Component management system

• US 20030159493A1
• Filed: 12/04/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Inventors: Grout, Michael S
• Granted Patent: US 6,983,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A system in the form of a database allowing operators of aircraft or any other equipment where components are subject to wear to manage all the maintenance, analysis and provisioning aspects of such components e.g. brake and wheel components. The system is able to predict component, e.g. tyre, life to a high degree of accuracy based on the measured wear rate of the component or a related component such as each tyre'"'"'s related brake unit.

Claims

1. A system for management of first components subject to wear including the step of measuring wear rate of a second component whose wear rate is related to the wear rate of the first component and using the measured wear rate of the second component to determine the predicted life of the first component.

2. A system as in claim 1 in which the first component comprises an aircraft tyre and the second component comprises a brake operable to brake a wheel on which the tyre is mounted.

3. A system as in claim 2 in which the step of measuring the wear rate of the second component includes taking periodic measurements of the length of a wear pin for the brake.

4. A system as in any preceding claim, when applied to managing fleet spares of first components, including the step of determining the number of spares to provide for the fleet based upon the said predicted component life.

5. A system as in claim 4, when applied to managing fleet spares at more than one location, including the step of determining the number of spares to be provided at each location, based upon the locations of equipment utilising the first components.

6. A system as in any preceding claim including the step of comparing predicted lives of components to determine any wear rate imbalance therebetween.

7. A system as in claim 6, when applied to an aircraft braking system, in which a wear rate imbalance detected between components is used to identify one of a malfunctioning brake and a wheel anti-skid unit.

8. A system as in any preceding claim including the step of providing a historical record of maintenance carried out on components.

9. A system as in any preceding claim, when dependent upon claim 2, using data selected from:

brake wear pin fitting date;

date of commencement of component monitoring;

number of aircraft landings at the date of commencement of component monitoring;

date when brake or wheel last changed;

runway type;

weather conditions.

10. A system as in any preceding claim, when dependent upon claim 2, taking measurements selected from:

brake hydraulic pressure;

air temperature;

barometric pressure.

11. A system as in any preceding claim, when dependent upon claim 2, in which the predicted life of the tyre (PTL) is determined according to the relationship:

PTL=((A/B)×

(C−

D))+D

where

A=Fleet average brake wear rate, measured in inches/landing;

B=Brake wear rate for subject wheel, measured in inches/landing;

C=Fleet average tyre life, measured in numbers of landings;

D=Minimum tyre life, measured in numbers of landings.

12. A system as in any preceding claim comprising a computer database.