Predictive Wear Analysis for Vehicle Components

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods fail to monitor the trend of component wear in vehicles, making it difficult to determine the optimal time for replacement before reaching dangerous levels, leading to potential breakdowns and increased maintenance costs.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for predictive wear analysis that links driving style and vehicle mission with component wear curves, using sensors and a vehicle control unit to collect and process data, providing a warning when residual component life exceeds a threshold, and adjusting maintenance schedules based on real usage patterns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If wear detection sensors and warning lamps are positioned in components, then wear detection capability is improved, but the ability to monitor wear trend over time and determine optimal replacement timing deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear detection capabilityVSAvoidwear trend information
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by continuously collecting and storing wear-related data (temperature, torque, revolutions, clutch usage) before actual wear occurs. This enables the construction of wear curves and prediction models in advance, allowing optimal replacement timing to be determined before dangerous wear levels are reached, thus resolving the contradiction between detecting wear and monitoring wear trends.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring component parameters, comparing actual wear against predicted wear curves, and providing feedback signals when wear approaches critical thresholds. This closed-loop feedback enables real-time adjustment of maintenance schedules and provides trend information, resolving the limitation of static warning lamps by dynamic, information-rich monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If programmed maintenance contracts are used, then maintenance scheduling is simplified, but the ability to optimize maintenance timing based on actual component condition deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance schedulingVSAvoidmaintenance timing optimization
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system transforms static, fixed-interval maintenance schedules into dynamic, condition-based schedules. By continuously updating wear curves based on actual operating conditions (temperature, torque, usage patterns), the system dynamically adjusts maintenance timing to match actual component degradation, optimizing both reliability and cost-effectiveness while maintaining ease of operation through automated monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter basis for maintenance scheduling from fixed time intervals to condition-based parameters (wear level, temperature exposure, torque loading, usage intensity). This parameter transformation enables maintenance to be scheduled based on actual component state rather than arbitrary time intervals, resolving the contradiction between scheduling simplicity and timing optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If component replacement is performed promptly upon wear detection, then component reliability is improved, but maintenance costs and operational disruptions increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent reliabilityVSAvoidmaintenance time and cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary wear analysis and predicts remaining useful life before actual failure occurs. By providing advance notice of wear trends and projecting future failure points, the system enables planned maintenance scheduling that avoids emergency replacements, thus maintaining high reliability while reducing unnecessary maintenance interventions and associated costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2075663B1Method and device for predictive wear analysis of components in use on a vehicle,in particular an industrial or commercial vehicle
Publication Date: 2016.11.16 IVECO SPA
  • EP2075663B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2075663B1 patent drawingFigure 2.1
  • EP2075663B1 patent drawingFigure 2.2

AI summary

There is described a process for predictive wear analysis of a component in use on a vehicle, comprising the steps of: - initialization: parameters are provided identifying start and end of life characteristics of the component, and vehicle mission type and configuration coefficients; - data acquisition: size measurements relative to the component in use are performed at regular and predetermined time intervals, which are statistically accumulated; - updating and saving in statistical accumulators: storing of the measurements performed as events occurring at the times of detection within thresholds of predetermined values; - projection and checking the residual life of the component: the residual life values, or their inverses the wear levels, are logged; a wear rate is calculated on the total of said values and an estimated value of the residual life of the component is obtained correlating it to residual operating values.