DETERMINING LIFE CONSUMPTION OF A MECHANICAL PART

• US 20150234951A1
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GKN Aerospace Sweden AB (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: GKN Aerospace Sweden AB (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Andersson, Magnus, Svensson, Peter, Wanman, Fredrik
• Granted Patent: US 10,318,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 13/02 Controlling, e.g. stopping or starting
• 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: G06F 17/18 for evaluating statistical data , e.g. average values, frequency distributions, probability functions, regression analysis forecasting specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A first set of data is received relating to the operation of a first mechanical part. A plurality of steady state conditions for the first set of operational data is determined. A load history is determined for the first mechanical part based on the plurality of determined steady states and the first set of operational data. One of a plurality of predefined life consumption calculation models is selected based on a type of the first mechanical part and a position of a critical area at the first mechanical part. A level of life consumption for the critical area of the first mechanical part is determined based on the selected life consumption calculation model and the determined load history.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A method, comprising:

receiving a first set of data relating to the operation of a first mechanical part;

determining a plurality of steady state conditions for the first set of operational data;

determining a load history for the first mechanical part based on the plurality of determined steady states and the first set of operational data;

selecting one of a plurality of predefined life consumption calculation models based on a type of the first mechanical part and a position of a critical area at the first mechanical part; and

determining a level of life consumption for the critical area of the first mechanical part based on the selected life consumption calculation model and the determined load history.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein determining the level of life consumption for the critical area of the first mechanical part comprises applying the load history to the selected life consumption calculation model for calculating the level of life consumption.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected life consumption calculation model is provided for calculation of at least one of stresses, strains or temperatures of the first mechanical component.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a second set of data relating to the operation of the first mechanical part;

determining a plurality of steady state conditions for the second set of operational data;

determining a load history for the first mechanical part for the plurality of determined steady states and the second set of operational data;

determining a life consumption for the critical area of the first mechanical part based on the selected life consumption calculation model and the determined load history;

accumulating the determined life consumptions for the first and second set of operational data for the critical area of the first mechanical part; and

providing a total level of life consumption for the critical area of the first mechanical part based on the accumulation.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising correcting, based on the level of life consumption, a predefined life consumption prediction, the predefined life consumption prediction performed using a separate method for determining a level of life consumption of the critical area of the first mechanical part.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the predefined life consumption prediction method is based on a load session cycle count.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the predefined life consumption prediction method is based on at least one of measuring the usage time, run time or usage distance of the mechanical part.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the plurality of predefined life consumption calculation models is represented by linear part-specific equations corresponding to general non-linear fatigue calculations models.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising collecting the operational data during operation of a machine comprising the mechanical part.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the first set of data relating to the operation of the first mechanical part comprises data generated by at least one sensor for measuring one of time, power lever angle, altitude, aircraft speed, ambient temperature, inlet temperature, low pressure rotor speed, high pressure rotor speed, combustor pressure, turbine outlet temperature, and turbine outlet pressure.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein determining the steady state conditions for the first set of operational data is performed by selecting said steady state conditions from a database comprising a plurality of steady state conditions, which each is configured for predetermined operational data.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the life calculation consumption models are configured to match a predetermined behavior of the first mechanical part.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the first mechanical part is subjected to life reducing load during operation, and the first set of operational data is received from a load session of the first mechanical part.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the first mechanical part is formed by an aircraft component subjected to life reducing load during operation, and the first set of operational data is received from a load session of the first mechanical part.

34. A system for comprising a database and a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is programmed to:

receive a first set of operational data relating to the operation of a first mechanical part;

determine a plurality of steady state conditions for the first set of operational data;

determine a load history for the first mechanical part based on the plurality of determined steady states and the first set of operational data;

select one of a plurality of predefined life consumption calculation models based on the type of the first mechanical part and the position of the critical area at the first mechanical part, and

determine the level of life consumption for the critical area of the first mechanical part based on the selected life consumption calculation model and the determined load history.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the control unit is further programmed to:

receive a second set of data relating to the operation of the first mechanical part;

determine a plurality of steady state conditions for the second set of operational data;

determine a load history for the first mechanical part for the plurality of determined steady states and the second set of operational data;

determine a life consumption for the critical area of the first mechanical part based on the selected life consumption calculation model and the determined load history;

accumulate the determined life consumptions for the first and second set of operational data for the critical area of the first mechanical part, and

provide a total level of life consumption for the critical area of the mechanical part based on the accumulation.

36. The system of claim 34, further comprising at least one sensor arranged in the vicinity of the mechanical part and configured for generation the first set of operational data by measuring at least one of time, power lever angle, altitude, aircraft speed, ambient temperature, inlet temperature, low pressure rotor speed, high pressure rotor speed, combustor pressure, turbine outlet temperature, turbine outlet pressure.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the steady state conditions are determined by selecting steady states matching specific sets of operational data from the database.

38. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computer processor, the instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving a first set of data relating to the operation of a first mechanical part;

determining a plurality of steady state conditions for the first set of operational data;

determining a load history for the first mechanical part based on the plurality of determined steady states and the first set of operational data;

selecting one of a plurality of predefined life consumption calculation models based on the type of the first mechanical part and the position of the critical area at the first mechanical part; and

determining the level of life consumption for the critical area of the first mechanical part based on the selected life consumption calculation model and the determined load history.