Remote diagnostics
Encyclopedia
Remote diagnostics is the act of diagnosing
a given symptom, issue or problem from a distance. Instead of the subject being colocated with the person or system doing the diagnostics, with remote diagnostics the subjects can be separated by physical distance (E.g., earth
-moon
). Information exchange occurs either by wire
or wireless
.
When limiting to systems, a general accepted definition is:
'To Improve reliability of vital or capital-intensive installations and reduce the maintenance costs by avoiding unplanned maintenance, by monitoring the condition of the system remotely. '
Process elements for remote diagnostics:
Typical uses:
The reasons for RD can be one of more of these aspects:
A simple and cost-effective way to remotely maintain and service industrial machinery worldwide consists of using a Web broker architecture. As the Internet grew, it provided an opportunity for free or public long distance communication for remote access. Now combined with cellular technologies that provide wireless communication or DSL based technologies, this offers the market new communication media for accessing devices. However, DSL based technologies require installing a dedicated line to the machine location, while cellular technologies requires that wireless receivers are available in the vicinity of the machine providing adequate coverage for good communication.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of anything. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines with variations in the use of logics, analytics, and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships...
a given symptom, issue or problem from a distance. Instead of the subject being colocated with the person or system doing the diagnostics, with remote diagnostics the subjects can be separated by physical distance (E.g., earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
-moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
). Information exchange occurs either by wire
Wire
A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads and to carry electricity and telecommunications signals. Wire is commonly formed by drawing the metal through a hole in a die or draw plate. Standard sizes are determined by various...
or wireless
Wireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
.
When limiting to systems, a general accepted definition is:
'To Improve reliability of vital or capital-intensive installations and reduce the maintenance costs by avoiding unplanned maintenance, by monitoring the condition of the system remotely. '
Process elements for remote diagnostics:
- Remotely monitor selected vital system parameters
- AnalysisAnalysisAnalysis is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts to gain a better understanding of it. The technique has been applied in the study of mathematics and logic since before Aristotle , though analysis as a formal concept is a relatively recent development.The word is...
of data to detect trends - Comparison with known or expected behaviorBehaviorBehavior or behaviour refers to the actions and mannerisms made by organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with its environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment...
data - After detected performancePerformanceA performance, in performing arts, generally comprises an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience...
degradationDegradationDegradation may refer to;* Biodegradation, the processes by which organic substances are broken down by living organisms* Cashiering or degradation ceremony, a ritual performed when cleric is deprived of office or a knight is stripped of the honour...
, predict the failureFailureFailure refers to the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success. Product failure ranges from failure to sell the product to fracture of the product, in the worst cases leading to personal injury, the province of forensic...
moment by extrapolationExtrapolationIn mathematics, extrapolation is the process of constructing new data points. It is similar to the process of interpolation, which constructs new points between known points, but the results of extrapolations are often less meaningful, and are subject to greater uncertainty. It may also mean... - Order parts and/or plan maintenancePreventive maintenancePreventive maintenance has the following meanings:#The care and servicing by personnel for the purpose of maintaining equipment and facilities in satisfactory operating condition by providing for systematic inspection, detection, and correction of incipient failures either before they occur or...
, to be executed when really necessary, but in time to prevent a failure or stop
Typical uses:
- medical use (see Remote guidanceRemote guidanceRemote guidance, in the medical context, refers to the supervision or guidance of a medical task, usually a procedures or test, from a remote location. This falls in the realm of real time telemedicine applications. By way of example, a radiologist may guide an ultrasound examination from a...
) - Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
racecars - spaceSpaceSpace is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum...
(Apollo project and others) - Telephone systems like a PABX
- aeroplanes
The reasons for RD can be one of more of these aspects:
- limit local personnel to a minimum (GeminiProject GeminiProject Gemini was the second human spaceflight program of NASA, the civilian space agency of the United States government. Project Gemini was conducted between projects Mercury and Apollo, with ten manned flights occurring in 1965 and 1966....
, Apollo capsules: too tight to fit all technicians) - limit workload of local personnel
- limit risks (exposure to dangerous environments)
- central expertise (locally solve small problems, remotely/centralized solve complex problems by experts)
- efficiency: reduce travel time to get expert & system or subject together
A Web Broker Architecture for Remote Machine Diagnostics
Machine remote diagnosis allows initiation of the best course of action for problem resolution. When tracking problems or strange behaviour on a PLC controlled machine, it is often difficult or even impossible to correct the problem if it cannot be reproduced by the service staff. In the worst case scenario, the machine needs to be serviced on site to identify the problem, involving a local technician with all the communication, language and accent problems that may arise with the machine builder.A simple and cost-effective way to remotely maintain and service industrial machinery worldwide consists of using a Web broker architecture. As the Internet grew, it provided an opportunity for free or public long distance communication for remote access. Now combined with cellular technologies that provide wireless communication or DSL based technologies, this offers the market new communication media for accessing devices. However, DSL based technologies require installing a dedicated line to the machine location, while cellular technologies requires that wireless receivers are available in the vicinity of the machine providing adequate coverage for good communication.