Abstract: A system and method for remote diagnosis and predictive maintenance of devices, machines, and systems has been presented. The system detects signals of one or more operating and condition parameters and compares the detected signals to a signal model maintained locally with respect to the location of the device, machine, or system for anomalies. Information describing each anomaly is transmitted to a location remote from the device, machine, or system for diagnosis. The diagnosis includes an initial analysis of the information by diagnostic tools maintained at the remote location, a subsequent analysis of the information by diagnostic tools maintained elsewhere if the initial analysis fails to provide a diagnosis and a final analysis by a team of humans aided by a collaborative environment if the initial and subsequent analyses fails to provide a diagnosis. The diagnosis is transmitted to a maintenance service for repair of the device, machine, or system.

Abstract: An in-depth review of a product line is conducted, including customer interviews, in order to identify customer specifications that are more complex than customer needs. Customer needs are quantified, and a reduced set of standard product configuration classes are selected so that about 80% of customer orders based on actual customer needs can be satisfied by the standard product configuration classes, and the remaining orders can be satisfied by custom design. Major components in the standard products are themselves standardized. Manufacture of the standard product is optimized for a one-day manufacturing cycle and separated from the manufacture of the custom designed product. A sales office and manufacturing plant roll-out schedule is implemented and managed by computer-based spreadsheet tools.

Abstract: An in-depth review of the switchboard business, including customer interviews, revealed that customer specifications were more complex than customer needs. Customer needs were quantified, and a reduced set of standard switchboard configuration classes was selected so that about 80% of customer orders based on actual customer needs could be satisfied by the standard switchboard configuration classes, and the remaining orders would be satisfied by custom designed switchboards. Major components in the standard switchboards were themselves standardized. A standard switchboard, for example, has a continuous current capacity of no more than 4000 Amps, a maximum voltage rating of 480 Vac, a short circuit current rating of no more than 200 kA, and an aluminum or copper bus. The manufacture of the standard switchboards was optimized for a one-day manufacturing cycle and separated from the manufacture of the custom designed switchboards.