Predictive maintenance method for a cooled detection module, and related module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current predictive maintenance techniques for cooled detection modules do not account for the actual condition of the equipment, fail to optimize maintenance based on operating mode, and are inadequate for detecting faults in cooling machines degraded by long continuous operation, or distinguishing between maintenance needs and equipment replacement.
Innovation Solution
A predictive maintenance method that uses a processing board to measure, store, and process motor current, motor voltage, and defective pixel data, calculating a type of use and predicting faults based on these parameters, allowing for real-time monitoring and differentiation between maintenance needs and equipment replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional preventive maintenance is implemented based on statistical operating hours, then equipment can avoid failures associated with ageing, but it does not account for the actual condition of the equipment and cannot optimize maintenance timing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a monitoring system that continuously measures motor current, motor voltage, and defective pixel count, then compares these values against reference ranges to provide feedback on the actual equipment condition. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic adjustment of maintenance timing based on real-time status rather than fixed statistical schedules, resolving the contradiction between reliability and maintenance optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the equipment to self-diagnose its condition by monitoring its own operational parameters (current, voltage, pixel defects) and automatically determining when maintenance is needed. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external assessment of equipment condition, allowing maintenance to be optimized based on actual status while maintaining high reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If maintenance is scheduled based on number of hours of operation, then standardised use can be accommodated, but it is not possible to maximise benefit from durability within the scope of standardised use and cannot account for disparities in production and use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a static maintenance schedule based on fixed operating hours to a dynamic system that continuously adapts maintenance timing based on actual equipment condition. By monitoring motor current, voltage, and pixel defects in real-time, the system dynamically adjusts maintenance schedules to match actual wear and operational stress, maximizing durability utilization while remaining adaptable to various production and use patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters used for maintenance scheduling from fixed time-based metrics to condition-based metrics (motor current, voltage, pixel defect count). This parameter change allows the system to accommodate standardized use while simultaneously optimizing for actual equipment condition, enabling both standardization and maximized durability benefit.
3Measurement precision
If cooling machine faults are detected using previous techniques, then sudden deviations can be detected, but faults wherein the cooling machine is degraded by continuous operation for a long period cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary monitoring of motor current and voltage that detects gradual degradation trends before they lead to sudden failures. By continuously tracking these parameters and comparing them against reference ranges, the system takes preliminary action to identify degraded states early, preventing sudden deviations and enabling proactive maintenance before critical failure occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses motor current and voltage as intermediary parameters to detect cooling machine degradation. These electrical parameters serve as mediators that reflect the mechanical state of the cooling machine, allowing indirect detection of degraded conditions through electrical measurements rather than direct mechanical monitoring, thereby enabling detection of both sudden and gradual faults.
4Loss of time
If conventional monitoring is used, then statistical operating time can be tracked, but it is not possible to distinguish between the need for preventive maintenance procedure and the need for equipment replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the assessment of equipment status into distinct measurable parameters: motor current, motor voltage, and defective pixel count. Each parameter is independently monitored and compared against reference ranges, allowing the system to segment the complex decision of maintenance versus replacement into manageable, quantifiable components. This segmentation enables clear distinction between conditions requiring maintenance procedures versus those requiring replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces subjective mechanical assessment of equipment condition with objective electrical measurements (current, voltage) and digital pixel defect counting. This substitution of mechanical judgment with electrical and digital measurement enables precise, quantifiable differentiation between maintenance-needed and replacement-needed states, eliminating the difficulty of distinguishing between the two requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables advanced fault anticipation and optimized maintenance by continuously monitoring electric consumption and pixel degradation, reducing unexpected failures and equipment downtime, and distinguishing between maintenance requirements and replacement needs.
Implementation Method 1
an electro-mechanical cooling machine (CM), used to reduce the cryostat temperature locally, by means of repeated gas expansions
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a predictive maintenance method for a cooled detection module, comprising: a detector (1) comprising a matrix consisting of pixels that are sensitive to light signals; a cryostat (2) containing the detector (1); and a cooling machine (3), said method being characterized in that it comprises a step according to which a processing board (4) of the module, which is electrically connected to the detector (1), to the cryostat (2), and to the cooling machine (3) measures, stores, and processes at least: one motor current, i.e. a supply current of the machine (3); one motor voltage, i.e. a supply voltage of the machine (3); and a number of defective pixels of the detector (1). The invention further relates to a module for implementing the invention.