Fleet-Level Component Prognostics for Aircraft Maintenance Timing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current maintenance practices for complex vehicles, such as aircraft, rely on predetermined time-based or usage-based schedules, which can be costly and inefficient, leading to unnecessary maintenance and potential delays, as they do not account for varying environmental conditions and usage patterns across different aircraft.
Innovation Solution
A fleet-level prognostics system that analyzes performance data from multiple aircraft to determine the condition and remaining useful lifetime of components, enabling predictive maintenance schedules based on actual degradation rates and health status, rather than fixed intervals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If predetermined time-based or usage-based maintenance schedules are used, then maintenance can be planned in advance, but unnecessary maintenance is performed and operational availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from fixed time-based or usage-based maintenance parameters to dynamic parameters that reflect actual component degradation rates. By continuously monitoring component health status and adjusting maintenance timing based on real-time degradation data, the system performs maintenance only when actually needed, thereby reducing unnecessary downtime while improving operational availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables components to essentially self-report their health status through integrated sensors and monitoring systems. The prognostics system automatically assesses component condition and predicts remaining useful life without requiring manual inspection, allowing the system to service itself at the optimal moment and eliminate unnecessary maintenance interruptions.
2Loss of energy
If fleet-level prognostics analysis is implemented, then maintenance cost-effectiveness improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal prognostics platform that serves multiple aircraft and component types through a single fleet-level system. This multi-functional system analyzes data from various sensor types and applies to different component categories, reducing the need for separate maintenance systems for each component type and achieving cost-effectiveness despite the inherent complexity through consolidation and standardization.
Data Source
AI summary
A ground-based computing system receives data of performance parameters for like components disposed on like aircraft, and determines corresponding levels of degradation and rates of change of degradation for the respective like components. A fleet-level of degradation for groups of like components is generated based on analysis of the combined degradations of the like components in the respective group and models of components revised. A predicted time for maintenance for each like component is determined based on the corresponding at least one of the RUL and SOH of the like component, thereby enabling cost effective maintenance determinations for components based on a fleet-level information. The ground-based computing system transmits a modified component model to the like aircraft to replace a prior version of the component model which is used to generate on-board degradation analysis, thereby enhancing the accuracy of on-board degradation analysis based on fleet level data.