Managing maintenance for an item of equipment
View Patent ↗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.
1. A maintenance system comprising:
a communication interface comprising hardware operable to receive:
component data from a supplier data source;
operational data from an equipment sensor; and
worker qualifications data from a human resources system;
memory storing the component data, operational data, and the worker qualifications data;
a configuration monitor comprising hardware operable to determine a configuration maintenance requirement when an equipment configuration is out-of-date;
a predictive maintenance controller coupled to the memory and comprising:
a timer;
a scheduler receiving time data, duration data, or both from the timer; and
a maintenance module coupled to the scheduler and comprising a financial analyzer and a longevity estimator, a probability of failure predictor, or both;
where the predictive maintenance controller is operable to determine a predictive maintenance plan based on the component data, worker qualifications data, the operational data, and a predictive maintenance factor;
a resource planner operable to plan for availability of a component for performing maintenance consistent with the configuration maintenance requirement and operable to coordinate the configuration maintenance requirement and the predictive maintenance plan into a combined maintenance schedule for both the configuration maintenance requirement and the predictive maintenance plan; and
where the communication interface is further operable to transmit the combined maintenance schedule:
to a project personnel management system; and
to a purchasing and inventory control system.
2. The maintenance system of claim 1 , where the predictive maintenance controller comprises at least the longevity estimator, and where the predictive maintenance factor is a longevity estimate.
3. The maintenance system of claim 1 , where the predictive maintenance controller comprises at least the probability of failure predictor, and where the predictive maintenance factor is a probability of failure estimate.
4. The maintenance system of claim 1 , where the resource planner is further operable to plan for the availability of the component at a geographic location.
5. The maintenance system of claim 1 , further comprising an allocation intermediary coupled to the communication interface and the scheduler.
6. The maintenance system of claim 1 , where the memory comprises:
a first database comprising the component data and operational data;
a second database comprising the worker qualifications data;
and a third database comprising planned maintenance data.
7. The maintenance system of claim 1 , where the financial analyzer is operable to provide a cost estimate for the combined maintenance schedule.
8. The maintenance system of claim 7 , where the memory comprises a first database comprising repair data and parts list data.
9. The maintenance system of claim 7 , where the memory comprises a first database comprising geography definition data and planned work geography definition data.
10. The maintenance system of claim 6 , further comprising a fourth database comprising maintenance history data.
11. The maintenance system of claim 1 , further comprising an equipment maintenance worker terminal coupled to the project personnel management system through a communication network.
12. The maintenance system of claim 1 , further comprising a supplier order fulfillment center coupled to the purchasing and inventory control system through a communication network.
13. A maintenance method comprising:
receiving component data from a supplier data source, operational data from an equipment sensor, and worker qualifications data from a human resources system over a communication interface including hardware;
storing the component data, the operational data, and the worker qualifications data in a memory in communication with the communication interface;
with a data processing system comprising hardware:
determining a configuration maintenance requirement when an equipment configuration is out-of-date;
using a financial analyzer and a longevity estimator, a probability of failure predictor, or both in conjunction with a timer and a scheduler to determine a predictive maintenance plan based on the component data, the worker qualifications data, the operational data, and a predictive maintenance factor;
planning for availability of a component for performing maintenance consistent with the configuration maintenance requirement;
coordinating the configuration maintenance requirement and the predictive maintenance plan into a combined maintenance schedule for both the configuration maintenance requirement and the predictive maintenance plan; and
transmitting the combined maintenance schedule through the communication interface to a project personnel management system and to a purchasing and inventory control system.
14. The method of claim 13 , where using comprises:
using at least the longevity estimator, and where the predictive maintenance factor is a longevity estimate.
15. The method of claim 13 , where using comprises:
using at least the probability of failure predictor, and where the predictive maintenance factor is a probability of failure estimate.
16. The method of claim 13 , where planning comprises:
planning for the availability of the component at a geographic location.
17. The method of claim 13 , where storing comprises:
storing the component data and operational data in a first database,
storing the worker qualifications data in a second database; and
further comprising storing planned maintenance data in a third database.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising storing maintenance history data in a fourth database, the maintenance history comprising historical configuration data and historical planned maintenance data.
19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising storing repair data and parts list data in a first database, and storing historical resource data in a second database.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising searching the memory for worker qualifications and availability.
21. The method of claim 13 , further comprising allocating maintenance personnel to perform the combined maintenance schedule based on simultaneous availability of the component and the maintenance personnel.
22. The method of claim 13 , where transmitting comprises:
transmitting through the project personnel management system to an equipment maintenance worker terminal.
23. The method of claim 13 , where transmitting comprises:
transmitting through the purchasing and inventory control system to a supplier order fulfillment center.
24. A maintenance system comprising:
means for receiving component data from a supplier data source, operational data from an equipment sensor, and worker qualifications data from a human resources system over a communication interface;
means for determining a configuration maintenance requirement when an equipment configuration is out-of-date;
means for determining a predictive maintenance plan based on the component data, the worker qualifications data, the operational data, and a predictive maintenance factor using a financial analyzer and a longevity estimator, a probability of failure predictor, or both in conjunction with a timer and a scheduler;
means for planning for availability of a component for performing maintenance consistent with the configuration maintenance requirement;
means for coordinating the configuration maintenance requirement and the predictive maintenance plan into a combined maintenance schedule for both the configuration maintenance requirement and the predictive maintenance plan; and
means for transmitting the combined maintenance schedule through the communication interface to a project personnel management system and to a purchasing and inventory control system.
25. The maintenance system of claim 24 , where the means for determining uses at least the longevity estimator, and where the predictive maintenance factor is a longevity estimate for an equipment component.
26. The maintenance system of claim 24 , where the means for determining uses at least the probability of failure predictor, and where the predictive maintenance factor is a probability of failure estimate.
27. The maintenance system of claim 24 , where the means for transmitting further transmits the combined maintenance schedule to an equipment maintenance worker terminal.
28. The maintenance system of claim 24 , where the means for transmitting further transmits the combined maintenance schedule to a supplier order fulfillment center.
29. The maintenance system of claim 24 , further comprising:
means for storing the component data and operational data; and
means for storing the worker qualifications data.