation level, operation characteristics, and replacement information; providing a evaluation maintenance strategy including an evaluative inspection time, an evaluation time and evaluative replacement condition; providing a prediction model for predicting the degradation level of a device from operation characteristics thereof; estimating by using the database an estimated number of devices that have already been replaced before the evaluation time, evaluating the degradation level at the evaluative inspection time of each of as many devices as estimated number and devices subjected to inspection of same periodic inspection time as the evaluation time; and evaluating the degradation level at the evaluation time of devices whose degradation level at the evaluation inspection time does not satisfy the replacement condition.