Method for inspecting and recording machine component condition data

• US 6,704,688 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Aslam, Sami, Woodmansee, Donald Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US09/977,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20030074160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 702/182, 702/187, 702/176, 708/139, 708/142, 707/5, 707/10, 709/223, 709/225, 709/217, 709/250, 709/316, 340/10.6, 340/825.69, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0229 knowledge based, e.g. expert systems; genetic algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements

Abstract

A method of inspecting and recording inspection data of machine components, the method including selecting a machine component among a plurality of machine components for inspection; identifying predefined areas of the selected machine component for inspection; identifying a fixed set of conditions allowed to be reported for the select machine component; inspecting the predefined areas of the select machine component; and recording inspection data as continuous numerical values to quantify entry for subsequent querying over a chosen set of machine components.

Claims

1. A method of inspecting, recording and processing inspection data of machine components, the method comprising:

selecting a machine component among a plurality of machine components for inspection;

selecting a predefined area or feature of the selected machine component from a known list of areas or features;

selecting a predefined condition from a predetermined list of conditions allowed to be reported for the selected machine component;

inspecting and measuring the predefined areas of the select machine component for the selected condition; and

recording inspection data as continuous numerical values to quantify entry for subsequent querying for one of the conditions over a chosen set of different machine components.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the inspection step comprises:

creating benchmark inspection values for the select machine component by manually entering information into data fields;

copying the benchmark inspection values as default inspection data for other machine components; and

comparing inspection data of the other machine components with the copied benchmark inspection values.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the creation step further comprises:

identifying the benchmark inspection values in a distinct color pattern.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling free field text entries for a group of machine components and for each individual machine component; and

adding new data entry fields to each machine component, said data entry fields including (a) part area, (b) part feature, (c) part condition of a machine component, said adding step is performed if said (a), (b), and (c) are included in a predetermined inspection list.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

identifying a minimum structured set of conditions independent of a machine component being inspected.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said data entry fields include attached or linked files having one or more of coordinate measuring machine (CMM) data-files, bit-mapped schematics, photographs, general text files.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said data entry fields are added by providing communication links to files stored at a remote location.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reducing areas or features for inspection; and

limiting the conditions of a predefined area of the select machine component.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the inspection data is recorded as continuous, objectively measured, values.

9. A method for entering and processing inspection data of machine components in a database, the database comprising a plurality of user interface templates, each template including data fields for identifying a machine component, the method comprising:

selecting a machine component among a plurality of machine components;

selecting an area or a feature of the selected machine component in a first menu of user interface template;

inspecting the selected area of the machine component;

recording inspection data as continuous numerical values in a second menu, said second menu identifying a list of conditions related to the select area of the select machine component; and

querying the database to perform a search query for one of the conditions over a chosen set of different areas or features of a particular machine component or a chosen set of different machine components.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the inspection step comprises:

creating benchmark inspection values for the select machine component by manually entering information into data fields;

copying the benchmark inspection values as default inspection data for other machine components; and

comparing inspection data of other machine components with the copied benchmark inspection values.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

enabling free field text entries for a group of machine components as well as for each individual machine component; and

adding new data entry fields to each machine component.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying a minimum structured set of conditions independent of a machine component being inspected.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said data entry fields include one or more of coordinate measuring machine (CMM) datafiles, bit-mapped schematics, photographs, general text files.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said data entry fields are added by providing communication links to files stored at a remote location.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

reducing areas or features for inspection; and

limiting the conditions of a predefined area of the select machine component.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein inspection data is entered as integer values.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the inspection data is stored in a single common unit.

22. The method of claim 9, wherein the inspection data is recorded as continuous, objectively measured, values.

18. An apparatus for inspecting, recording and processing inspection data of machine components, the apparatus comprising:

means for selecting a machine component among a plurality of machine components for inspection;

means for identifying predefined areas of the selected machine component for inspection;

means for identifying a fixed set of conditions allowed to be reported for the select machine component;

means for inspecting the predefined areas of the select machine component; and

means for recording inspection data as continuous numerical values to quantify entry for subsequent querying for one of the conditions over a chosen set of different machine components.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the inspection data is recorded as continuous, objectively measured, values.

19. A method of recording and processing inspection data of machine components in a database system, the method comprising:

identifying structured inspection areas or features of a select machine component;

identifying a minimum structured set of conditions that are independent of a machine component under inspection;

recording condition of the select machine component as continuous numerical values; and

querying recorded inspection data to perform a search for a particular one of the conditions over a set of different machine components or over a set of different inspection areas or features of a particular machine component.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the condition of the select machine component is recorded as continuous, objectively measured, values.

20. An apparatus for recording and processing inspection data of machine components in a database system, the apparatus comprising:

means for identifying structured inspection areas or features of a select machine component;

means for identifying a minimum structured set of conditions that are independent of a machine component under inspection;

means for recording condition of the select machine component as continuous numerical valued; and

querying recorded inspection data to perform a search for a particular one of the conditions over a set of different machine components or over a set of different inspection areas or features of a particular machine component.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the condition of the select machine component is recorded as continuous, objectively measured, values.