Equipment Maintenance Management System Using Real-Time Deterioration Index

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing equipment maintenance systems fail to accurately predict equipment deterioration in real-time, leading to inefficient maintenance and potential equipment failures, as they rely on periodic inspection data or statistical models that do not directly relate to actual equipment conditions.

Innovation Solution

An equipment maintenance management system that includes a monitoring data obtainer, an abnormal event information obtainer, a deterioration index calculator, a time change predictor, a relationship evaluator, and a scheduler, which uses real-time monitoring data to estimate a deterioration index, predict its time change, statistically evaluate its relation to abnormal events, and estimate future costs, thereby optimizing maintenance planning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If periodic inspection data is used to predict equipment deterioration, then maintenance planning can be performed, but real-time accuracy of deterioration prediction is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeterioration prediction accuracyVSAvoidinspection frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system combines periodic inspection data with continuous real-time monitoring data. The deterioration index is calculated periodically using both types of data, allowing the system to maintain high prediction accuracy without requiring continuous expensive monitoring, thus resolving the contradiction between accuracy and inspection frequency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a deterioration index as an intermediary parameter that bridges periodic inspection data and real-time monitoring data. This intermediary allows information from both data sources to be integrated and used for accurate deterioration prediction, overcoming the limitation of using either data source alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If real-time monitoring data is collected continuously, then deterioration prediction accuracy improves, but system complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeterioration prediction accuracyVSAvoidmonitoring system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses real-time monitoring data selectively - not for continuous full analysis, but specifically for calculating the deterioration index at predetermined intervals. This partial use of real-time data provides sufficient accuracy improvement without requiring continuous complex processing, thus reducing system complexity while maintaining prediction accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If maintenance is performed frequently, then equipment reliability is maintained, but productivity and cost efficiency decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment reliabilityVSAvoidmaintenance efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary deterioration prediction by continuously calculating the deterioration index and comparing it against thresholds. By predicting deterioration before it leads to actual equipment failure, the system allows maintenance to be scheduled in advance during planned downtime rather than performing frequent reactive maintenance, thus maintaining reliability while improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If maintenance is delayed to improve productivity, then cost efficiency improves, but equipment failure risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance efficiencyVSAvoidequipment failure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system establishes a feedback loop where the deterioration index is continuously calculated from real-time monitoring data and fed back to the maintenance scheduling system. This feedback allows dynamic adjustment of maintenance timing based on actual equipment condition, enabling delayed maintenance when equipment is healthy while triggering timely maintenance when deterioration is detected, thus balancing productivity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10521490B2Equipment maintenance management system and equipment maintenance management method

Publication Date: 2019.12.31 YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

A system includes: a monitoring data obtainer configured to obtain real-time monitoring data regarding equipment; a deterioration index calculator configured to calculate an estimated deterioration index of the equipment from an equipment model and the obtained monitoring data, the equipment model being created by modeling a relationship between the real-time monitoring data of the equipment in a normal state; a time change predictor configured to predict a time change of the estimated deterioration index; and a scheduler configured to estimate a cost in a future caused by the abnormal event, the cost being estimated based on the predicted time change of the estimated deterioration index and the relationship between the estimated deterioration index and the probability of the abnormal event.