Method of providing maintenance services

• US 7,269,569 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Klemme-Wolff, Hans, Niedermayr, Erich, Sommer, Bernhard, Taylor, Michael, Goly, Krzysztof, Menden, Günter, Spira, Mario Cosmas, Zancolich, Giuseppe, Tautrim, Jörg, Williams, David Leslie, Stübiger, Jürgen, Cavanagh, Perry Michael, Wilcox, Michael, Pfeifer, Kimberley James
• Primary Examiner(s): Doren; Beth Van
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sterrett; Jonathan G
• Application Number:
  US09/810,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20020035495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,370 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8, 705/9, 705/10, 705/7
• US Class Current: 705/7.36
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

The method of providing includes providing an assessment of the maintenance and technical service needs of a plant, as broadly defined, and recommending services for outsourcing selected from a menu of services. The services are modular and may be mixed and matched to a customized fit with the needs of the plant. Categories of services are directed to technical services, motor maintenance, electro-mechanical services, etc. A generic approach to all plant maintenance provides a framework in which to offer the services. Services are offered throughout the life cycle of a plant. Particular industries are targeted for outsourced services.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing maintenance services by aligning maintenance policies to business objectives of a customer, comprising the steps of:

(a) Performing an operational analysis to produce a diagnostic assessment of a potential customer'"'"'s facility, wherein the diagnostic assessment identifies specific equipment and site maintenance requirements, wherein the equipment and site maintenance requirements are based on equipment categorized according to information technology, mechanical, electrical and HVAC;

(b) Determining processes utilizing the specific equipment identified in (a) above, and performing a criticality analysis that categorizes the processes as either critical or non-critical based on the impact a failed process has on the operation of the customer'"'"'s facility;

(c) Performing a component identification of specific components that constitute the equipment utilized in the critical processes identified above;

(d) Analyzing the failure modes of the components identified in (c) above and determining which analytical technique or combination of analytical techniques is necessary to predict a component failure,

wherein the failure analytical techniques are at least one of;

vibration, thermography, ultrasonic, oil analysis, motor current or alignment;

(e) Proposing an outsourced maintenance package, wherein the outsourced maintenance package includes providing one or more of the following services to the customer'"'"'s facility;

remote monitoring of facility equipment conditions;

on call services that dispatch resources to the facility for providing maintenance, reconditioning of equipment, diagnostics and testing, spare parts, decontamination and management of motor fleets;

wherein the outsourced maintenance package is based on providing maintenance support necessary for successful operation of the critical processes identified in (b) above

(f) Proposing a guarantee for providing the outsourced maintenance package in (e) based on calculating a numerical value based on a weighted average of the facility'"'"'s key performance indicators, wherein the key performance indicators are at least one of numerical metrics of safety, facility availability, production quality and reduced operating costs, wherein said numerical value calculated is guaranteed to exceed a threshold;

(g) Establishing agreement with the potential customer to provide maintenance according to the outsourced maintenance package of step (e) and the guarantee of (f) above;

(h) Providing maintenance at the customer'"'"'s industrial facility according to the agreement of (g);

(i) Further providing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week remote support by utilizing regional facilities that are located in at least three geographic regions around the world such that the regional facilities are staffed during normal daytime business hours;

wherein the remote support provides the following services to the customer facility;

(1) providing on call support of expert advice;

wherein the expert advice is provided by the regional facilities based on the information contained in a knowledge database;

wherein the knowledge database utilizes historical information based on other, similar industrial facilities or components

(2) providing remote condition monitoring of the components identified in (c) utilizing at least one of the analytical techniques identified in (d);

wherein the remote condition monitoring is further enhanced utilizing the knowledge database;

(j) Benchmarking the customer facility'"'"'s key performance indicators against comparable other facilities to improve the performance of the maintenance provider against the benchmark.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a single headquarters location; and

providing Internet connections between said single headquarters location and said regional facilities.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said regional facilities are provided for at least three regions, said three regions being:

the Far East, the European Union and a NAFTA country.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said regional facilities supervise manpower requirements for said customer'"'"'s facility.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of transferring program modules from said regional facilities to said customer'"'"'s facility through said Internet connections.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of:

providing supervisory control of maintenance services at said customer'"'"'s facility from said regional facility through said Internet connections.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said customer'"'"'s facility is an airport.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said customer'"'"'s facility is a power plant.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said power plant is one of:

a fossil fuel plant, an atomic energy plant, and a hydroelectric power plant.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said outsourced maintenance package further includes providing human resources support to said customer facility.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said outsourced maintenance package further includes providing maintenance training to personnel based at said customer'"'"'s facility.

12. A computer-implemented method for providing maintenance services by aligning maintenance policies to business objectives of a customer, comprising the steps of:

(a) Performing an operational analysis to produce a diagnostic assessment of a potential customer'"'"'s facility;

wherein the diagnostic assessment identifies specific equipment and site maintenance requirements, wherein the equipment and site maintenance requirements are based on equipment categorized according to information technology, mechanical, electrical and HVAC;

(b) Determining processes utilizing the specific equipment identified in (a) above, and performing a criticality analysis that categorizes the processes as either critical or non-critical based on the impact a failed process has on the operation of the customer'"'"'s facility;

(c) Performing a component identification of specific components that constitute the equipment utilized in the critical processes identified above;

(d) Analyzing the failure modes of the components identified in (c) above and determining which analytical technique or combination of analytical techniques is necessary to predict a component failure,

wherein the failure analytical techniques are at least one of;

vibration, thermography, ultrasonic, oil analysis, motor current or alignment;

(e) Proposing an outsourced maintenance package, wherein the outsourced maintenance package includes providing one or more of the following services to the customer'"'"'s facility;

remote monitoring of facility equipment conditions;

on call services that dispatch resources to the facility for providing maintenance, reconditioning of equipment, diagnostics and testing, spare parts, decontamination and management of motor fleets;

wherein the outsourced maintenance package is based on providing maintenance support necessary for successful operation of the critical processes identified in (b) above

(f) Proposing a guarantee for providing the outsourced maintenance package in (e) based on calculating a numerical value based on a weighted average of the facility'"'"'s key performance indicators, wherein the key performance indicators are numerical metrics of safety, facility availability, production quality and reduced operating costs, wherein said numerical value calculated is guaranteed to exceed a threshold;

(g) Establishing agreement with the potential customer to provide maintenance according to the outsourced maintenance package of step (e) and the guarantee of (f) above;

(h) Providing maintenance at the customer'"'"'s industrial facility according to the agreement of (g);

(i) Further providing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week remote support by utilizing regional facilities that are located in at least three geographic regions around the world such that the regional facilities are staffed during normal daytime business hours;

wherein the remote support provides the following services to the customer facility;

(1) providing on call support of expert advice;

wherein the expert advice is provided by the regional facilities based on the information contained in a knowledge database;

wherein the knowledge database utilizes historical information based on other, similar industrial facilities or components

(2) providing remote condition monitoring of the components identified in (c) utilizing at least one of the analytical techniques identified in (d);

wherein the remote condition monitoring is further enhanced utilizing the knowledge database;

(j) Benchmarking the customer facility'"'"'s key performance indicators against comparable other facilities to improve the performance of the maintenance provider against the benchmark.