Method and system for evaluating costs of various design and maintenance approaches

• US 20060089920A1
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Vian, John L., Ramesh, Anapathur V., Wilmering, Timothy J., Covert, Paul M., Hunter, Scott C., Rhodes, Stephen C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,165,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

The method and system quantify the impact of various design and operational solutions for equipment modules of a structure and the overall structure based upon economic factors. In particular, the method and system provide cost evaluation of various maintenance approaches for at least one equipment module that is part of an overall structure. In addition, a baseline and alternate equipment module may be specified for each equipment module. The costs associated with each of the maintenance approaches for each baseline and alternate equipment module then may be compared and the costs associated with the overall structure having a chosen maintenance approach for each baseline and alternate equipment module may be evaluated. The sensitivity of the costs associated with the overall structure to changes in one or more of the parameter values also may be calculated.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating costs associated with each of a plurality of maintenance approaches for at least one equipment module of a structure, comprising:

receiving a plurality of parameters comprising parameters regarding the at least one equipment module, the structure, and economic factors related to at least one of the at least one equipment module and the structure;

determining costs associated with each of at least two of the plurality of maintenance approaches for each equipment module based upon the received plurality of parameters, including the economic factors, wherein the plurality of maintenance approaches comprises a prognostic maintenance approach, a scheduled maintenance approach, and an operate-to-failure maintenance approach, and wherein determining costs comprises determining a plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs associated with each maintenance approach for each equipment module; and

presenting the costs associated with each of the at least two maintenance approaches for each equipment module.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the maintenance approaches for each equipment module;

determining all costs for the structure based upon the selected maintenance approach for each equipment module, wherein determining all costs comprises determining all of the plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs for the structure having the selected maintenance approach for each equipment module; and

presenting all costs of the structure.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a sensitivity value for at least one of the plurality of parameters following the receipt of a selection of one of the maintenance approaches for each equipment module.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the sensitivity value for a respective parameter comprises determining a change in the costs resulting from a change in the value of the respective parameter by a predefined percentage.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving at least one modified parameter after determining the sensitivity value;

determining costs associated with each of at least two of the plurality of maintenance approaches based upon the received plurality of parameters and the at least one modified parameter;

receiving a selection of one of the maintenance approaches for each equipment module;

determining all costs of the structure based upon the selected maintenance approach for each equipment module; and

determining a modified sensitivity value for at least one of the plurality of parameters, including the at least one modified parameter.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein determining all costs comprises determining net present value life cycle costs for all of the plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs for the structure having the selected maintenance approach for each equipment module.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a plurality of parameters regarding the at least one equipment module comprises receiving at least one parameter regarding at least one first equipment module and at least one second equipment module wherein each second equipment module is an alternative for a respective first equipment module, and wherein determining costs associated with each of at least two of the plurality of maintenance approaches comprises determining the costs for each of the first and second equipment modules.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the maintenance approaches for each of the first and second equipment modules;

determining first costs of the structure based upon the selected maintenance approach for each first equipment module;

determining second costs of the structure based upon the selected maintenance approach for each second equipment module; and

presenting the first and second costs of the structure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a plurality of parameters regarding the structure comprises receiving information regarding a lifetime of the structure, and wherein determining costs comprises determining a plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs associated with each maintenance approach for each equipment module over the lifetime of the structure.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining costs comprises determining a net present value life cycle costs for the plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs associated with each maintenance approach for each equipment module.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the parameters and the costs associated with each of the at least two maintenance approaches for each equipment module.

12. A method for evaluating costs associated with a prognostic maintenance approach for at least one equipment module of a structure, comprising:

receiving a plurality of parameters comprising parameters regarding the at least one equipment module, the structure and economic factors related to at least one of the at least one equipment module and the structure;

determining costs associated with the prognostic maintenance approach based upon the received plurality of parameters, including the economic factors, wherein determining costs comprises determining a plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs associated with the prognostic maintenance approach for each equipment module; and

presenting the costs associated with the prognostic maintenance approach for each equipment module.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining all costs of the structure based upon the prognostic maintenance approach for each equipment module, wherein determining all costs comprises determining all of the plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs for the structure having the prognostic maintenance approach for each equipment module; and

presenting all costs of the structure.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a sensitivity value for at least one of the plurality of parameters.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the sensitivity value for a respective parameter comprises determining a change in the costs resulting from a change in the value of the respective parameter by a predefined percentage.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at least one modified parameter after determining the sensitivity value;

determining costs associated with the prognostic maintenance approach based upon the received plurality of parameters and the at least one modified parameter;

determining all costs for maintenance of the structure based upon the prognostic maintenance approach for each equipment module; and

determining a modified sensitivity value for at least one of the plurality of parameters, including the at least one modified parameter.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving a plurality of parameters regarding the at least one equipment module comprises receiving at least one parameter regarding at least one first equipment module and at least one second equipment module wherein each second equipment module is an alternative for a respective first equipment module, and wherein determining costs associated with the prognostic maintenance approach comprises determining the costs for each of the first and second equipment modules.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining first costs of the structure based upon the prognostic maintenance approach for each first equipment module;

determining second costs of the structure based upon the prognostic maintenance approach for each second equipment module; and

presenting the first and second costs of the structure.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving a plurality of parameters regarding the structure comprises receiving information regarding a lifetime of the structure, and wherein determining costs comprises determining the plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs associated with the prognostic maintenance approach for each equipment module over the lifetime of the structure.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein determining costs comprises determining a net present value life cycle costs for at least the plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs associated with the prognostic maintenance approach for each equipment module.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing the parameters and the costs associated with each of the prognostic maintenance approaches for each equipment module.

22. A system for evaluating costs associated with each of a plurality of maintenance approaches for at least one equipment module of a structure, comprising:

a client element capable of receiving a plurality of parameters comprising parameters regarding the at least one equipment module, the structure and economic factors related to at least one of the at least one equipment module and the structure;

a processing element capable of determining costs associated with each of at least two of the plurality of maintenance approaches based upon the received plurality of parameters, including the economic factors, wherein the plurality of maintenance approaches comprises a prognostic maintenance approach, a scheduled maintenance approach, and an operate-to-failure maintenance approach for each equipment module, and wherein the costs comprise a plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs associated with each maintenance approach for each equipment module; and

a display element capable of presenting the costs associated with each of the at least two maintenance approaches for each equipment module.

23. The system of claim 22,

wherein said client element is also capable of receiving a selection of one of the maintenance approaches for each equipment module,

wherein said processing element is also capable of determining all costs of the structure based upon the selected maintenance approach for each equipment module, wherein all costs comprises all of the plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs for the structure having the selected maintenance approach for each equipment module, and

wherein said display element is also capable of presenting all costs of the structure.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said processing element is further capable of determining a sensitivity value for at least one of the plurality of parameters following the receipt of a selection of one of the maintenance approaches for each equipment module.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said processing element is also capable of determining the sensitivity value by determining a change in the costs resulting from a change in the value of the respective parameter by a predefined percentage.

26. The system of claim 24,

wherein said client element is also capable of receiving at least one modified parameter after determining the sensitivity value, and wherein said client element is further capable of receiving a selection of one of the maintenance approaches for each equipment module,

wherein said processing element is also capable of determining costs associated with each of at least two of the plurality of maintenance approaches based upon the received plurality of parameters and the at least one modified parameter, wherein said processing element is further capable of determining all costs of the structure based upon the selected maintenance approach for each equipment module, and wherein said processing element is also capable of determining a modified sensitivity value for at least one of the plurality of parameters, including the at least one modified parameter.

27. The system of claim 22,

wherein said client element is also capable of receiving at least one parameter regarding at least one first equipment module and at least one second equipment module wherein each second equipment module is an alternative for a respective first equipment module, and

wherein said processing element is also capable of determining costs associated with each of at least two of the plurality of maintenance approaches for each of the first and second equipment modules.

28. The system of claim 27,

wherein said client element is also capable of receiving a selection of one of the maintenance approaches for each of the first and second equipment modules,

wherein said processing element is also capable of determining first costs of the structure based upon the selected maintenance approach for each first equipment module and second costs of the structure based upon the selected maintenance approach for each second equipment module, and

wherein said display element is also capable of presenting the first and second costs of the structure.

29. The system of claim 22,

wherein said client element is also capable of receiving information regarding a lifetime of the structure, and

wherein said processing element is also capable of determining costs that comprise a plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs associated with each maintenance approach for each equipment module over the lifetime of the structure.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein said processing element is also capable of determining a net present value life cycle costs for the plurality of acquisition and sustaining costs associated with each maintenance approach for each equipment module.

31. The system of claim 22, further comprising a storage element capable of storing the parameters and the costs associated with each of the at least two maintenance approaches for each equipment module.