Method and system for evaluating costs of various design and maintenance approaches
First Claim
1. A method for evaluating costs associated with each of a plurality of maintenance approaches for at least one equipment module of a structure, comprising:
- receiving, via a client element, a plurality of parameters comprising parameters regarding the at least one equipment module, the structure, and economic factors related to at least one of the at least one equipment module and the structure, wherein receiving a plurality of parameters regarding the structure comprises receiving information regarding a lifetime of the structure, wherein receiving a plurality of parameters regarding the at least one equipment module comprises receiving at least one parameter regarding at least one first equipment module and at least one parameter regarding at least one second equipment module, wherein each second equipment module is an alternative for a respective first equipment module such that the structure includes only one type of equipment module selected from a group consisting of the first equipment module and the second equipment module;
separately determining, by a processor, equipment module costs associated with each of at least two of the plurality of maintenance approaches for each equipment module based upon the received plurality of parameters, including the economic factors, wherein the plurality of maintenance approaches comprises a prognostic maintenance approach, a scheduled maintenance approach, and an operate-to-failure maintenance approach;
receiving a selection of a maintenance approach for at least one first equipment module and a maintenance approach for at least one second equipment module;
following the selection, determining non-recurring costs for each of the at least one first equipment module having the selected maintenance approach and the at least one second equipment module having the selected maintenance approach,wherein determining non-recurring costs comprises determining acquisition and training costs associated with each of the at least one first equipment module having the selected maintenance approach and the at least one second equipment module having the selected maintenance approach over the lifetime of the structure, andcomparing by the processor, the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with the maintenance approach for the first equipment module with the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with the maintenance approach for the second equipment module, wherein comparing comprises separately presenting, via a display element, the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with each of the at least two maintenance approaches for each equipment module.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The method and system quantify the impact of various design and operational solutions for equipment modules of a structure and the overall structure based upon economic factors. In particular, the method and system provide cost evaluation of various maintenance approaches for at least one equipment module that is part of an overall structure. In addition, a baseline and alternate equipment module may be specified for each equipment module. The costs associated with each of the maintenance approaches for each baseline and alternate equipment module then may be compared and the costs associated with the overall structure having a chosen maintenance approach for each baseline and alternate equipment module may be evaluated. The sensitivity of the costs associated with the overall structure to changes in one or more of the parameter values also may be calculated.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A method for evaluating costs associated with each of a plurality of maintenance approaches for at least one equipment module of a structure, comprising:
-
receiving, via a client element, a plurality of parameters comprising parameters regarding the at least one equipment module, the structure, and economic factors related to at least one of the at least one equipment module and the structure, wherein receiving a plurality of parameters regarding the structure comprises receiving information regarding a lifetime of the structure, wherein receiving a plurality of parameters regarding the at least one equipment module comprises receiving at least one parameter regarding at least one first equipment module and at least one parameter regarding at least one second equipment module, wherein each second equipment module is an alternative for a respective first equipment module such that the structure includes only one type of equipment module selected from a group consisting of the first equipment module and the second equipment module; separately determining, by a processor, equipment module costs associated with each of at least two of the plurality of maintenance approaches for each equipment module based upon the received plurality of parameters, including the economic factors, wherein the plurality of maintenance approaches comprises a prognostic maintenance approach, a scheduled maintenance approach, and an operate-to-failure maintenance approach; receiving a selection of a maintenance approach for at least one first equipment module and a maintenance approach for at least one second equipment module; following the selection, determining non-recurring costs for each of the at least one first equipment module having the selected maintenance approach and the at least one second equipment module having the selected maintenance approach, wherein determining non-recurring costs comprises determining acquisition and training costs associated with each of the at least one first equipment module having the selected maintenance approach and the at least one second equipment module having the selected maintenance approach over the lifetime of the structure, and comparing by the processor, the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with the maintenance approach for the first equipment module with the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with the maintenance approach for the second equipment module, wherein comparing comprises separately presenting, via a display element, the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with each of the at least two maintenance approaches for each equipment module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method for evaluating costs associated with a prognostic maintenance approach for at least one equipment module of a structure, comprising:
-
receiving, via a client element, a plurality of parameters comprising parameters regarding the at least one equipment module, the structure and economic factors related to at least one of the at least one equipment module and the structure, wherein receiving a plurality of parameters regarding the structure comprises receiving information regarding a lifetime of the structure, wherein receiving a plurality of parameters regarding the at least one equipment module comprises receiving at least one parameter regarding at least one first equipment module and at least one parameter regarding at least one second equipment module wherein each second equipment module is an alternative for a respective first equipment module such that the structure includes only one type of equipment module selected from a group consisting of the first equipment module and the second equipment module; separately determining, by a processor, equipment module costs associated with a plurality of different maintenance approaches including the prognostic maintenance approach based upon the received plurality of parameters, including the economic factors; receiving a selection of a maintenance approach for at least one first equipment module and a maintenance approach for at least one second equipment module; determining non-recurring costs for each of the at least one first equipment module having the selected maintenance approach and the at least one second equipment module having the selected maintenance approach, wherein determining non-recurring costs comprises determining acquisition and training costs associated with each of the at least one first equipment module having the selected maintenance approach and the at least one second equipment module having the selected maintenance approach over the lifetime of the structure; and comparing, by the processor, the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with the maintenance approach for the first equipment module with the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with the maintenance approach for the second equipment module, wherein comparing comprises separately presenting, via a display element, the costs associated with the respective maintenance approach for each equipment module. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for evaluating costs associated with a prognostic maintenance approach for at least one equipment module of a structure, comprising:
-
receiving, via a client element, a plurality of parameters comprising parameters regarding the at least one equipment module, the structure and a plurality of economic factors related to at least one of the at least one equipment module and the structure, wherein receiving a plurality of parameters regarding the at least one equipment module comprises receiving at least one parameter regarding at least one first equipment module and at least one parameter regarding at least one second equipment module, wherein each second equipment module is an alternative for a respective first equipment module such that the structure includes only one type of equipment module selected from a group consisting of the first equipment module and the second equipment module; separately determining, by a processor, equipment module costs associated with a plurality of different maintenance approaches including the prognostic maintenance approach based upon the received plurality of parameters, including the economic factors; receiving a selection of a maintenance approach for at least one first equipment module and a maintenance approach for at least one second equipment module; determining non-recurring costs for each of the at least one first equipment module having the selected maintenance approach and the at least one second equipment module having the selected maintenance approach, wherein determining non-recurring costs comprises determining acquisition and training costs associated with each of the at least one first equipment module having the selected maintenance approach and the at least one second equipment module having the selected maintenance approach the prognostic, wherein determining non-recurring costs comprises determining a net present value life cycle costs for at least the plurality of acquisition and sustaining training costs associated with the respective prognostic maintenance approach for each equipment module; and comparing, by the processor, the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with the prognostic maintenance approach for the first equipment module with the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with the prognostic maintenance approach for the second equipment module, wherein comparing comprises separately presenting, via a display element, the costs associated with the maintenance approach for each equipment module.
-
-
19. A system for evaluating costs associated with each of a plurality of maintenance approaches for at least one equipment module of a structure, comprising:
-
a computer, comprising; a client element capable of receiving a plurality of parameters comprising parameters regarding the at least one equipment module, the structure and economic factors related to at least one of the at least one equipment module and the structure, wherein said client element is also configured to receive information regarding a lifetime of the structure, wherein said client element is also configured to receive at least one parameter regarding at least one first equipment module and at least one parameter regarding at least one second equipment module, wherein each second equipment module is an alternative for a respective first equipment module such that the structure includes only one type of equipment module selected from a group consisting of the first equipment module and the second equipment module; a processor capable of separately determining equipment module costs associated with each of at least two of the plurality of maintenance approaches based upon the received plurality of parameters, including the economic factors, wherein the plurality of maintenance approaches comprises a prognostic maintenance approach, a scheduled maintenance approach, and an operate-to-failure maintenance approach for each equipment module, wherein the processing element is also configured to receive a selection of a maintenance approach for at least one first equipment module and a maintenance approach for at least one second equipment module, and wherein the processing element is further configured to determine, following the selection, non\-recurring costs for each of the at least one first equipment module having the selected maintenance approach and the at least one second equipment module having the selected maintenance approach, wherein the processing element is configured to determine non-recurring costs of including acquisition and training costs associated with each of the at least one first equipment module having the selected maintenance approach and the at least one second equipment module having the selected maintenance approach maintenance approach for each equipment module over the lifetime of the structure, and wherein the processing element is further configured to compare the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with the maintenance approach for the first equipment module with the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with the maintenance approach for the second equipment module; and a display capable of separately presenting the equipment module costs and the non-recurring costs associated with each of the at least two maintenance approaches for each equipment module. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification