Method and system for managing configuration of mechanical equipment

1. A method of electronically providing information about configurations of mechanical equipment for an end item, the method comprising:

providing a data processor;

determining at least one function of an end item;

establishing, by the data processor, a functional configuration database, the functional configuration database storing a set of functional information about a desired configuration of the end item, the set of functional information comprising the at least one function of the end item;

grouping the end item into a specified family of end items;

establishing a logical configuration database, the logical configuration database storing a set of logical information about the desired configuration of the end item, the set of logical information comprising the grouping of the end item within the specified family of end items;

recording at least one identifier that identifies the end item;

establishing a physical configuration database, the physical configuration database storing a set of physical information about an actual configuration of the end item, wherein the set of physical information comprises the at least one identifier that identifies the end item;

measuring conditions in which the end item operates;

establishing an operational configuration database, the operational configuration database storing a set of operational information about the actual configuration of the end item, wherein the set of operational information comprises the measured conditions in which the end item operates;

accessing a set of desired configuration data representative of the desired configuration of the mechanical equipment of the end item, wherein accessing the desired configuration of data comprises:

providing, with the data processor, a set of first information about the desired configuration by obtaining the set of functional information comprising the at least one function of the end item from the functional configuration database and the set of operational information comprising the measured conditions in which the end item operates from the logical configuration database for the end item;

accessing a set of actual configuration data representative of the actual configuration of the mechanical equipment of the end item, wherein accessing the set of actual configuration data comprises;

providing, with the data processor, a set of second information about the actual configuration by obtaining the set of physical information comprising the at least one identifier that identifies the end item from the physical configuration database and the set of operational information comprising the measured conditions in which the end item operates from the operational configuration database for the actual end item; and

comparing the set of first information with the set of second information to provide maintenance planning and scheduling information to a user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the physical configuration database comprises a separate database for each of a plurality of end items.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of physical information includes at least one of a serial number of the end item, a part number of configurable components, processes, manufacturers, and a logical configuration descriptor for the end item part number or configurable component and providers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of operational information comprises operating profiles including at least one of system and component operating profiles.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing operating profiles for the end item; and

storing the operating profiles in the operation configuration database.

6. The method of claim 5 further including establishing interrelationships between a plurality of profiles.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing at least one additional database selected from the group consisting of configuration management, predictive maintenance, configuration modification planning and scheduling, component acquisition, and maintenance execution.

8. A method of providing information about configurations of mechanical equipment for an end item, the method comprising:

retrieving, by a data processor, a set of desired configuration data representative of a desired configuration of the mechanical equipment for the end item, the desired configuration being based on a design objective of the mechanical equipment, where in the design objective includes at least one of safety, reliability, and performance;

retrieving, by the data processor, a set of actual configuration data representative of an actual configuration of the mechanical equipment for the end item;

comparing, electronically with the data processor, the set of desired configuration data with the set of actual configuration data to determine if the actual configuration complies with the desired configuration;

generating, by the data processor, an upgrade requirement plan for upgrading the actual configuration to the desired configuration if the actual configuration is noncompliant;

determining at least one function of an end item;

establishing a functional configuration database, the functional configuration database storing a set of functional information about the desired configuration of the end item, the set of functional information comprising the at least one function of end item;

grouping the end item into a specified family of end items;

establishing a logical configuration database, the logical configuration database storing a set of logical information about the desired configuration of the end item, the set of logical information comprising the grouping of the end item within the specified family of end items;

recording at least one identifier that identifies the end item;

establishing a physical configuration database, the physical configuration database storing a set of physical information about the actual configuration of the end item, wherein the set of physical information comprises the at least one identifier that identifies the end item;

measuring conditions in which the end item operates:

establishing an operational configuration database, the operational configuration database storing a set of operational information about the actual configuration of the end item, wherein the set of operational information comprises the measured conditions in which the end item operates;

populating an upgrade requirements database with a set of first information and a set of second information, the set of first information obtained from the set of functional information from the functional configuration database and from the set of logical information from the logical configuration database and based on the set of desired configuration data, the set of second information obtained from the set of operational information from the operational configuration database and from the set of physical information from the physical configuration database and based on the set of actual configuration data; and

providing, with the upgrade requirement plan, information from the upgrade requirements database; and

comparing the set of first information with the set of second information to provide maintenance planning and scheduling information to a user.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the physical configuration database comprises a separate database for each of a plurality of end items.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the set of physical information includes at least one of a serial number of the end item, a part number of configurable components, processes, manufacturers, and a logical configuration descriptor for the end item part number or configurable component providers.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the set of operational information comprises operating profiles including at least one of system and component operating profiles.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

establishing operating profiles for the end item;

storing the operating profiles in the operation configuration database.

13. The method of claim 12 further including establishing interrelationships between a plurality of profiles.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising establishing at least one additional database selected from the group consisting of configuration management, predictive maintenance, configuration modification planning and scheduling component acquisition, and maintenance execution.

15. A system for providing information about configurations of mechanical equipment for an end item, the system comprising:

a data processor;

at least one determined function of an end item;

a functional configuration database connected with the data processor, the functional configuration database storing a set of functional information about a desired configuration of the end item, the set of functional information comprising the at least one determined function of end item;

a grouping of the end item into a specified family of end items;

a logical configuration database storing a set of logical information about the desired configuration of the end item, the set of logical information comprising the grouping of the end item within the specified family of end items;

at least one identifier that identifies the end item;

a physical configuration database storing a set of physical information about an actual configuration of the end item, wherein the set of physical information comprises the at least one identifier that identifies the end item;

at least one measured condition in which the end item operates;

an operational configuration database storing a set of operational information about the actual configuration of the end item, wherein the set of operational information comprises the measured conditions in which the end item operates;

a first set of instructions operable to access a set of desired configuration data representative of the desired configuration of the mechanical equipment of the end item;

a second set of instructions for providing a set of first information about the desired configuration and to obtain the set of functional information comprising at least one determined function of the end item from the functional configuration database and the set of logical information comprising the grouping of the end item within the specified family of end items from logical configuration database for the end item in response to the first set of instructions;

a third set of instructions operable to access a set of actual configuration data representative of the actual configuration of the mechanical equipment of the end item;

a fourth set of instructions for providing a set of second information about the actual configuration and to obtain the set of physical information comprising the at least one identifier that identifies the end item from the physical configuration database and the set of operational information comprising the measured conditions in which the end item operates from the operational configuration database for the end item in response to the third set of instructions; and

wherein the data processor compares the set of first information with the set of second information to provide maintenance planning and scheduling information to a user.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the physical configuration database comprises a separate database for each of a plurality of end items.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the set of physical information includes at least one of a serial number of the end item a part number of configurable components, processes, manufacturers, and a logical configuration descriptor for the end item part number or configurable component and providers.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the set of operational information comprises operating profiles including at least one of system and component operation profiles.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the operation configuration database includes an operating profile for the end item.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein a plurality of profiles comprise interrelations.

21. The system of claim 15 further comprising at least one additional database selected from the group consisting of configuration management, predictive maintenance, configuration modification planning and scheduling, component acquisition, and maintenance execution.