Performance-based logistics for aerospace and defense programs

• US 8,655,698 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: West, David P. II, Baldwin, Sherman, Wetzer, Michael, Weir, Patrick E., Garrow, Gary R., Newton, Charles P. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterrett, Jonathan G
• Application Number:
  US11/806,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,450 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.12, 705/7.38, 702/81, 701/29.3
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change

Abstract

This invention relates to an automated method and system for forming and implementing a performance-based logistic contract through managing the maintenance an item of equipment in accordance with a maintenance plan. Embodiments of the present invention include a method and system for maintaining an item of equipment supports the provision of predictive maintenance in a manner which eliminates or reduces downtime of the equipment. The method includes tracking performance data on the equipment or a particular component of the equipment. At least one required maintenance activity is predicted based upon the performance data with respect to a defined performance standard. Performance of the required maintenance activity is scheduled at a defined respective time based upon the prediction.

Claims

1. An automated system for establishing and implementing a performance-based logistics (PBL) contract comprising:

a communication interface;

an information module coupled to the communication interface and operable to collect, through the communication interface, PBL contract information, the PBL contract information comprising;

component data of a product subject to the PBL contract and collected from a supplier data source;

operational data on the product and collected from an equipment sensor; and

worker qualifications data for maintaining the product and collected from a human resources system;

a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) business module coupled to the information module and operable to generate a predictive maintenance plan on the product subject to the PBL contract based on the component data, the operational data, the worker qualification data and predictive maintenance factors comprising a longevity estimate, a probability of failure, and a financial analysis; and

a PBL framework data processing system in communication with the information module and the MRO business module and operable to establish and evaluate metrics based on the PBL contract information and the predictive maintenance plan, the metrics comprising PBL contract performance measurement metrics pre-selected for the PBL contract by which performance of the PBL contract is measured, wherein the PBL contract performance measurement metrics apply to all of parts and services covered by the PBL contract;

wherein the PBL framework data processing system is operable to implement the PBL contract by using the predictive maintenance plan which determines the likely cost of meeting the PBL contract performance measurement metrics;

wherein the PBL framework data processing system comprises a multi-tiered support framework including;

a management module operable to establish the PBL contract;

a key business capability module operable to implement the PBL contract; and

an information technology (IT) and business intelligence tool operable to integrate IT systems of PBL contract participants;

wherein the key business capability module further comprises;

a life cycle management module operable to prompt the PBL participants to identify product lifecycle management requirements which manage an entire lifecycle of the product subject to the PBL contract from design and manufacturing to service and disposal of the product.

2. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the management module further comprises:

a business and development planning and strategy module operable to establish a guide template for forming the PBL contract and to prompt the PBL contract participants to enter a metrics determining factor to determine the metrics;

a complex program integration module comprising a set of tools operable to generate a template for establishing a management plan on resources required for performance of the PBL contract; and

an organizational alignment and change management module operable to guide the PBL contract participants to generate a timeline associated with a PBL contract adjustment process to facilitate establishment and execution of the PBL contract of the PBL contract participants.

3. The automated system of claim 2, wherein the business and development planning and strategy module is further operable to:

compute the metrics by quantifying potential risks and value; and

define activities to mitigate the potential risks.

4. The automated system of claim 2, wherein the metrics are pre-configured in the complex program integration module as exemplary metrics, are determined by the complex program integration module upon obtaining data specifying a request for proposal of the PBL contract, or are any combination thereof.

5. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the key business capability module comprises:

a strategic sourcing module operable to collect information relevant to a product supply condition, prompt the PBL contract participants to enter PBL contract criteria data including supply criteria of the PBL contract, and output the collected information and the PBL contract criteria data available to the PBL contract participants.

6. The automated system of claim 5, wherein the strategic sourcing module is further operable to collect supply chain information of resources required for performance of the PBL contract and generate a supply plan that satisfies the PBL contract criteria data.

7. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the life cycle management module is operable to internally and externally provide a technical documentation to the PBL contract participants.

8. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the key business capability module further comprises a planning and logistics integration module operable to generate a resource supply plan that specifies a resource demand and an integration of resources supply across a set of suppliers and to perform a profitability analysis on the resource supply plan.

9. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the IT and business intelligence tool is operable to integrate the IT systems of the PBL contract participants by analyzing and scaling up and down the IT systems.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the IT and business intelligence tool comprises an IT and business tools module operable to develop and determine metrics relevant to the IT systems of the PBL contract participants to measure a business value of the IT systems.

20. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the PBL framework data processing system is further operable to:

establish a product requirements record and a service requirements record corresponding to the request for proposal of the PBL contract; and

establish a PBL contract criteria record based on the product requirements record and the service requirement record; and

wherein upon completion of performance of the PBL contract, the MRO business module evaluates the PBL criteria record and adjusts the predictive maintenance plan based on the evaluation of the PBL criteria record.

11. An automated method for establishing and implementing performance-based logistics (PBL) contract, the automated method comprising:

collecting PBL contract information comprising;

component data of a product subject to the PBL contract and collected from a supplier data source;

operational data on the product and collected from an equipment sensor;

worker qualifications data for maintaining the product and collected from a human resources system;

generating a predictive maintenance plan on the product subject to the PBL contract based on the component data, the operational data, the worker qualification data and predictive maintenance factors comprising a longevity estimate, a probability of failure, and a financial analysis;

establishing and evaluating, with a PBL contract framework data processing system, metrics based on the PBL contract information and the predictive maintenance plan, the metrics comprising PBL contract performance measurement metrics pre-selected for the PBL contract by which performance of the PBL contract is measured, wherein the PBL contract performance measurement metrics apply to all of parts and services covered by the PBL contract; and

implementing, with the PBL contract framework data processing system, the PBL contract by using the predictive maintenance plan which determines the likely cost of meeting the PBL contract performance measurement metrics;

wherein establishing and evaluating the metrics comprises;

prompting PBL participants to identify product lifecycle management requirements which manage an entire lifecycle of the product subject to the PBL contract from design and manufacturing to service and disposal of the product.

12. The automated method of claim 11, further comprising:

establishing the PBL contract framework data processing system which comprises a multi-tiered support framework including;

a management module operable to establish the PBL contract;

a key business capability module operable to implement the PBL contract; and

an information technology (IT) and business intelligence tool operable to integrate IT systems of PBL contract participants.

13. The automated method of claim 11, wherein establishing and evaluating the metrics comprises:

establishing a guide template for forming the PBL contract and prompting PBL contract participants to enter a metrics determining factor to determine the metrics;

establishing a set of tools operable to generate a template for establishing a management plan on resources required for performance of the PBL contract; and

generating a timeline associated with a PBL contract adjustment process to facilitate establishment and execution of the PBL contract of the PBL contract participants.

14. The automated method of claim 11, wherein establishing and evaluating the metrics comprises:

acquiring the PBL contract information including a request for proposal;

establishing a product requirements record and a service requirements record based on the PBL contract information including the request for proposal; and

establishing a PBL criteria record based on the product requirements record and the service requirements record.

15. The automated method of claim 14, wherein implementing the PBL contract comprises:

generating a first predictive maintenance plan on the product subject to the PBL contract based on the PBL criteria record and the product requirements record; and

generating a second predictive maintenance plan on services subject to the PBL contract based on the PBL criteria record and the service requirements record.

16. The automated method of claim 15, wherein implementing the PBL contract further comprises:

upon performance of the first predictive maintenance plan and the second predictive maintenance plan, evaluating the PBL criteria record;

generating adjustment requirements based on the evaluation of the PBL criteria record; and

updating the first predictive maintenance plan and the second predictive maintenance plan based on the adjustment requirements.

17. The automated method of claim 11, wherein implementing the PBL contract further comprises:

collecting supply chain information of resource required for performance of the PBL contract; and

generating a supply plan that satisfies supply criteria of the PBL contract.

18. The automated method of claim 11, wherein implementing the PBL contract further comprises:

generating a resource supply plan that specifies a resource demand and an integration of a set of suppliers; and

performing a financial analysis on the resource supply plan.

19. The automated method of claim 11, further comprising:

integrating IT systems of PBL contract participants by utilizing open web standards such that the PBL contract participants develop flexible and scalable IT architecture.