Machine fault information detection and reporting

• US 20040019461A1
• Filed: 04/21/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Computational Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: CSI Technology Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Bouse, Kai, Reeves, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 7,142,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0229 knowledge based, e.g. expert systems; genetic algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0262 Confirmation of fault detection, e.g. extra checks to confirm that a failure has indeed occurred

Abstract

Sensors detect machine parameters such as vibration, turning speed, and temperature, and a local processor performs logic operations based on the parameters and inference rules to produce fault information that is reported to a system processor, which selectively uses the fault information to control the plant machines. The inference rules include rules for determining faults as to balance, alignment, bearing condition, electrical condition, and cavitation. The inference rules are contained in rules code that is separate from the analysis code that performs the logical operations. Thus, the inference rules may be easily changed without changing other code, such as the analysis code.

Claims

1. A plant system including a communication system connected between a system processor and a plurality of machines comprising:

a plurality of sensors for detecting parameters from the machines and producing parameter signals corresponding to the detected machine parameters;

a plurality of local processors for receiving the parameter signals, each local processor being associated with a subset of the machines and a corresponding subset of sensors, each local processor receiving the parameter signals from the subset of sensors with which the local processor is associated;

each local processor being programmed with a plurality of inference rules and being programmed to perform a logic operation based on the parameter signals and the plurality of the inference rules to determine fault information for each machine;

a system processor;

a communication port for connecting the local processors through the communication system to the system processor for transmitting at least the fault information to the system processor from the local processors; and

each local processor being programmed for transmitting fault information to the system processor, whereby the system processor may receive fault information for each machine.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a subset of the inference rules are selected from a group of rules comprising:

balance rules for determining a balance fault;

alignment rules for determining an alignment of fault;

bearing rules for determining a bearing fault;

electrical rules for determining an electrical fault; and

cavitation rules for determining a cavitation fault.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the inference rules comprise:

balance rules for determining an out of balance fault;

alignment rules for determining an alignment fault;

bearing rules for determining a bearing fault;

electrical rules for determining an electrical fault; and

cavitation rules for determining a cavitation fault.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a control system connected between the machines and the system processor for controlling operation of the machines, the control system being responsive to the fault information to selectively modify the operation of the machines based on the fault information.

5. The system of claim 1 a further comprising a control system connected between the machines and the system processor for controlling operation of the machines, the control system being responsive to the fault information to selectively modify the operation of the machines based on the fault so that operation of a particular machine is changed based on fault information indicating a fault at that particular machine.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein each local processor is programmed with an analysis code for performing the logic operation and a rules code containing the inference rules, the rules code being separate from, and not imbedded in, the analysis code.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein each local processor is programmed with an analysis code for performing the logic operation and a rules code containing the inference rules, the rules code being separate from, and not embedded in, the analysis code, the rules code being adapted for reconfiguration to change the inference rules without changing the analysis code.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising the local processor being programmed with analysis code, rules interface code and rules code, the analysis code being operable to perform the induction, the rules code being operable to provide the inference rules for use in the analysis code when performing the induction, and the rules interface code being operable to provide a protocol for transferring information from the rules code to the analysis code, whereby the rules code may be changed to a new rules code conforming to the protocol without changing the analysis code or the rules interface code.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the inference rules are customized for a particular machine that is being monitored by the system.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a control system or process automation system connected between the system processor and the machines for controlling the operation of the machines, the system processor being responsive to the fault information to issue commands through the control system to change the operation of the machines based on the fault information.