Pneumatic Control Failure Prediction Using Operating Trend Models

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Solution Overview

Problem

Industrial systems face challenges in predicting component failures due to reliance on scheduled maintenance, which can lead to unnecessary replacements and increased downtime.

Innovation Solution

A method for monitoring industrial systems, such as pneumatic control systems, involves monitoring operating characteristics, logging instances, creating a baseline or mathematical model, comparing trends to the baseline, and predicting component failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If scheduled maintenance is used to prevent component failures, then system reliability is improved, but unnecessary replacements of functioning components occur and maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidunnecessary component replacements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring operating characteristics and creating baseline models before failures occur. This allows prediction of component failures in advance, enabling maintenance to be scheduled only when actually needed rather than following fixed schedules that cause unnecessary replacements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously comparing current operating characteristics against established baseline models and using this feedback to predict failures. The feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of maintenance schedules based on actual component condition rather than static predetermined intervals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If scheduled maintenance is implemented, then component failures are prevented, but system downtime increases due to routine maintenance interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent failure preventionVSAvoidsystem downtime
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary failure prediction by analyzing trends in operating characteristics before actual failures occur. This allows maintenance to be scheduled at optimal times rather than causing unexpected downtime, and enables planning of maintenance during convenient periods when system impact is minimized.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from static scheduled maintenance to dynamic condition-based maintenance. Maintenance schedules are continuously adjusted based on real-time monitoring of operating characteristics and failure predictions, allowing the system to adapt maintenance timing to actual component needs and operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If reactive monitoring with threshold comparison is used, then component status is detected, but failure prediction capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent status detectionVSAvoidfailure prediction capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary failure prediction by analyzing trends in operating characteristics before actual failures occur. Instead of merely detecting current status, the system uses historical data and baseline models to predict future failures, providing advance warning that enables proactive maintenance planning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously comparing current operating characteristics against established baseline models and using this feedback to predict failures. This feedback mechanism transforms simple status detection into predictive analytics, maintaining measurement precision while adding forward-looking failure prediction capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4538817A1Failure prediction of a pneumatic control system
Publication Date: 2025.04.16 EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT CHENNAI PTE LTD
  • EP4538817A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4538817A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4538817A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for monitoring a pneumatic control system 100 including: monitoring a plurality of operating characteristics of a plurality of components 102 of the system 100, logging a plurality of instances of the operating characteristics for each of the components 102, creating a mathematical model of the system 100 from the plurality of instances of the operating characteristics, predicting a failure of one of the components 102 by comparing a trend in the plurality of instances of the operating characteristics to the model. The model can model the system as a whole and/or include discrete modelling of any of the components 102.