SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USE IN CORRECTING A PREDICTED FAILURE IN A PRODUCTION PROCESS

• US 20120173299A1
• Filed: 01/04/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: McMullin, Dale Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/984,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20120173299A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A method for use in operating a production process. A plurality of correction scenarios is determined for a predicted production asset failure. A total cost for each correction scenario of the plurality of correction scenarios is estimated by the computing device based at least in part on a cost of repair and a cost of downtime associated with the correction scenario. One of the correction scenarios is selected based at least in part on the total cost of the correction scenario.

Claims

1. A system for use in operating a production process, said system comprising:

a memory device configured to store a predicted failure of a production asset, the predicted failure associated with a predicted failure time; and

a processor coupled in communication with said memory device and programmed to;

determine a plurality of correction scenarios for the predicted failure, wherein each correction scenario is associated with a correction time prior to the predicted failure time; and

estimate a total cost for each correction scenario of the plurality of correction scenarios based at least in part on a cost of repairing the production asset and a cost of downtime associated with the correction scenario.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to calculate the cost of repairing the production asset for each correction scenario of the plurality of correction scenarios based at least in part on a cost of labor and a cost of materials.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said processor is programmed to estimate the total cost for each correction scenario based further on at least one of a cost of testing the production asset, a cost of inspecting the production asset, and a cost of certifying the production asset.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the production process is operated at a first level of operation, and said processor is further programmed to:

determine a second level of operation at which the production process can be safely operated between a current time and the correction time associated with a first correction scenario of the plurality of correction scenarios; and

estimate the total cost for the first correction scenario based further on a difference between the first level of operation and the second level of operation.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said processor is programmed to determine a correction time associated with a first correction scenario of the plurality of correction scenarios based at least in part on an existing maintenance task associated with the production process.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an input interface coupled in communication with said processor and configured to receive a selection of a correction scenario, wherein said processor is further programmed to schedule a maintenance task based on the selected correction scenario.

7. A method for use in operating a production process, said method comprising:

determining by a computing device a plurality of correction scenarios for a predicted production asset failure associated with a predicted failure time, wherein each correction scenario is associated with a correction time equal to or before the predicted failure time;

estimating by the computing device a total cost for each correction scenario of the plurality of correction scenarios based at least in part on a cost of repair and a cost of downtime associated with the correction scenario;

selecting a first correction scenario of the plurality of correction scenarios based at least in part on the total cost of the first correction scenario; and

scheduling by the computing device a maintenance task based on the first correction scenario.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the production process is configured to operate at a first level of operation, said method further comprising:

determining a second level of operation at which the production process can be safely operated between a current time and the correction time associated with the first correction scenario; and

estimating the total cost for the first correction scenario based further on a difference between the first level of operation and the second level of operation.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein determining the second level of operation comprises determining a level of operation that is higher than the first level of operation, and estimating the total cost for the first correction scenario comprises calculating a benefit associated with operating the production process at the second level of operation.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein selecting the first correction scenario comprises automatically selecting by the computing device a correction scenario having a lowest total cost among the plurality of correction scenarios.

11. A method according to claim 7, further comprising calculating the cost of downtime associated with each correction scenario of the plurality of correction scenarios based at least in part on a benefit predicted to result from operating the production process during a period corresponding to the correction scenario.

12. A method according to claim 7, wherein the maintenance task is a first maintenance task, said method further comprising:

associating the first correction scenario with a correction time coincidental with a second maintenance task that will result in downtime of the production process; and

calculating a cost of downtime based on an incremental downtime predicted to result from executing the first correction scenario coincidentally with the second maintenance task.

13. A method according to claim 7, wherein determining the first correction scenario comprises:

identifying a second maintenance task associated with the production process and scheduled for a time subsequent to the predicted failure time; and

combining the second maintenance task with the first correction scenario, wherein estimating the total cost for the first correction scenario comprises determining a cost reduction predicted to result from combining the second maintenance task with the first correction scenario.

14. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:

determine a plurality of correction scenarios for a predicted failure of a production asset used in a production process, wherein each correction scenario is associated with a correction time;

estimate a total cost for each correction scenario of the plurality of correction scenarios; and

schedule a maintenance task based on a first correction scenario of the plurality of correction scenarios, wherein the first correction scenario is selected based from the plurality of correction scenarios at least in part on the total cost of the first correction scenario.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 14, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to estimate the total cost for each correction scenario based on at least one of a cost of repairing the production asset, a cost of downtime of the production process, a cost of testing the production asset, a cost of inspecting the production asset, and a cost of certifying the production asset.

16. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 14, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to determine a plurality of correction scenarios at least in part by:

identifying an existing maintenance task associated with the production process; and

determining at least one correction scenario that is coincidental with the existing maintenance task.

17. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 14, wherein the production process is operated at a first level of operation, and when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

identify a second maintenance task that will result in downtime of the production process, wherein the second maintenance task is scheduled for a time subsequent to the correction time associated with the first correction scenario; and

determine a cost reduction predicted to result from executing the second maintenance task at the correction time associated with the first correction scenario.

18. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 14, wherein the production process is operated at a first level of operation, and when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

determine a second level of operation at which the production process can be safely operated between a current time and the correction time associated with the first correction scenario; and

estimate the total cost for the first correction scenario based further on a difference between the first level of operation and the second level of operation.

19. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 18, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to determine a second level of operation by determining a level of operation that is higher than the first level of operation.

20. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 14, wherein the production process is operated at a first level of operation, and when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

present the plurality of correction scenarios and corresponding total costs; and

receive a selection of the first correction scenario, wherein the maintenance task is scheduled in response to the selection of the first correction scenario.