Failure Analysis Validation and Layout Engine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for creating failure analysis records in complex systems, such as aerospace, are manual, time-consuming, prone to errors, and lack consistency, making it difficult to ensure safety and functionality across multiple stakeholders.

Innovation Solution

A system that includes a data validator and layout engine to automatically produce consistent failure case layouts from validated failure analysis data, reducing errors and resource time by performing consistency checks across different layouts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual methods are used to create failure analysis records by different engineering organizations, then each organization can maintain their own perspective and interests, but the process is time-consuming, prone to error, and lacks consistency and integration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to maintain different perspectivesVSAvoidtime-consuming manual creation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments failure analysis data into standardized components that can be independently validated and then assembled into different layout formats for different stakeholders, enabling automated production while maintaining organizational perspectives

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A single automated system performs multiple functions: data validation, consistency checking, and generation of multiple layout formats simultaneously, replacing multiple manual processes with one universal tool

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual methods are used to create failure analysis records, then flexibility in format is maintained, but the process is prone to error and lacks consistency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformat flexibilityVSAvoiderror-prone manual process

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary validation and consistency checking on failure data before it is used in any layouts, ensuring errors are caught early and consistency is maintained across all subsequent outputs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms through automated consistency checks that verify data integrity across different layouts, alerting users to discrepancies and ensuring reliable, error-free outputs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If multiple stakeholders are involved to evaluate failures in highly-integrated architectures, then comprehensive assessment is achieved, but the complexity of coordinating different layouts increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomprehensive safety assessmentVSAvoidcoordination complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple stakeholder perspectives into a single integrated failure analysis platform that automatically generates and coordinates different layouts, reducing coordination complexity while maintaining comprehensive assessment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The automated system acts as an intermediary that translates and coordinates between different stakeholder requirements and layouts, managing complexity centrally while enabling comprehensive multi-stakeholder evaluation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Ease of operation

If manual creation of failure analysis records is performed by different groups, then individual expertise is utilized, but resources and time spent in developing products increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindividual expert inputVSAvoiddevelopment efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by allowing individual experts to input their specialized knowledge through standardized interfaces, which then automatically integrates their contributions into comprehensive failure analyses without requiring manual coordination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual mechanical processes of data collection, validation, and layout generation with automated computational processes, dramatically improving productivity while preserving individual expert input

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10539955B2Failure analysis validation and visualization

Publication Date: 2020.01.21 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

A system is provided for integrating failure data for different failure analysis layouts. The system includes a data validator and layout engine. The data validator is configured to validate failure analysis data for a complex system including a plurality of systems. The failure analysis data includes failure data identifying failed systems, and design data describing the complex system and possible failures of at least some of its systems. In this regard, the data validator is configured to perform one or more consistency checks between the failure data and design data to thereby integrate the failure data for a plurality of different failure analysis layouts. The layout engine is in turn configured to selectively generate and communicate any one or more of the plurality of different layouts of the failure analysis data, with at least some of the failure analysis data being shared between at least some of the different layouts.