Preventive maintenance system of industrial machine

• US 6,816,815 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2002
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Takayama, Yukiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/309,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20030115510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 702/184, 702/33, 702/35, 702/57-59, 702/180, 702/182, 702/183, 702/185, 702/187, 702/188, 714/1, 714/2, 714/5, 714/25, 714/48, 714/30, 714/39, 714/47, 700/9, 700/26, 700/28, 700/81, 700/108, 700/104, 700/117, 700/169, 700/177
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32235 Sharing of data between process control and maintenance management computers
• 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: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine includes an information transmission unit for connecting, whenever necessary, a LAN on the user side and a LAN on a manufacturer side through a communication line; a monitor unit connected to the LAN on the user side for monitoring predetermined items of the industrial machine; an information transmission/reception unit for transmitting the monitor information obtained by the monitor unit to the LAN on the manufacturer side through the information transmission unit, and for receiving information from the LAN on the manufacturer side; a supervisory unit connected to the LAN on the manufacturer side for automatically diagnosing a fault based on the monitor information received, and for automatically supervising the industrial machine; and a preventive maintenance information transmission unit for automatically transmitting preventive maintenance information to the user side when maintenance is necessary based on a diagnosis result.

Claims

1. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine, comprising:

a plurality of maintenance centers on a manufacturer side and each in a predetermined area and including at least one computer for maintenance monitoring;

a LAN on the manufacturer side connecting said maintenance monitoring computers in said plurality of maintenance centers;

an information transmission unit for connecting a LAN on a user side and said LAN on the manufacturer side through at least one of a wired and wireless communication line;

a monitor unit connected to said LAN on the user side for monitoring an operation condition of said industrial machine with respect to predetermined items;

an information transmission/reception unit connected to said LAN on the user side for transmitting monitor information obtained by said monitor unit to said LAN on the manufacturer side through said information transmission unit, and for receiving information from said LAN on the manufacturer side through said information transmission unit;

each of said maintenance monitoring computers including a supervisory unit connected to said LAN on the manufacturer side for receiving said monitor information transmitted from said information transmission/reception unit and for automatically diagnosing a fault based on said monitor information and automatically supervising said industrial machine; and

a preventive maintenance information transmission unit for automatically transmitting preventive maintenance information to said information transmission/reception unit on the user side through said information transmission unit when maintenance is determined to be necessary based on a diagnosis result of said supervisory unit.

2. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the supervisory unit includes means for determining whether the monitor information obtained by said monitor unit should be analyzed by a human.

3. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the predetermined items and a content of preventive maintenance executed for said industrial machine are determined by a contract between said manufacturer and said user.

4. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine as defined in claim 3, wherein the predetermined items include at least one of production management information, operation information, operation condition shift, an error value, fault history information and maintenance history information.

5. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said preventive maintenance information transmission unit automatically retrieves one of a same and analogous condition of a disorder condition when any disorder occurs in said industrial machine, and automatically displays a solution on a monitor device on the user side.

6. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said preventive maintenance information transmission unit automatically displays at least one of component exchange information of said industrial machine and prior exchange timing information of life components and consumed components on a monitor device on the user side.

7. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the supervisory unit includes means for automatically selecting an optimum one of said maintenance centers on the manufacturer side depending on at least one of a time zone and a geographical condition, and connects said user to said maintenance center through the communication line when any emergency occurs on the user side.

8. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the supervisory unit includes means for automatically selecting an optimum service engineer on the manufacturer side depending on a content of a disorder between the user, and wherein the service engineer can be connected to said user via the communication line when any emergency occurs on the user side.

9. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said communication line can execute bi-directional information transmission among a plurality of nodes, and can transmit image data, sound information and character information to be shared.

10. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine as defined in claim 8, wherein said communication line can execute bi-directional information transmission among a plurality of nodes, and can transmit image data, sound information and character information to be shared.

11. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine, comprising:

an information transmission unit for connecting a LAN on a user side and a LAN on a manufacturer side through at least one of a wired and wireless communication line;

a monitor unit connected to said LAN on the user side for monitoring an operation condition of said industrial machine with respect to predetermined items;

an information transmission/reception unit connected to said LAN on the user side for transmitting monitor information obtained by said monitor unit to said LAN on the manufacturer side through said information transmission unit, and for receiving information from said LAN on the manufacturer side through said information transmission unit;

a supervisory unit connected to said LAN on the manufacturer side for receiving said monitor information transmitted from said information transmission/reception unit and for automatically diagnosing a fault based on said monitor information and automatically supervising said industrial machine; and

a preventive maintenance information transmission unit for automatically transmitting preventive maintenance information to said information transmission/reception unit on the user side through said information transmission unit when maintenance is determined to be necessary based on a diagnosis result of said supervisory unit,

said preventive maintenance information transmission unit automatically retrieving one of a same and analogous condition of a disorder condition when any disorder occurs in said industrial machine, and automatically displaying a solution on a monitor device on the user side.

12. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine, comprising:

an information transmission unit for connecting a LAN on a user side and a LAN on a manufacturer side through at least one of a wired and wireless communication line;

a monitor unit connected to said LAN on the user side for monitoring an operation condition of said industrial machine with respect to predetermined items;

an information transmission/reception unit connected to said LAN on the user side for transmitting monitor information obtained by said monitor unit to said LAN on the manufacturer side through said information transmission unit, and for receiving information from said LAN on the manufacturer side through said information transmission unit;

a supervisory unit connected to said LAN on the manufacturer side for receiving said monitor information transmitted from said information transmission/reception unit and for automatically diagnosing a fault based on said monitor information and automatically supervising said industrial machine; and

a preventive maintenance information transmission unit for automatically transmitting preventive maintenance information to said information transmission/reception unit on the user side through said information transmission unit when maintenance is determined to be necessary based on a diagnosis result of said supervisory unit,

said preventive maintenance information transmission unit automatically displaying at least one of component exchange information of said industrial machine and prior exchange timing information of life components and consumed components on a monitor device on the user side.

13. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine, comprising:

an information transmission unit for connecting a LAN on a user side and a LAN on a manufacturer side through at least one of a wired and wireless communication line;

a monitor unit connected to said LAN on the user side for monitoring an operation condition of said industrial machine with respect to predetermined items;

an information transmission/reception unit connected to said LAN on the user side for transmitting monitor information obtained by said monitor unit to said LAN on the manufacturer side through said information transmission unit, and for receiving information from said LAN on the manufacturer side through said information transmission unit;

a supervisory unit connected to said LAN on the manufacturer side for receiving said monitor information transmitted from said information transmission/reception unit and for automatically diagnosing a fault based on said monitor information and automatically supervising said industrial machine; and

a preventive maintenance information transmission unit for automatically transmitting preventive maintenance information to said information transmission/reception unit on the user side through said information transmission unit when maintenance is determined to be necessary based on a diagnosis result of said supervisory unit,

the supervisory unit including means for automatically selecting an optimum maintenance center on the manufacturer side depending on at least one of a time zone and a geographical condition, and connects said user to said maintenance center through the communication line when any emergency occurs on the user side.

14. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine as defined in claim 13, wherein said communication line can execute bi-directional information transmission among a plurality of nodes, and can transmit image data, sound information and character information to be shared.

15. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine, comprising:

an information transmission unit for connecting a LAN on a user side and a LAN on a manufacturer side through at least one of a wired and wireless communication line;

a monitor unit connected to said LAN on the user side for monitoring an operation condition of said industrial machine with respect to predetermined items;

an information transmission/reception unit connected to said LAN on the user side for transmitting monitor information obtained by said monitor unit to said LAN on the manufacturer side through said information transmission unit, and for receiving information from said LAN on the manufacturer side through said information transmission unit;

a supervisory unit connected to said LAN on the manufacturer side for receiving said monitor information transmitted from said information transmission/reception unit and for automatically diagnosing a fault based on said monitor information and automatically supervising said industrial machine; and

a preventive maintenance information transmission unit for automatically transmitting preventive maintenance information to said information transmission/reception unit on the user side through said information transmission unit when maintenance is determined to be necessary based on a diagnosis result of said supervisory unit,

the supervisory unit including means for automatically selecting an optimum service engineer on the manufacturer side depending on a content of a disorder between the user, and wherein the service engineer can be connected to said user via the communication line when any emergency occurs on the user side.

16. A preventive maintenance system for an industrial machine as defined in claim 15, wherein said communication line can execute bi-directional information transmission among a plurality of nodes, and can transmit image data, sound information and character information to be shared.