JP2002329018A - Maintenance service method of machinery - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform maintenance service of machinery such as boilers, etc., more precisely and efficiently. SOLUTION: By this method, information about the occurrence of accident is received at a service point 5 through communication means 7 when an accident occurs at machinery 2, 3 which are objects of maintenance service, the received information about the occurrence of accident is stored in information storing means 17, a maintenance service person 18 in charge of the machinery 2, 3 which are objects of the maintenance service can obtain the information about the occurrence of accident stored in the storing means 17 by a mobile terminal 19 brought by him, the maintenance service person 18 in charge takes measures to cope with the accident restoration based on the obtained information about the occurrence of accident.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for maintaining and managing equipment such as a boiler, a water treatment device, a sterilizer, and a food machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when performing maintenance and management of a boiler, management bases (maintenance bases) are provided for each management area, and a maintenance manager (service staff) arranged at each of these management bases manages the boiler. Maintenance management is performed. In recent years, the boiler and the computer at the management base have been enabled to communicate with each other via communication means, and when an abnormality occurs in the boiler, abnormality occurrence information is automatically transmitted from the boiler to the computer. the maintenance personnel were based on the abnormality occurrence information is is to correspond.

[0003] Incidentally, since the abnormality of the boiler often occurs suddenly, when the abnormality occurrence information is received, the maintenance manager is working at another site or moving. There are many cases. In this case, the management base is contacted by a mobile phone or the like to the maintenance manager, and the contents of the abnormality occurrence information are verbally transmitted. At that time, since the communication was performed verbally, the accuracy of the information was not sufficient, and there was a case where a person missed or misunderstood.

[0004]

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to perform more accurate and efficient maintenance management of equipment such as a boiler.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the invention according to claim 1 provides communication means for communicating abnormality occurrence information when an abnormality occurs in a maintenance-managed device. The abnormality occurrence information received by the management base via the storage device is stored in the information storage unit, and the abnormality occurrence information stored in the information storage unit is obtained by a portable terminal carried by a maintenance manager of the maintenance target device. It is characterized in that the maintenance and management person can take measures to recover from the abnormality based on the acquired abnormality occurrence information.

Further, the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in response to the above, operating information is obtained in advance from the maintenance target device by the portable terminal.

[0007]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The maintenance management method according to the present invention is applied to various maintenance-managed devices such as a boiler, a water treatment device, a sterilization device, and a food machine. For example, as a boiler,
Various boilers such as a steam boiler, a hot water boiler, and a heat medium boiler are included. The water treatment device includes a soft water device, a pure water device, a deaerator, a chemical injection device, and the like. As the sterilizer, steam sterilization devices include gas sterilization device or the like. As the food machinery, vacuum cooling device includes a steam kettle or the like. Further, the equipment includes equipment for supplying cold heat, for example, a hot and cold water machine.

First, when performing maintenance management of the equipment, a maintenance management contract is concluded with the owner or user of the equipment. This maintenance management contract is for performing diagnosis for maintenance of performance, maintenance of functions, and recovery from abnormalities and preventive maintenance of the equipment. That is, the performance of the device is maintained in a good state (high-efficiency state), and the device is not stopped due to the occurrence of an abnormality so that the original function of the device is maintained. Even if an error occurs, the normal state is restored as soon as possible.
Further, as a diagnosis for preventive maintenance, for example, a periodic inspection is performed every four months.

In addition, the device and a computer at a management base (hereinafter, referred to as a “first computer”) are communicably connected to each other via communication means.
The device and a computer of the management center (hereinafter, referred to as a “second computer”) are communicably connected to each other via the communication unit. Then, the contents of the maintenance management contract are realized based on the information by the mutual communication. Also, the first computer and the second computer are communicably connected via the communication means. Here, as the management base, a maintenance base in which a maintenance manager (service person) is assigned plays a role, and the management base is provided for each management area. The management center is where the backups of the respective management bases are integrated and provided, and is provided at one or a plurality of locations. That is, during the daytime on weekdays, each management base responds based on the information sent from the device, and on nights and holidays on weekdays, the management center responds 24 hours a day. It has to be able to do it with a minimum of personnel. Furthermore, when communicating,
General telephone lines and dedicated lines are used, and these lines are
It may be a wired type or a wireless type.

[0010] Further, an information storage means is connected to the second computer, and the information storage means stores information which can be browsed by a portable terminal described later. As this information, operation information including abnormality occurrence information from the device, catalog information of replacement parts, and the like are accumulated. Further, as the information, it is also possible to accumulate setting reference value information of the device and a corresponding manual depending on the implementation.

That is, when an abnormality occurs in the device, the abnormality occurrence information is transmitted from the device to the first computer or the second computer, but the abnormality occurrence information transmitted to the first computer is transmitted to the first computer. The information is stored in the storage unit of the computer and is automatically transferred to the second computer. Then, the abnormality occurrence information transmitted or transferred to the second computer is stored in the storage unit of the second computer, converted into browsing information in a predetermined format, sent to the information storage unit, and stored. Is done. Therefore, in the information storage means, the abnormality occurrence information of all the devices communicably connected via the communication means is collectively stored and the latest information is always stored.

[0012] Further, the maintenance manager carries a portable terminal, and accesses the information storage means to confirm the abnormality occurrence information of the corresponding device when performing the recovery from the abnormality of the device. Like that. That is, the mobile terminal is operated to request abnormality occurrence information, and in response to the request, the abnormality occurrence information is transmitted from the information storage unit to the mobile terminal, and abnormality recovery is performed based on the transmitted abnormality occurrence information. We are trying to respond. Therefore, it is possible to grasp accurate abnormality occurrence information and accurately determine what action should be taken. Also,
Unlike the verbal confirmation, no oversight or misunderstanding occurs, so that a response error can be prevented, and an efficient response can be performed.

Further, the portable terminal has a function of directly obtaining driving information from the device, so that the user can check the current driving status of the device and necessary data. That is, when obtaining driving information from the device, a signal for requesting driving information from the portable terminal to the device is transmitted via the communication means, and in response to the request signal, the device transmits the signal to the portable terminal. Driving information is returned to. In this way, in response to the recovery from the abnormality, a more accurate response can be performed by obtaining driving information from the device with the portable terminal in advance.

Next, a processing procedure for performing an abnormality recovery based on the abnormality occurrence information from the device will be described.
This will be specifically described.

First, when an abnormality occurs in the device, abnormality occurrence information is automatically transmitted from the device to the first computer, and the abnormality occurrence information is received by the first computer. The abnormality occurrence information includes abnormality occurrence data and abnormality prediction data. The abnormality occurrence data indicates that an abnormality has actually occurred and the device has stopped. For example, in a boiler, the occurrence of misfire or the occurrence of a low water level corresponds to this. On the other hand, the abnormality prediction data indicates that it is not necessary to immediately stop the device, but it is likely that an abnormality will occur in the near future and the device is likely to stop. For example, in a boiler, a decrease in the capacity of a feedwater pump corresponds to this, and when the capacity of the feedwater pump is reduced, a low water level is likely to occur.

Then, the first computer which has received the abnormality occurrence information notifies the person who remains at the management base of the reception, and transfers the received abnormality occurrence information to the second computer. The transferred abnormality occurrence information is stored in the information storage means via the second computer.

Further, when the management base receives the abnormality occurrence information, the management base confirms the content of the received abnormality occurrence information, and further requests the device for detailed information related to the abnormality occurrence information as necessary. And receive it. That is, the management base operates the first computer to transmit a request signal for the detailed information to the device, and the device returns the detailed information in response to the request signal. ing. The returned detailed information can also be transferred to the second computer and stored in the information storage unit, as in the case of the abnormality occurrence information, depending on the implementation.

Then, the management base analyzes the abnormality occurrence information and the detailed information, and issues an instruction to dispatch the maintenance manager or restore the equipment manager based on the analysis result. Like that. When dispatching the maintenance manager, the management base contacts the maintenance manager and instructs the dispatch by oral or e-mail.

Upon receiving the dispatch instruction, the maintenance manager operates the portable terminal carried by the user, accesses the information storage means, browses and confirms the abnormality occurrence information of the corresponding device. Then, based on the confirmed abnormality occurrence information, an abnormality recovery is performed. That is, a determination is made as to whether urgency is required, what is the cause of the abnormality, whether there is a need for component replacement, and the like, and the response is made according to the determination.

As described above, according to the above configuration, maintenance management of equipment such as a boiler can be performed more accurately and efficiently.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a boiler and a water softener attached to the boiler. When carrying out the maintenance management method according to the present invention, first, a paid maintenance management contract is concluded with the owner or user of the maintenance target device. The contents of the maintenance management contract are contents for performing diagnosis for maintenance of performance, maintenance of functions, abnormality recovery, and preventive maintenance of the maintenance-managed device.

Next, a schematic configuration of a system for realizing the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG.
The heat supply equipments 1, 1,... Are provided with boilers 2, 2,. Each of these water softeners 3 is connected to a water supply line 4,
Are connected to the respective boilers 2 via 4,. Also, management bases 5, 5,... For performing maintenance management of each of the boilers 2 and each of the water softeners 3 are provided for each management area. 6, ... are installed respectively.
Each of these first computers 6 and each of the boilers 2 and each of the water softeners 3 are communicably connected via communication means 7, 7,....

That is, the computers (not shown) of the boilers 2 and the water softeners 3 are connected to the first modems 9, 9,... Via the first signal lines 8, 8,. On the other hand, each of the first computers 6 is similarly connected to the second modem 1 via the second signal line 10, 10,.
Are connected to the first modem 9 and the second modem 11, respectively.
Connected to each other. Therefore, in this embodiment, each of the communication means 7 comprises the first modem 9, the second modem 11, and the general telephone line 1
And abnormality occurrence information such as abnormality occurrence data and abnormality prediction data in each of the boilers 2 and each of the water softeners 3, and other operation data, heat management data, and the like including this abnormality occurrence information. Is transmitted to each of the first computers 6 via each of the communication means 7.

Further, a common management center 13 is provided for each management base 5. Then, the operation information in each of the boilers 2 and each of the water softeners 3 can be transferred from each of the first computers 6 to a second computer 14 installed in the management center 13. That is, the second computer 14 is connected to a third modem 16 via a third signal line 15, and the third modem 16 and each of the second modems 11 are connected via the general telephone line 12. Each is connected.

An information storage means 17 is connected to the second computer 14. This information storage means 1
For example, a web server is used as 7, and catalog information of replacement parts, setting reference value information of each of the boilers 2 and each of the water softeners 3, and a corresponding manual are stored, including the abnormality occurrence information.

Here, the procedure for storing the abnormality occurrence information will be described in detail. The abnormality occurrence information from each of the boilers 2 and each of the water softeners 3 is first transmitted to each of the first computers 6,
And automatically transferred to the second computer 14. Then, the abnormality occurrence information transferred to the second computer 14 is stored in a storage unit (not shown) of the second computer 14 and is converted into browsing information in an HTML format or the like, and is stored in the information storage unit. 17 and stored. Therefore, the information storage means 17 includes the communication means 7
Abnormality occurrence information of all the boilers 2 and each of the water softeners 3 communicably connected to each other is collectively accumulated, and the latest information is always accumulated.

Further, the maintenance manager 18 of each of the boilers 2 and each of the water softeners 3 carries a mobile terminal 19 such as a mobile, and the mobile terminal 19 is connected via a mobile terminal communication network 20. It is configured to be able to communicate with the information storage means 17. Further, the mobile terminal 19 is configured to be able to communicate with each of the boilers 2 and each of the water softeners 3 via the mobile terminal communication network 20.

Next, the specific contents of the maintenance management method in the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the following description, a case where an abnormality has occurred in each of the boilers 2 will be described.

First, when an abnormality occurs in each of the boilers 2, the abnormality occurrence information is automatically transmitted to the first computers 6, and the transmitted abnormality occurrence information is transmitted to the first computers 6 by the respective first computers 6. It is designed to receive. For example, if misfire occurs in each of the boilers 2,
The abnormality occurrence data indicating that misfire has occurred is transmitted as the abnormality occurrence information. Water supply pump (not shown)
In the state where the performance of the vehicle is reduced, the low water level is likely to occur, and the abnormality prediction data to that effect is transmitted as the abnormality occurrence information.

Therefore, in step S1, it is determined whether or not each of the first computers 6 at each of the management bases 5 has received the abnormality occurrence information, and if so, the process proceeds to step S2. I do. In this step S2, the abnormality occurrence information is automatically transmitted from each of the first computers 6 to the second computer 14.
And stored in the information storage means 17. Then, in the next step S3, the contents of the abnormality occurrence information are confirmed at each of the management bases 5.

In the next step S4, it is determined whether or not detailed information related to the abnormality occurrence information is necessary. If it is determined that the detailed information is necessary, the process proceeds to the next step S5. In step S5, each of the first computers 6 is operated, and a signal requesting the detailed information is transmitted to each of the boilers 2. Then, the next step S6
, The detailed information transmitted from each of the boilers 2 to each of the first computers 6 is received. In step S7, the received detailed information is automatically transmitted from each of the first computers 6 to the second computer 14 and stored in the information storage unit 17 in the same manner as in step S2. Is done.

Then, in the next step S8, the contents of the abnormality occurrence information and the detailed information are analyzed, and based on the result of the analysis, the maintenance manager 18 is dispatched or the boiler 2 is managed. Of abnormal recovery. That is, the transmitted abnormality occurrence information and the detailed information are displayed on the display screen of each of the first computers 6, and at each of the management bases 5,
Such information is analyzed, and a response is made based on the analysis result.

When the maintenance manager 18 is to be dispatched, in step S9, a contact is made to a mobile phone (not shown) possessed by the maintenance manager 18 and the dispatch is made orally or by e-mail. Make instructions. Upon receiving the dispatch instruction, the maintenance manager 18 operates the mobile terminal 19 carried by the operator, accesses the information storage unit 17 via the mobile terminal communication network 20, and The abnormality occurrence information in each boiler 2 is confirmed. That is, the maintenance manager 18 operates the mobile terminal 19 to request the information storage unit 17 to disclose the abnormality occurrence information, and transmits the abnormality occurrence information transmitted from the information storage unit 17 to the It is confirmed on the display screen of the mobile terminal 19.

Further, the maintenance manager 18 can also use the portable terminal 19 to view the set reference value information and the corresponding manual stored in the information storage means 17 together with the abnormality occurrence information. I can do it. Further, depending on the implementation, information such as setting reference value information and a corresponding manual may be stored in the storage unit of the portable terminal 19 in advance, and the stored information may be browsed.

Here, FIGS. 3 to 5 show screen examples of the portable terminal 19. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a main menu screen. As shown in FIG. 3, in the main menu, information to be confirmed is selected from four types of information. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a search screen displayed when “abnormality information” is selected on the main menu. Enter the known information among “base code”, “model”, and “machine number”
Click “Start Search”. Then, when a corresponding item is selected from a search result list (not shown), a detailed screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed, and the contents of the abnormality occurrence information can be confirmed.

On the basis of the abnormality occurrence information obtained in this manner, the maintenance manager 18 takes measures to recover the abnormality of each of the boilers 2. That is, a determination is made as to whether urgency is required, what is the cause of the abnormality, whether there is a need for component replacement, and the like, and the response is made according to the determination.

As described above, according to the above configuration, accurate contents can be grasped as the abnormality occurrence information, and it is possible to accurately determine what kind of response should be taken. In addition, unlike verbal confirmation, there is no oversight or misunderstanding, so it is possible to prevent mistakes in response,
An efficient response can be taken.

By the way, as described above, the portable terminal 1
9 is provided with a function of directly communicating with each of the boilers 2 via the mobile terminal communication network 20, so that further operation information is obtained from each of the boilers 2 together with the confirmation of the abnormality occurrence information. You can also. That is, the mobile terminal 19 transmits a signal requesting driving information to each of the boilers 2, and the mobile terminal 19 receives driving information returned from each of the boilers 2 in response to this signal,
It is displayed on the display screen of the portable terminal 19. As the operation information, for example, the number of ignitions and the integrated combustion time are obtained as operation data, and the operation efficiency,
Obtain the feed pump capacity, water pipe temperature, etc. Then, referring to these data, it is determined what kind of response is to be taken. As described above, when the abnormality recovery is performed, the mobile terminal 19 obtains the operating information from each of the boilers 2 in advance, so that a more accurate response can be performed.

[0039]

According to the present invention, the maintenance and management of equipment such as a boiler can be performed more accurately and efficiently.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an outline of a processing flow in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen of a main menu of the mobile terminal according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a search screen of a mobile terminal according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a detailed screen of a mobile terminal according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Boiler (maintenance target device) 3 Water softener (maintenance target device) 5 Management base 7 Communication means 17 Information storage means 18 Maintenance manager 19 Mobile terminal

Claims (2)

[Claims] When an abnormality occurs in the maintenance-managed devices 2 and 3,
The abnormality occurrence information is received by the management base 5 via the communication means 7, the received abnormality occurrence information is stored in the information storage means 17, and the maintenance management person 18 of the maintenance target devices 2, 3 is used.
The information storage means 17 is provided by the portable terminal 19 carried by the user.
A maintenance management method for the equipment, characterized in that the abnormality occurrence information accumulated in the apparatus is made freely available, and the maintenance and management person (18) takes measures for abnormality recovery based on the obtained abnormality occurrence information. 2. The portable terminal 1 in advance for the response.
The device maintenance management method according to claim 1, wherein the operation information is obtained from the maintenance management target devices (2, 3) by using (9).