Function performance evaluation and its application for design modification based on product usage data

Abstract

In recent years, companies have been able to gather more data from their products thanks to new technologies such as product embedded information devices (PEIDs, Kiritsis et al. (2004)), advanced sensors, internet, wireless telecommunication, and so on. Using them, companies can access working products directly, monitor and handle products remotely, and transfer generated data back to appropriate company repositories wirelessly. However, the application of the newly gathered data is still primitive since it has been difficult to obtain this kind of data without the recently developed new technologies. The newly gathered data can be applicable for product improvement in that it is transformed into appropriate information and knowledge. To this end, we propose a new method to manage the newly gathered data to complete closed-loop PLM. The usage data gathered at the MOL phase is transferred to the BOL phase for design modification so as to improve the product. To do this, we define new terms regarding function performance considering the historical change of function performance. The proposed definitions are developed to be used in design modification so that they help engineers to understand components/parts working status during the usage period of a product. Based on the evaluation of components/parts working status, the critical components/parts are discriminated. For the found critical components/parts, the working status of them is examined and correlated with field data which consists of operational and environmental data. The correlation provides engineers with critical field data which has an important effect on the worse working status. Hence, the proposed method provides the transformation from usage data gathered in the MOL phase to information for design improvement in the BOL phase. To verify our method, we use a locomotive case study.