Abstract: A method for managing machine operation comprising sensing a plurality of operational variables for a machine during use thereof so as to generate operational data for said variables. The operational data is processed so as to determine features within the operational data which are indicative of a divergence from a desired operational state of the machine. Confidence values associated with said features are determined and used to assess whether the plurality of features and associated confidence values are indicative of a predetermined diagnosis for said machine. A confidence value for said diagnosis is determined based upon the associated feature confidence values and used to generate a signal indicative of an operational state of the machine. The invention may be used for engine health monitoring applications and may be used for determining necessary servicing or repair work for the engine.

Abstract: A process for creation of an equipment health monitoring (EHM) tool, including defining functional requirements for a proposed EHM tool in a structured hierarchical format. The functional requirements definition is used to generate an outline model for a plurality of functions of the proposed EHM tool according to a model template, wherein the outline model is captured as one or more graphical representations. Each graphical representation includes at least one component representative of a defined EHM functional requirement. Source code for the proposed EHM tool is automatically generated based upon the graphically represented model and then compiled to create a deployable EHM tool from the source code by applying a compilation strategy dependent on an intended mode of operation for said EHM tool. An EHM generation tool and associated data carrier are also recited.

Abstract: A method for estimating a frequency of a harmonic in an AC current passing to/from an AC machine. The method includes observing an AC current passing to/from an AC machine that includes a stator and a rotor; measuring phase fluctuations in the observed AC current; and using the measured phase fluctuations to estimate a frequency of a harmonic in the AC current. The method includes using the estimated frequency of the harmonic in the observed AC current to estimate a speed of the rotor of the AC machine. The method may be implemented by a controller, which may include a PC and/or a DSP.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for data compression, particularly applicable to spectral signals such as Fast Fourier Transforms of vibration data. The data is merged to remove redundant frequencies when recorded at multiple sample rates, thresholded with respect to a noise floor to remove even more redundant data, and then the positions of non-zero signal values, with respect to the noise floor, are recorded in a first dataword and the non-zero signal values themselves are all recorded concatenated to form a second dataword. The compressed data set consists of the first and second datawords, together with the value of the noise floor, maximum original amplitude and the broadband power. In the event of successive data sets having the same or similar locations for non-zero signal values a re-use flag may be set and the locations dataword discarded. Preferably the signal values are non-linearly quantized to further reduce the amount of data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of optimising engine wash event scheduling. An underlying deterioration gradient and a total deterioration gradient are determined. A number of engine wash events, x, are set. Engine deterioration for x engine wash events is calculated. The washed engine cost of engine deterioration for x engine wash events is calculated. The calculation of engine deterioration is iterated for different x to optimise the number of engine wash events with respect to the cost of engine deterioration. Advantageously the method systematically optimises scheduling of wash events taking into account the underlying deterioration of the engine which cannot be recovered by engine washing and the cost of the engine wash events.

Abstract: A method of simulation including selecting program elements from a library to use in a simulation model defining a network including the program elements and interactions therebetween. The method stores the simulation model and divides the simulation model into portions each having at least one program element. The method also runs each portion on a processing core and collating the results. A simulation architecture having a first library containing program elements is also included. The architecture includes a second library that contains a simulation model network that defines interactions between program elements and links to selected program elements in the first library. There is a plurality of processing cores to run portions of the simulation model and a controller to allocate portions of the simulation model to each of the plurality of processing cores dependent on the number of interactions between program elements.

Abstract: A machine management system, including one or more sensors arranged to take readings of one or more operating variables for a machine. Data processing equipment is arranged to receive data indicative of said operating variable readings for the machine and to analyse the received operational data to determine a probability distribution there-for. The processing equipment includes one or more modules of machine-readable code for assigning a value to one or more Stable distribution parameters in dependence on the received operational data, and a departure in the machine operation from a predetermined normal operating condition is determined from the assigned distribution parameter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for data compression, particularly applicable to spectral signals such as Fast Fourier Transforms of vibration data. The data is merged to remove redundant frequencies when recorded at multiple sample rates, thresholded with respect to a noise floor to remove even more redundant data, and then the positions of non-zero signal values, with respect to the noise floor, are recorded in a first dataword and the non-zero signal values themselves are all recorded concatenated to form a second dataword. The compressed data set consists of the first and second datawords, together with the value of the noise floor, maximum original amplitude and the broadband power. In the event of successive data sets having the same or similar locations for non-zero signal values a re-use flag may be set and the locations dataword discarded. Preferably the signal values are non-linearly quantized to further reduce the amount of data.

Abstract: A process for creation of an equipment health monitoring (EHM) tool, including defining functional requirements for a proposed EHM tool in a structured hierarchical format. The functional requirements definition is used to generate an outline model for a plurality of functions of the proposed EHM tool according to a model template, wherein the outline model is captured as one or more graphical representations. Each graphical representation includes at least one component representative of a defined EHM functional requirement. Source code for the proposed EHM tool is automatically generated based upon the graphically represented model and then compiled to create a deployable EHM tool from the source code by applying a compilation strategy dependent on an intended mode of operation for said EHM tool. An EHM generation tool and associated data carrier are also recited.

Abstract: An asset management system includes a plurality of assets, a plurality of sensors for determining one or more operating conditions for each of said assets and one or more processors for determining a risk profile for each of the assets over time. The processor is arranged to calculate a risk index value for each asset from the risk profile, the risk index providing a relative indicator of the need for maintenance of an asset. A maintenance queue is established and assets are entered into the queue once the risk index value for that asset matches or exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the position of the asset in the queue being determined based upon the value of its risk index.

Abstract: A method for managing machine operation comprising sensing a plurality of operational variables for a machine during use thereof so as to generate operational data for said variables. The operational data is processed so as to determine features within the operational data which are indicative of a divergence from a desired operational state of the machine. Confidence values associated with said features are determined and used to assess whether the plurality of features and associated confidence values are indicative of a predetermined diagnosis for said machine. A confidence value for said diagnosis is determined based upon the associated feature confidence values and used to generate a signal indicative of an operational state of the machine. The invention may be used for engine health monitoring applications and may be used for determining necessary servicing or repair work for the engine.

Abstract: Vibration amplitudes are recorded as a function of rotation speed and of frequency and the data is analyzed to estimate a noise floor amplitude threshold for each of a plurality of different speed and frequency sub-ranges. On the basis of training data known to be normal speed-frequency areas which contain significant spectral content in normal operation are deemed “known significant spectral content”, so that during monitoring of new data points which correspond to significant vibration energy at speeds and frequencies different from the known significant spectral content can be deemed “novel significant spectral content” and form the basis for an alert. The estimation of the noise floor is based on a probabilistic analysis of the data in each speed-frequency area and from this analysis an extreme value distribution expressing the probability that any given sample is noise is obtained.