Identification, categorization, and integration of unplanned maintenance, repair and overhaul work on mechanical equipment

• US 7,440,906 B1
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Garrow, Gary R., Newton, Charles P. III, Wetzer, Michael, Weir, Patrick E., West, David P. II, Ashby, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): BOYCE, ANDRE D
• Application Number:
  US09/946,095
• Time in Patent Office: 2,604 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

A method for managing maintenance of equipment includes identifying a planned MRO task and a first set of components associated with the task and determining a set of probabilities associated with a second set of components and indicating that the second set of components will require maintenance during the planned MRO task. The method further includes developing a plan for maintenance of individual items in the second set of components and, upon discovering a need for maintenance of at least one item of the second set of components, accessing the plan and integrating it with a plan of planned MRO tasks for the equipment.

Claims

1. A method for forming and operating a maintenance database, comprising:

identifying a planned maintenance task on equipment;

storing the planned maintenance task in a database;

identifying a first planned maintenance location area on the equipment associated with completion of the planned maintenance task;

identifying a first unplanned maintenance task associated with the first planned maintenance location area;

identifying a first component location in the first planned maintenance location area for a first component involved with the first unplanned maintenance task;

storing the first unplanned maintenance task in the database;

linking the first unplanned maintenance task and the planned maintenance task in the database with first location data that specifies the first component location; and

implementing multiple maintenance task location paths by;

establishing a task pointer into the database that provides a first path to the planned maintenance task; and

establishing a location pointer into the database that provides a second path through the first location data to both the planned maintenance task and the first unplanned maintenance task.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the planned maintenance task is one of multiple planned maintenance tasks stored in the database;

the first unplanned maintenance task is one of multiple unplanned maintenance tasks stored in the database; and

the first location data are part of linking location data in the database that establish location associations between the multiple unplanned maintenance tasks and the multiple planned maintenance tasks.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein implementing the multiple maintenance task location paths further comprises:

pointing the task pointer to a selected planned maintenance task included in the multiple planned maintenance tasks;

pointing the location pointer to a selected maintenance location included in the linking location data;

finding location associated planned maintenance tasks by;

following the selected maintenance location to find the location associated planned maintenance tasks from among the multiple planned maintenance tasks; and

finding location associated unplanned maintenance tasks by;

following the selected planned maintenance task to find first location associated unplanned maintenance tasks, with respect to the selected planned maintenance task, from among the multiple unplanned maintenance tasks, or

following the selected maintenance location to find second location associated unplanned maintenance tasks from among the multiple unplanned maintenance tasks, or both.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a second unplanned maintenance task associated with the planned maintenance location area;

identifying a second component location, different than the first location component, for a second component involved with the second unplanned maintenance task;

storing the second unplanned maintenance task in the database; and

linking the second unplanned maintenance task and the planned maintenance task in the database with second location data that specifies the second component location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a second planned maintenance location area on the equipment also associated with completion of the planned maintenance task;

identifying a second unplanned maintenance task associated with the second planned maintenance location area;

identifying a second component location for a second component involved with the second unplanned maintenance task in the second planned maintenance location area;

storing the second unplanned maintenance task in the database; and

linking the second unplanned maintenance task and the planned maintenance task in the database with second location data that specifies the second component location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a library database comprising a work category assigned to the first unplanned maintenance task.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a library database comprising a work category and task type pair assigned to the first unplanned maintenance task.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

obtaining a work category selection;

filtering the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks based on the work category selection; and

displaying the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that meet the work category selection, and suppressing display of location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that do not meet the work category selection.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

obtaining a work category selection;

obtaining a task type selection;

filtering the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks based on the work category selection and the task type; and

displaying the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that meet the work category selection and the task type selection, and suppressing display of location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that do not meet the work category selection and the task type selection.

10. A method for forming and operating a maintenance database, comprising:

storing multiple planned maintenance tasks stored in a database;

storing multiple unplanned maintenance tasks stored in the database; and

storing linking location data that establish location associations between the multiple unplanned maintenance tasks and the multiple planned maintenance tasks;

implementing multiple path maintenance task location by;

establishing a task pointer into the database;

pointing the task pointer to a selected planned maintenance task among the multiple planned maintenance tasks;

establishing a location pointer into the database;

pointing the location pointer to a selected maintenance location included in the linking location data;

finding location associated planned maintenance tasks by;

following the selected maintenance location to find the location associated planned maintenance tasks from among the multiple planned maintenance tasks; and

finding location associated unplanned maintenance tasks by;

following the selected planned maintenance task to find first location associated unplanned maintenance tasks, from among the multiple unplanned maintenance tasks, or

following the selected maintenance location to find second location associated unplanned maintenance tasks from among the multiple unplanned maintenance tasks, or both.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

establishing a library database comprising a work category assigned to the first unplanned maintenance task.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

establishing a library database comprising a work category and task type pair assigned to the first unplanned maintenance task.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

obtaining a work category selection;

filtering the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks based on the work category selection; and

displaying the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that meet the work category selection, and suppressing display of location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that do not meet the work category selection.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

obtaining a work category selection;

obtaining a task type selection;

filtering the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks based on the work category selection and the task type; and

displaying the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that meet the work category selection and the task type selection, and suppressing display of location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that do not meet the work category selection and the task type selection.

15. A data processing system comprising:

a database storing multiple planned maintenance tasks, multiple unplanned maintenance tasks, and linking location data that establish location associations between the multiple unplanned maintenance tasks and the multiple planned maintenance tasks;

a task pointer operable to point to a selected planned maintenance task among the multiple planned maintenance tasks;

a location pointer operable to point to a selected maintenance location included in the linking location data; and

a processor coupled to the database and operable to;

find location associated planned maintenance tasks by;

following the selected maintenance location to find the location associated planned maintenance tasks from among the multiple planned maintenance tasks; and

find location associated unplanned maintenance tasks by;

following the selected planned maintenance task to find first location associated unplanned maintenance tasks, from among the multiple unplanned maintenance tasks, or

following the selected maintenance location to find second location associated unplanned maintenance tasks from among the multiple unplanned maintenance tasks, or both.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a library database comprising a work category assigned to the first unplanned maintenance task.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a library database comprising a work category and task type pair assigned to the first unplanned maintenance task.

18. The system of claim 15, where the processor is further operable to:

obtain a work category selection; and

filter the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks based on the work category selection; and

further comprising;

a user interface operable to display the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that meet the work category selection, and suppress display of location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that do not meet the work category selection.

19. The system of claim 15, where the processor is further operable to:

obtain a work category selection and a task type selection; and

filter the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks based on the work category selection and the task type; and

further comprising;

a user interface operable to display the location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that meet the work category selection and the task type selection, and suppress display of location associated unplanned maintenance tasks that do not meet the work category selection and the task type selection.

20. The system of claim 15, where the multiple planned maintenance tasks include a particular planned maintenance task that extends over multiple planned maintenance location areas.