Replacement part order processing apparatus, method for ordering replacement parts and computer-readable recording medium

• US 7,970,636 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Toshiyuki, Ohashi, Hideaki, Adachi, Seiji, Ohno, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Frenel; Vanel
• Application Number:
  US12/010,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 705 7- 10, 702/188, 702/184, 701/29
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• 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 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/014 Providing recall services for goods or products

Abstract

A controlling unit of a replacement part management server specifies a maintenance target equipment and acquires order conditions from a responsible personnel terminal. The controlling unit acquires maintenance information and part information both relating to the maintenance target equipment. The controlling unit calculates prediction residual regarding target parts of an initial value setting process, and compares the prediction residual with the shortest cycle. When the prediction residual is smaller than the shortest cycle, the controlling unit sets the number of replacements in the part order data storing unit. When an initial value setting process regarding all the parts is completed, an order input screen is output. When an order request is received from the responsible personnel terminal, an order management server acquires part order data and transmits a preparation instruction of a PM kit to the purchaser.

Claims

1. A replacement part order processing apparatus connected to a maintenance responsible personnel terminal via a network, and specifying parts that need replacing in an equipment that is target for maintenance, the apparatus comprising:

a part information storing unit that stores part identifier information and replacement cycle amount information of parts for use in maintenance of equipment, in such a way that both information is associated with equipment type information indicating the type of equipment that is the target of maintenance;

a maintenance target equipment information storing unit that stores;

maintenance target equipment identifier information for specifying maintenance target equipment;

equipment type information of the maintenance target equipment; and

shortest cycle amount information indicating a shortest of cycle amounts in which to perform maintenance of the target equipment, in such a way that the each information is associated with each other for each maintenance target equipment;

an output history information storing unit that stores;

maintenance target equipment identifier information for specifying the maintenance target equipment;

usage amount information indicating the usage amount of the maintenance target equipment; and

confirmation date information indicating the date in which the usage amount is confirmed, in such a way that each information is associated with each other for each maintenance target equipment;

a maintenance history information storing unit that stores, for each replacement of parts performed, maintenance target equipment identifier information specifying the equipment in which the part is used, part identifier information specifying the replaced part, a date on which the parts are replaced, and a replacement-time usage amount information indicating a usage amount of the maintenance target equipment at the date on which the parts are replaced, in such a way that each information is associated with each other; and

a controlling unit which performs a replacement part specifying process for specifying a part in need of replacement in a maintenance target equipment,

wherein in the replacement part specifying process, the controlling unit;

when maintenance target equipment identifier information is acquired from the maintenance responsible personnel terminal, acquires equipment type information associated with the maintenance target equipment identifier information from the maintenance target equipment information storing unit and acquires part identifier information and replacement cycle amount information, each of which is associated with the equipment type information, to perform a periodic maintenance in accordance with a shortest of the replacement cycles of the parts periodically being replaced in the maintenance target equipment, from the part information storing unit;

for each of the parts specified by the part identifier information, acquires replacement-time usage amount indicating the usage amount at the time of the nearest replacement from the maintenance history information storing unit;

for each of the specified parts, acquires a current usage amount of the maintenance target equipment associated with maintenance target equipment identifying information of the maintenance target equipment from the output history information storing unit, calculates a difference obtained by subtracting the replacement-time usage amount from the current usage amount, and calculates a prediction residual by subtracting the difference from the acquired replacement cycle amount; and

for each of the specified parts, compares the shortest cycle amount of the maintenance target equipment stored at the maintenance target equipment information storing unit with the calculated prediction residual, and executes a generation process of generating order information for ordering the part when the prediction residual is smaller than the shortest cycle.

2. The replacement part order processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

in the generation process, the controlling unit acquires information related to scheduled maintenance date from the maintenance responsible personnel terminal and generates order information of the parts by setting a desired delivery date based on the scheduled maintenance date.

3. The replacement part order processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

in the generation process, the controlling unit acquires information related to a location of installation of a maintenance target equipment from the maintenance responsible personnel terminal and generates order information of the parts by setting a delivery destination based on the installation location.

4. A method for ordering replacement parts executed by a replacement part order processing apparatus which is connected to a maintenance responsible personnel terminal via a network,

the replacement part order processing apparatus comprising a part information storing unit, a maintenance target equipment information storing unit, an output history information storing unit, a maintenance history information storing unit, and a controlling unit, the method comprising the steps of:

i) storing part identifier information and replacement cycle amount information of parts for use in maintenance of equipment, in such a way that both information is associated with equipment type information indicating the type of equipment that is the target of maintenance, the step i) executed by the part information storing unit;

ii) storing;

maintenance target equipment identifier information for specifying maintenance target equipment;

equipment type information of the maintenance target equipment; and

shortest cycle amount information indicating a shortest of cycle amounts in which to perform maintenance of the target equipment, in such a way that the each information is associated with each other for each maintenance target equipment, the step executed by the maintenance target equipment information storing unit;

iii) storing;

maintenance target equipment identifier information for specifying the maintenance target equipment;

usage amount information indicating the usage amount of the maintenance target equipment; and

confirmation date information indicating the date in which the usage amount is confirmed, in such a way that each information is associated with each other for each maintenance target equipment, the step executed by an output history information;

iv) storing;

for each replacement of parts performed, maintenance target equipment identifier information specifying the equipment in which the part is used, part identifier information specifying the replaced part, a date on which the parts are replaced, and a replacement-time usage amount information indicating a usage amount of the maintenance target equipment at the date on which the parts are replaced, in such a way that each information is associated with each other, the step iv) executed by the maintenance history information storing unit; and

v) specifying a part in need of replacement in a maintenance target equipment, the step v) executed by the controlling unit,

wherein the step v) comprises the steps, executed by the controlling unit, of;

when maintenance target equipment identifier information is acquired from the maintenance responsible personnel terminal, acquiring equipment type information associated with the maintenance target equipment identifier information from the maintenance target equipment information storing unit and acquiring part identifier information and replacement cycle amount information, each of which is associated with the equipment type information, to perform a periodic maintenance in accordance with a shortest of the replacement cycles of the parts periodically being replaced in the maintenance target equipment, from the part information storing unit;

for each of the parts specified by the part identifier information, acquiring replacement-time usage amount indicating the usage amount at the time of the nearest replacement from the maintenance history information storing unit;

for each of the specified parts, acquiring a current usage amount of the maintenance target equipment associated with maintenance target equipment identifying information of the maintenance target equipment from the output history information storing unit, calculating a difference obtained by subtracting the replacement-time usage amount from the current usage amount, and calculating a prediction residual by subtracting the difference from the acquired replacement cycle amount; and

for each of the specified parts, comparing the shortest cycle amount of the maintenance target equipment stored at the maintenance target equipment information storing unit with the calculated prediction residual, and executing a generation process of generating order information for ordering the part when the prediction residual is smaller than the shortest cycle.

5. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for controlling a computer connected to a maintenance responsible personnel terminal via a network to function as:

a part information storing unit that stores part identifier information and replacement cycle amount information of parts for use in maintenance of equipment, in such a way that both information is associated with equipment type information indicating the type of equipment that is the target of maintenance;

a maintenance target equipment information storing unit that stores;

maintenance target equipment identifier information for specifying maintenance target equipment;

equipment type information of the maintenance target equipment; and

shortest cycle amount information indicating a shortest of cycle amounts in which to perform maintenance of the target equipment, in such a way that the each information is associated with each other for each maintenance target equipment;

an output history information storing unit that stores;

maintenance target equipment identifier information for specifying the maintenance target equipment;

usage amount information indicating the usage amount of the maintenance target equipment; and

confirmation date information indicating the date in which the usage amount is confirmed, in such a way that each information is associated with each other for each maintenance target equipment;

a maintenance history information storing unit that stores, for each replacement of parts performed, maintenance target equipment identifier information specifying the equipment in which the part is used, part identifier information specifying the replaced part, a date on which the parts are replaced, and replacement-time usage amount information indicating a usage amount of the maintenance target equipment at the date on which the parts are replaced, in such a way that each information is associated with each other; and

a controlling unit which performs a replacement part specifying process for specifying a part in need of replacement in a maintenance target equipment,

wherein in the replacement part specifying process, the controlling unit;

when maintenance target equipment identifier information is acquired from the maintenance responsible personnel terminal, acquires equipment type information associated with the maintenance target equipment identifier information from the maintenance target equipment information storing unit and acquires part identifier information and replacement cycle amount information, each of which is associated with the equipment type information, to perform a periodic maintenance in accordance with a shortest of the replacement cycles of the parts periodically being replaced in the maintenance target equipment, from the part information storing unit;

for each of the parts specified by the part identifier information, acquires replacement-time usage amount indicating the usage amount at the time of the nearest replacement from the maintenance history information storing unit;

for each of the specified parts, acquires a current usage amount of the maintenance target equipment associated with maintenance target equipment identifying information of the maintenance target equipment from the output history information storing unit, calculates a difference obtained by subtracting the replacement-time usage amount from the current usage amount, and calculates a prediction residual by subtracting the difference from the acquired replacement cycle amount; and

for each of the specified parts, compares the shortest cycle amount of the maintenance target equipment stored at the maintenance target equipment information storing unit with the calculated prediction residual, and executes a generation process of generating order information for ordering the part when the prediction residual is smaller than the shortest cycle.