Railroad Equipment State Determination Using Operation Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring the operation status of railroad equipment, such as switch machines, require individualized maintenance checks due to equipment-specific characteristics, leading to time-consuming and labor-intensive processes, and are not limited to switch machines but also apply to other railroad equipment like crossing gates and platform doors.
Innovation Solution
A railroad equipment state determination apparatus that stores operation data and sets evaluation criteria based on past data to determine whether new operation data is abnormal, using thresholds for operation time, electricity usage, and drive transition information, allowing for centralized monitoring and reducing the need for manual checks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If individualized maintenance checks are performed for each piece of railroad equipment based on equipment-specific characteristics, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but loss of time and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a standardized monitoring system that can be applied across multiple types of railroad equipment (switch machines, crossing gates, platform doors) using uniform evaluation criteria. The system collects operation data, drive transition information, and electricity usage data following the same methodology for different equipment types, enabling centralized monitoring without sacrificing measurement precision through individualized assessment protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by establishing threshold-based evaluation criteria for key parameters including operation time, electricity usage, and drive transition information. By monitoring changes in these parameters against predetermined thresholds, the system can quickly determine abnormality without performing comprehensive individualized checks, thus reducing time loss while maintaining determination accuracy.
2Reliability
If individualized maintenance checks are performed for each piece of railroad equipment, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by consolidating multiple monitoring functions into a unified system that simultaneously monitors operation time, drive transition information, and electricity usage. By combining these monitoring aspects and applying uniform evaluation criteria across different equipment types, the system achieves both high reliability through comprehensive assessment and improved productivity through centralized efficient processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes copying by creating standardized templates for data collection and evaluation criteria that can be replicated across different railroad equipment. Instead of developing individualized monitoring approaches for each piece of equipment, the system copies and applies the same monitoring methodology and evaluation thresholds to multiple equipment types, ensuring reliability through consistency while boosting productivity through scalability.
3Measurement precision
If manual checking of operation status is performed by maintenance technicians, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time and productivity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanics substitution by replacing manual mechanical checking processes with an automated electronic monitoring system. The system automatically collects operation data, calculates drive transition information, compares electricity usage against thresholds, and determines abnormality without human intervention. This substitution maintains measurement precision through systematic data analysis while dramatically improving productivity by eliminating the time-consuming nature of manual checking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the monitoring system to automatically perform assessment functions previously requiring human technicians. The system autonomously collects data, applies evaluation criteria, determines abnormality, and generates monitoring results without requiring maintenance technicians to manually check each piece of equipment, thereby maintaining precision while significantly improving checking speed and productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A railroad equipment state determination apparatus includes: a storage that stores a plurality of operation data associated with a prescribed operation performed by railroad equipment that is driven by a motor from a stopped state to perform the prescribed operation and then comes into the stopped state again; an evaluation criteria setting section that sets evaluation criteria based on the plurality of operation data stored in the storage; and a determination section that determines whether new operation data resulting from the prescribed operation newly performed by the railroad equipment is abnormal based on the evaluation criteria.