|6625589||Method for adaptive threshold computation for time and frequency based anomalous feature identification in fault log data||2003-09-23||Varma et al.||706/45|
|6598011||Medical diagnostic system services interface||2003-07-22||Koritzinsky et al.||702/185|
|6546363||Apparatus for tracking and recording vital signs and task-related information of a vehicle to identify operating patterns||2003-04-08||Hagenbuch||703/7|
|6501849||System and method for performing image-based diagnosis over a network||2002-12-31||Gupta et al.||382/141|
|6473659||System and method for integrating a plurality of diagnostic related information||2002-10-29||Shah et al.||700/79|
|6411908||Condition-based prognosis for machinery||2002-06-25||Talbott||702/34|
|20020032544||Diagnostic network with automated proactive local experts||2002-03-14||Reid et al.||702/183|
|6324659||Method and system for identifying critical faults in machines||2001-11-27||Pierro||714/48|
|6115489||System and method for performing image-based diagnosis||2000-09-05||Gupta et al.||382/141|
|5845272||System and method for isolating failures in a locomotive||1998-12-01||Morjaria et al.||706/50|
|5754965||Apparatus for tracking and recording vital signs and task related information of a vehicle to identify operating patterns||1998-05-19||Hagenbuch||701/35|
|4985857||Method and apparatus for diagnosing machines||1991-01-15||Bajpai et al.||702/184|
The present invention relates to a method of tracking machine breakdown and more particularly to a method of tracking machine breakdown that additionally tracks corrective action.
Manufacturing plants often utilize complex machinery in the production and assembly of products. Often there may be present a wide variety of different machines for accomplishing various tasks within the plant environment. These machines within the plant environment can be susceptible to breakdown, which may result from physical failure of part of the machine, a malfunction in the machine's performance, a failure to properly operate the machine, or a wide variety of other known factors. When a machine within the manufacturing plant breaks down, the result can be improper product construction or assembly, delays in production, or production stoppage. All of these results are highly undesirable since they can lead to increased production costs, increased production times, and decreased customer satisfaction.
It is known that machine breakdown may be tracked in order to produce an operating history of individual machines within the manufacturing plant. This process is known to be highly useful in predicting the reliability and cost of individual machines. Commonly, however, such methods do not provide a useful method of preventing or dealing with future machine breakdowns. Since present systems do not track the corrective action taken in response to a given breakdown, present systems must typically rely on the knowledge of plant personnel to properly deal with and prevent future machine breakdown. Due to the nature of human memory and the possibility of changes in plant personnel, such systems can be inefficient and unreliable. It would be highly desirable to have a system of tracking machine breakdowns that additionally provides an efficient and reliable way to deal with and prevent future machine breakdowns.
In addition to the described limitations of present systems, present systems track breakdowns in relation to specific machines within the manufacturing plant. This limited form of tracking can be inefficient for additional reasons. Present systems often fail to consider that different machines within the plant may share similar mechanisms, functions, or controls. A breakdown of one machine within the plant may provide valuable information in dealing with or preventing breakdowns in machines with similar mechanisms, functions, or controls. The corrective action taken in response to one machine's breakdown may be directly applicable to other machines within the manufacturing plant. Present systems often rely on the knowledge of plant personnel to mentally make such connections between machinery and to insure that corrective action is properly taken on each machine. Again, such a reliance on human memory is inefficient and unreliable. It would be highly desirable to have a method to help insure that corrective action taken on one machine within the plant is taken on other machines with similar mechanisms, functions, or controls such that breakdowns in the similar machines can either be prevented or dealt with in a quick, efficient, and reliable manner.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of tracking machine breakdown.
In accordance with the object of this invention a method of tracking machine breakdown is provided. The method of tracking machine breakdown includes listing each breakdown relative to a first machine. The method further includes listing the corrective action taken on the first machine relative to each of the breakdowns. In this fashion, a list of corrective actions is developed relative to each breakdown. When a future breakdown occurs, a corresponding corrective action can be quickly, efficiently, and reliably identified if the breakdown has occurred in the past. In addition, the identified corrective action may be instituted as prevention against future breakdowns before they occur.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings and appended claims.
Referring now to
The method of tracking machine breakdown
When a breakdown occurs within a manufacturing plant, corrective action is commonly taken on the machine in question. The corrective action can consist of any method of compensating for the breakdown in the machine. In some circumstances, the corrective action may be replacing a broken part or component within the machine. In other circumstances routine inspection of components or parts may be the corrective action so that such parts can be replaced or adjusted as they become worn. In still other circumstances, the machine itself may be adjusted or reconfigured to compensate for the part failure or malfunction. Although several corrective actions have been described, a vast array of corrective actions are contemplated and understood within the manufacturing industry.
The method of tracking machine breakdown
Referring now to
Referring now to
The matrix comprises a list of machines with similar characteristics or parts. These may be a wide variety of characteristics including similar makes, manufacturers, functions, controls, or components to name just a few. In this way, when a breakdown and a corresponding corrective action are listed, the corrective action is directly matched not only to the first machine experiencing the breakdown, but to every machine containing the characteristic effected by the corrective action. In this way, the listing of breakdowns and corrective actions can be better utilized to improve the efficiency and reliability of groups of machines. In one example, when a valve is found to continually fail due to poor construction, when the corrective action is taken on a first machine, the corrective action is matched to every machine containing the same valve. In this fashion, the plant operator has the option of replacing each valve and thereby heading off future breakdowns, or when such breakdowns occur having a solution quickly, efficiently, and reliably available to him.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, numerous variations and alternate embodiments will occur to those skilled in art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only in terms of the appended claims.