Method, system and computer product for performing failure mode and effects analysis throughout the product life cycle

• US 6,909,994 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Cuddihy, Paul Edward, Azzaro, Steven Hector, Johnson, Timothy Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/303,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 702/185, 702182-184, 702/188, 707/1, 707/3, 707/102, 714/25, 714/39, 714/45, 714/46
• US Class Current: 702/185
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0278 Qualitative, e.g. if-then rules; Fuzzy logic; Lookup tables; Symptomatic search; FMEA

Abstract

A method for performing failure mode and effects analysis throughout the product life cycle. The method comprises receiving incident data from a requestor. The incident data includes a requestor product and a requestor fault mode. A shared failure mode and effects analysis database is accessed and searched for an existing entry that includes the incident data. The contents of the existing entry are transmitted to the requestor in response to locating an existing entry.

Claims

1. A method for performing failure mode and effects analysis throughout the product life cycle, the method comprising:

receiving incident data from a requestor, said incident data including a requestor product and a requester fault mode;

receiving field solution data from said requestor, said field solution data including said requestor product, said requestor fault mode, a requestor corrective action and a requestor primary effect;

accessing a shared failure mode and effects analysis database;

searching said database for an existing entry that includes said incident data; and

transmitting the contents of said existing entry to said requestor in response to locating said existing entry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said field solution data further includes a requester component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said field solution data further includes a requester measurement.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said field solution data further includes a requester measurement.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising evaluating said field solution data for inclusion in said database.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said evaluating includes a plurality of team members viewing said field solution data and collaborating electronically.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

augmenting said database in response to said receiving field solution data and to said evaluating, wherein said augmenting includes;

searching said database for an existing entry that includes said field solution data; and

updating an occurrence field corresponding to said existing entry in response to locating said existing entry in said database;

or

inserting a new entry into said database in response to an indication that said field solution data was not located in said database, wherein said new entry includes said field solution data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said occurrence field includes a counter and said updating an occurrence field includes incrementing said counter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said database is imported from an external system containing failure mode and effects analysis data.

10. The method of claim 1, further including creating said database during product design.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said creating includes:

performing failure mode and effects analysis; and

populating said database in response to said performing.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said performing failure mode and effects analysis includes utilizing a collaboration tool to reach consensus on said populating.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said requestor is a customer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said requestor is a remote diagnostics engineer.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said incident data further includes a requestor component.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said incident data further includes a requestor primary effect.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said incident data further includes a requestor product level effect.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said database includes a product field, a fault mode field, a corrective action field and an occurrence field.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said database further includes a component field.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said database further includes a primary effect field.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said database further includes a product level effect field.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said database further includes a measurement field.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said product is industrial power distribution equipment.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said product is a turbine engine system.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein said product is an appliance.

26. A system for performing failure mode and effects analysis throughout the product life cycle, the system comprising:

a network;

a user system in communication with said network;

a storage device including a shared failure mode and effects analysis database; and

a host system in communication with said network and said storage device, said host system including electronic collaboration software to implement a method comprising;

receiving incident data from a requestor on said user system, said incident data including a requester product and a requester fault mode;

accessing said database;

searching said database for an existing entry that includes said incident data; and

transmitting the contents of said existing entry to said requestor on said user system in response to locating said existing entry.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said electronic collaboration software includes instructions to implement a method further comprising:

receiving field solution data from said requester, said field solution data including said requestor product, said requestor fault mode and a requestor corrective action.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said electronic collaboration software includes instructions to implement a method further comprising:

evaluating said field solution data for inclusion in said database.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said electronic collaboration software includes instructions to implement a method further comprising:

augmenting said database in response to said receiving field solution data and to said evaluating, wherein said augmenting includes;

searching said database for an existing entry that includes said field solution data; and

updating an occurrence field corresponding to said existing entry in response to locating said existing entry in said database;

or

inserting a new entry into said database in response to an indication that said field solution data was not located in said database, wherein said new entry includes said field solution data.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein said electronic collaboration software includes instructions to implement a method further comprising:

performing failure mode and effects analysis; and

populating said database in response to said performing.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein said network is the Internet.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein said network is an intranet.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein said storage device and said host system are located in different geographic locations and communicate via said network.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein said user system and said host system are located in different geographic locations.

35. A computer program product for performing failure mode and effects analysis throughout the product life cycle, the computer product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

receiving field solution data from said requestor, said field solution data including said requestor product, said requestor fault mode, a requester corrective action and a requestor primary effect;

receiving incident data from a requester, said incident data including a requestor product and a requestor fault mode;

accessing a shared failure mode and effects analysis database;

searching said database for an existing entry that includes said incident data; and

transmitting the contents of said existing entry to said requestor in response to locating said existing entry.

36. A method for performing failure mode and effects analysis throughout the product life cycle, the method comprising:

receiving incident data from a requestor, said incident data including a requestor product and a requestor fault mode;

accessing a shared failure mode and effects analysis database;

searching said database for an existing entry that includes said incident data; and

transmitting the contents of said existing entry to said requester in response to locating said existing entry;

wherein said product is industrial power distribution equipment.

37. A method for performing failure mode and effects analysis throughout the product life cycle, the method comprising:

receiving incident data from a requester, said incident data including a requester product and a requestor fault mode;

accessing a shared failure mode and effects analysis database;

searching said database for an existing entry that includes said incident data; and

transmitting the contents of said existing entry to said requestor in response to locating said existing entry;

wherein said product is a turbine engine system.