Method and Tool for Optimized System Maintenance

• US 20090076874A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG, Siemens Power Generation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG, Siemens Power Generation, Inc.
• Inventors: Gross, Wolfgang, Kerl, Bernd
• Application Number:
  US11/917,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076874A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance

Abstract

A method for maintaining a system consisting of a plurality of components, comprises the steps of collecting maintenance information for each component of the system for which maintenance information is available; providing a maintenance schedule for components of the system; operating the system; and maintaining the system wherein during scheduled maintenance of a component information about the status of that component is acquired, during a failure of a component information about the failure of that component is acquired, and modifying the maintenance schedule according to the acquired information.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining a system consisting of a plurality of components, comprising the steps of:

collecting maintenance information;

for each component of the system for which maintenance information is available;

providing a maintenance schedule for components of the system;

operating said system; and

maintaining said system wherein;

during scheduled maintenance of a component information about the status of that component is acquired;

during a failure of a component information about the failure of that component is acquired; and

modifying the maintenance schedule according to the acquired information.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining maintenance information for components of the system for which no maintenance information is available.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information acquired during a scheduled maintenance indicates that a service interval is too long, correct, or too short.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of modifying includes the step of adjusting said service interval.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining information about interrelationship of components.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining information about environmental conditions of a location of at least one component.

7. The method according to, claim 1, further comprising the step of providing feedback information for a system designer.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing feedback information for a component manufacturer.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the feedback information is automatically generated via an electronic messaging system.

10. A system for optimizing system maintenance comprising:

a plurality of components;

a data network coupling the plurality of components;

a maintenance unit for collecting and processing information generated during normal processing as well as during maintenance of components of the system according to a predefined maintenance schedule, wherein the predefined maintenance schedule is modified by the maintenance tool according to the processed information.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the information includes maintenance information and/or normal processing information.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein each component comprises a memory unit for storing said maintenance information.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the memory unit stores information for the component itself and for subordinated components.

14. The system according to claim 10, further comprising means for generating electronic messages including said collected maintenance information and for providing a vendor and/or system designer with said electronic message.

15. The system according to claim 10, further comprising sensors for sensing environmental conditions of a component.

16. A method for designing and operating a system consisting of a plurality of components, comprising the steps of:

designing a system using a plurality of components;

collecting maintenance information for each component of the system;

scheduling maintenance service for components of the system;

operating said system; and

maintaining said system wherein;

during scheduled maintenance of a component information about the status of that component is acquired;

during a failure of a component information about the failure of that component is acquired; and

modifying the maintenance schedule according to the acquired information.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein at least one component is provided by an external vendor or component manufacturer.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of, if necessary, determining maintenance information for components of the system for which no maintenance information is available.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the information acquired during a scheduled maintenance indicates any kind of deviation from a predefined status.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the deviation indicates that a service interval is too long, correct, or too short, and wherein the step of modifying includes the step of adjusting said service interval.

21. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of determining information about interrelationship of components.

22. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of determining information about environmental conditions of a location of at least one component.

23. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of providing feedback information for a system designer.

24. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of providing feedback information for a vendor or component manufacturer.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the feedback information is automatically generated via an electronic messaging system.