System and method for remotely analyzing machine performance

• US 20050085973A1
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Large Drives LLC
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Robertson, Daniel W., Madhavarao, Gopal, Furem, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2054 Fleet management
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise obtaining and analyzing data from at least one discrete machine, automatically determining relationships related to the data, taking corrective action to improve machine operation and/or maintenance, automatically and heuristically predicting a failure associated with the machine and/or recommending preventative maintenance in advance of the failure, and/or automating and analyzing mining shovels, etc.

Claims

1. A method for managing electric mining shovel information comprising a plurality of activities, the activities comprising:

receiving a plurality of values for a plurality of electric mining shovel system variables associated with one or more electric mining shovel system components, the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables comprising at least one operational variable related to digging earthen material, the at least one operational variable comprising non-binary values;

analyzing at least two correlated variables from the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables, to determine a performance of the one or more electric mining shovel system components, the at least two variables comprising non-load-related and non-positional variables; and

rendering a visually-renderable graphical analysis report that indicates the determined performance of the one or more electric mining shovel system components.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a correlation between the at least two correlated variables.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a correlation between at least two of the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining at least one statistical metric related to at least one of the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a trend in at least one of the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the visually-renderable graphical analysis report.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically comparing at least one value from the plurality of values to a predetermined standard.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically notifying a management entity responsive to said comparing activity.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically notifying a maintenance entity to perform a maintenance activity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the visually-renderable graphical analysis report comprises information related to a machine performance variable.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the visually-renderable graphical analysis report comprises information related to performance of an operator.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the visually-renderable graphical analysis report comprises information related to performance of a mine dispatch entity.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the visually-renderable graphical analysis report comprises information related to performance of an electric mining shovel mechanical component.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the visually-renderable graphical analysis report comprises information related to performance of an electric mining shovel electrical component.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the visually-renderable graphical analysis report comprises information related to digging activities involving the electric mining shovel.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the visually-renderable graphical analysis report comprises information related to non-digging activities involving the electric mining shovel.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the visually-renderable graphical analysis report comprises information related to propelled motion of the electric mining shovel.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables comprise an operational variable.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables comprise an environmental variable.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables comprise a variable related to maintenance of the electric mining shovel.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables comprise a variable related to mechanical performance of the electric mining shovel.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables comprise a variable related to electrical performance of the electric mining shovel.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing activity comprises utilizing at least one heuristic rule.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing activity comprises predicting performance.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing activity comprises predicting a failure.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing activity comprises predicting a failure of a mechanical component.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing activity comprises predicting a failure of an electrical component.

28. A machine-readable medium comprising stored instructions for:

receiving a plurality of values for a plurality of electric mining shovel system variables associated with one or more electric mining shovel system components, the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables comprising at least one operational variable related to digging earthen material, the at least one operational variable comprising non-binary values;

analyzing at least two correlated variables from the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables, to determine a performance of the one or more electric mining shovel system components, the at least two variables comprising non-load-related and non-positional variables; and

rendering a visually-renderable graphical analysis report that indicates the determined performance of the one or more electric mining shovel system components.

29. A system for remotely analyzing an electric mining shovel, the system comprising:

an input processor adapted to receive a plurality of values for a plurality of electric mining shovel system variables associated with one or more electric mining shovel system components, the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables comprising at least one operational variable related to digging earthen material, the at least one operational variable comprising non-binary values;

an analytic processor adapted to analyze at least two correlated variables from the plurality of electric mining shovel system variables, to determine a performance of the one or more electric mining shovel system components, the at least two variables comprising non-load-related and non-positional variables; and

a report processor adapted to render a visually-renderable graphical analysis report that indicates the determined performance of the one or more electric mining shovel system components.