Industrial Equipment Monitoring Using Predictive Data Sources

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for optimizing industrial equipment performance, such as paper-making machines, face challenges in predicting and preventing sub-optimal states like paper breaks due to the complexity of data from numerous sources and inability to adapt to changing conditions in real-time.

Innovation Solution

A system leveraging data transformations, machine learning environments, and multivariate models to identify predictive data sources, compute optimal set-points, and generate real-time visualizations for monitoring machine health, enabling proactive maintenance and performance optimization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If data from hundreds to thousands of data sources are collected to track equipment performance, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperformance state detection accuracyVSAvoiddata source management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and identifies only the most relevant data sources from the hundreds or thousands of available data sources. The relevance identification module analyzes data sources to determine which ones are most important for predicting specific performance states, thereby reducing the complexity of data management while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments data sources based on their relevance to different performance states. Instead of treating all data sources uniformly, the system divides them into relevant and irrelevant categories for each specific performance state prediction task, making the overall system more manageable while preserving critical information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If dozens of metrics are monitored in real time to track equipment performance, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment performance monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidoperator monitoring difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and presents only the most critical metrics to operators for real-time monitoring. The relevance identification module determines which metrics are most important for detecting performance state changes, allowing operators to focus on a reduced set of key indicators rather than dozens of metrics, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides targeted feedback to operators about equipment performance by highlighting only the most relevant metrics that indicate potential performance state changes. This feedback mechanism helps operators quickly understand equipment status without being overwhelmed by excessive information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If manual techniques are used to review historical data, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoiddata analysis efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual data review techniques with automated machine learning models and algorithms. The performance state prediction module automatically analyzes historical and real-time data to predict equipment performance states, eliminating the need for manual data review while significantly improving data analysis efficiency and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-service by automatically identifying relevant data sources, training machine learning models, and generating predictions without requiring manual intervention. The automated model training and prediction processes enable the system to continuously improve its performance while reducing operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Adaptability or versatility

If conventional techniques are used to analyze data patterns, then adaptability is reduced, but ease of operation is improved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereal-time condition adaptation capabilityVSAvoidmodel training and prediction system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic adaptation by continuously training machine learning models with new data and updating predictions in real-time. The performance state prediction module adapts to changing equipment conditions by learning from ongoing operations, allowing the system to remain relevant and accurate as equipment evolves while managing complexity through automated processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically adapts to new conditions through self-service model training and updating. The machine learning models continuously learn from new data without requiring manual reconfiguration, enabling the system to adapt to changing equipment conditions autonomously while keeping the user interface simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11687046B2Systems and processes for optimizing operation of industrial equipment
Publication Date: 2023.06.27 GEORGIA PACIFIC CORP
  • US11687046B2 patent drawing
  • US11687046B2 patent drawing
  • US11687046B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A system for optimizing machine performance includes an optimization system and a data processing system. The data processing system records readings from data sources monitoring the performance of a machine and related aspects. The readings are processed at the optimization system and a machine learning model is trained to differentiate between data corresponding to an interval of optimal runtime performance and data corresponding to an interval of pre-error performance. The trained model is used to identify a subset of the various data sources that are most-predictive for a particular performance state of the machine, such as a pre-error performance state or an optimal runtime performance state. The subset of the various data sources are provided to a multivariate model for generating set-point recommendations for each of the most-predictive data sources. Visualizations are generated for providing real-time monitoring of deviations of the most-predictive data sources from the set-points associated therewith.