JP7687601B2 - Excavator Management System - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a management system for an excavator.

Conventionally, there is known a technique for calculating the stress acting on shovel parts by detecting the operating state of the shovel with multiple sensors and analyzing it using an analytical model (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2014-85293 A

Conventionally, the warranty period for excavators is uniquely determined to a predetermined period. However, with the above-mentioned excavators, there are various types of work that can be done, such as breaker work, which places a large load on the structural members, and finishing work, loading work, and leveling work, which place a small load on the structural members.

In light of the above, the objective is to provide an excavator management system that can set warranty details according to usage conditions.

A shovel management system according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a condition detection device that detects the operating condition of a shovel to be evaluated, a control device that calculates a fatigue level of an attachment of the shovel based on the detected operating condition and calculates warranty content information associated with the calculated fatigue level, and a display device that displays the calculated warranty content information, wherein the warranty content information includes at least one of a warranty period of the attachment associated with the fatigue level, a repair cost of the attachment associated with the fatigue level and the repair timing, and a usage fee associated with the fatigue level, and the fatigue level includes a cumulative damage level accumulated in the attachment, and the control device calculates the warranty content information based on the cumulative damage level and a standard cumulative damage level , the standard cumulative damage level being the cumulative damage level expected when the shovel is operated in standard work content .

The excavator management system described above allows the warranty content to be set according to usage conditions.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a management system for a shovel according to an embodiment; FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a management system for a shovel according to an embodiment; Flowchart showing an example of fatigue level calculation processing FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen according to an embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the display screen of the embodiment; FIG. 13 is a diagram showing yet another example of the display screen of an embodiment;

Below, a description will be given of a mode for carrying out the invention with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations may be omitted.

With reference to Figure 1, an excavator management system (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "management system") of one embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an excavator management system of one embodiment.

The management system 300 includes managed excavators 100 and a management device 200. The excavators 100 and the management device 200 communicate with each other via a communication network NW.

The upper rotating body 3 is mounted on the lower traveling body 1 of the excavator 100 so as to be able to rotate via a rotating mechanism 2. The upper rotating body 3 is attached with a boom 4. An arm 5 is attached to the tip of the boom 4, and a bucket 6 is attached to the tip of the arm 5 as an end attachment.

The boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 constitute an excavation attachment, which is an example of an attachment. The boom 4 is driven by a boom cylinder 7, the arm 5 is driven by an arm cylinder 8, and the bucket 6 is driven by a bucket cylinder 9. A boom angle sensor S1 is attached to the boom 4, an arm angle sensor S2 is attached to the arm 5, and a bucket angle sensor S3 is attached to the bucket 6. The boom angle sensor S1, arm angle sensor S2, and bucket angle sensor S3 are collectively referred to as "posture sensors" because they are used to determine the posture of the attachment.

The boom angle sensor S1 detects the rotation angle of the boom 4. In this embodiment, the boom angle sensor S1 is an acceleration sensor, and detects the rotation angle of the boom 4 relative to the upper rotating body 3 (hereinafter referred to as the "boom angle"). For example, the boom angle is at its minimum when the boom 4 is lowered to the lowest, and increases as the boom 4 is raised.

The arm angle sensor S2 detects the rotation angle of the arm 5. In this embodiment, the arm angle sensor S2 is an acceleration sensor, and detects the rotation angle of the arm 5 relative to the boom 4 (hereinafter referred to as the "arm angle"). For example, the arm angle is at its smallest when the arm 5 is fully closed, and increases as the arm 5 is opened.

The bucket angle sensor S3 detects the rotation angle of the bucket 6. In this embodiment, the bucket angle sensor S3 is an acceleration sensor, and detects the rotation angle of the bucket 6 relative to the arm 5 (hereinafter referred to as the "bucket angle"). For example, the bucket angle is at its smallest when the bucket 6 is fully closed, and increases as the bucket 6 is opened.

The boom angle sensor S1, arm angle sensor S2, and bucket angle sensor S3 may each be a potentiometer using a variable resistor, a stroke sensor that detects the stroke amount of the corresponding hydraulic cylinder, a rotary encoder that detects the rotation angle around the connecting pin, a gyro sensor, or an inertial measurement device consisting of a combination of an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.

A boom rod pressure sensor S7R and a boom bottom pressure sensor S7B are attached to the boom cylinder 7. An arm rod pressure sensor S8R and an arm bottom pressure sensor S8B are attached to the arm cylinder 8. A bucket rod pressure sensor S9R and a bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B are attached to the bucket cylinder 9. The boom rod pressure sensor S7R, the boom bottom pressure sensor S7B, the arm rod pressure sensor S8R, the arm bottom pressure sensor S8B, the bucket rod pressure sensor S9R and the bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B are collectively referred to as the "cylinder pressure sensors."

The boom rod pressure sensor S7R detects the pressure in the rod side oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as the "boom rod pressure"), and the boom bottom pressure sensor S7B detects the pressure in the bottom side oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as the "boom bottom pressure"). The arm rod pressure sensor S8R detects the pressure in the rod side oil chamber of the arm cylinder 8 (hereinafter referred to as the "arm rod pressure"), and the arm bottom pressure sensor S8B detects the pressure in the bottom side oil chamber of the arm cylinder 8 (hereinafter referred to as the "arm bottom pressure"). The bucket rod pressure sensor S9R detects the pressure in the rod side oil chamber of the bucket cylinder 9 (hereinafter referred to as the "bucket rod pressure"), and the bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B detects the pressure in the bottom side oil chamber of the bucket cylinder 9 (hereinafter referred to as the "bucket bottom pressure").

The vibration sensor S10 detects vibrations of the slewing reducer 20. In this embodiment, the vibration sensor S10 is configured as an acceleration sensor. It may also be an acoustic emission (AE) sensor that uses a piezoelectric element. The vibration sensor S10 is configured so that it can be attached to and detached from the slewing reducer 20 with a single touch so that the slewing reducer 20 can be periodically diagnosed. However, the vibration sensor S10 may also be fixed to the slewing reducer 20 so that it can detect vibrations of the slewing reducer 20 even while the excavator 100 is in operation.

The upper rotating body 3 is provided with a cabin 10, which is a driver's room, and is equipped with a power source such as an engine 11. The upper rotating body 3 is also equipped with a controller 30, a display device 40, an input device 42, a sound output device 43, a storage device 47, a positioning device P1, an aircraft tilt sensor S4, a rotation angular velocity sensor S5, an imaging device S6, and a communication device T1.

The controller 30 functions as a main control unit that controls the drive of the excavator 100. In this embodiment, the controller 30 is configured as a computer including a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc. One or more functions of the controller 30 are realized, for example, by the CPU executing a program stored in the ROM.

The display device 40 displays information. The display device 40 may be connected to the controller 30 via a communication network such as a CAN, or may be connected to the controller 30 via a dedicated line.

The input device 42 allows the operator to input information to the controller 30. The input device 42 includes a touch panel, knob switch, membrane switch, etc., installed inside the cabin 10.

The sound output device 43 is a device that outputs various types of sound information. The sound output device 43 may be, for example, an in-vehicle speaker connected to the controller 30, or an alarm such as a buzzer. In this embodiment, the sound output device 43 outputs various types of sound information in response to a sound output command from the controller 30.

The storage device 47 is a device for storing information. The storage device 47 is, for example, a non-volatile storage medium such as a semiconductor memory. The storage device 47 may store information output by one or more devices during operation of the shovel 100, or may store information acquired or input via one or more devices before operation of the shovel 100 is started. The storage device 47 may store, for example, data regarding a target construction surface acquired via a communication device T1 or the like. The target construction surface may be set by the operator of the shovel 100, or may be set by a construction manager or the like.

The positioning device P1 measures the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3. The positioning device P1 is, for example, a GNSS compass, detects the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3, and outputs the detected value to the controller 30. Therefore, the positioning device P1 can function as an orientation detection device that detects the orientation of the upper rotating body 3. The orientation detection device may be a direction sensor attached to the upper rotating body 3.

The machine body tilt sensor S4 detects the inclination of the upper rotating body 3 relative to the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the machine body tilt sensor S4 is an acceleration sensor that detects the longitudinal tilt angle about the longitudinal axis and the lateral tilt angle about the lateral axis of the upper rotating body 3. The longitudinal axis and lateral axis of the upper rotating body 3 are perpendicular to each other, for example, at the shovel center point, which is a point on the rotation axis of the shovel 100. The machine body tilt sensor S4 may be an inertial measurement device configured by a combination of an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.

The rotation angular velocity sensor S5 detects the rotation angular velocity and rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3. In this embodiment, it is a gyro sensor. It may also be a resolver, a rotary encoder, etc.

The imaging device S6 acquires images of the periphery of the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the imaging device S6 includes a front camera S6F that images the space in front of the shovel 100, a left camera S6L that images the space to the left of the shovel 100, a right camera S6R that images the space to the right of the shovel 100, and a rear camera S6B that images the space behind the shovel 100.

The imaging device S6 is, for example, a monocular camera having an imaging element such as a CCD or a CMOS, and outputs the captured image to the display device 40. The imaging device S6 may also be a stereo camera, a distance imaging camera, etc.

The front camera S6F is attached, for example, to the ceiling of the cabin 10, i.e., inside the cabin 10. However, it may also be attached to the outside of the cabin 10, such as the roof of the cabin 10 or the side of the boom 4. The left camera S6L is attached to the left end of the top surface of the upper rotating body 3, the right camera S6R is attached to the right end of the top surface of the upper rotating body 3, and the rear camera S6B is attached to the rear end of the top surface of the upper rotating body 3.

The communication device T1 controls communication with external devices outside the excavator 100. In this embodiment, the communication device T1 controls communication with external devices via a satellite communication network, a mobile phone communication network, the Internet network, etc.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a management system 300 for an excavator. Note that mechanical power transmission lines, hydraulic oil lines, pilot lines, electrical control lines, and communication lines are indicated by double lines, solid lines, dashed lines, dotted lines, and dashed dotted lines, respectively.

The basic system of the excavator 100 mainly includes an engine 11, a regulator 13, a main pump 14, a pilot pump 15, a control valve 17, an operating device 26, a discharge pressure sensor 28, an operating pressure sensor 29, a controller 30, etc.

The engine 11 is the driving source of the excavator. In this embodiment, the engine 11 is, for example, a diesel engine that operates to maintain a predetermined rotation speed. In addition, the output shaft of the engine 11 is connected to the input shafts of the main pump 14 and the pilot pump 15.

The main pump 14 supplies hydraulic oil to the control valve 17 via a hydraulic oil line. In this embodiment, the main pump 14 is a swash plate type variable displacement hydraulic pump.

The regulator 13 controls the discharge volume of the main pump 14. In this embodiment, the regulator 13 controls the discharge volume of the main pump 14 by adjusting the swash plate tilt angle of the main pump 14 in response to a control command from the controller 30. For example, the controller 30 receives the output of the operating pressure sensor 29, etc., and outputs a control command to the regulator 13 as necessary to change the discharge volume of the main pump 14.

The pilot pump 15 supplies hydraulic oil to one or more hydraulic devices, including the operating device 26, via a pilot line. In this embodiment, the pilot pump 15 is a fixed displacement hydraulic pump.

The control valve 17 is a hydraulic control device that controls the hydraulic system in the excavator. In this embodiment, the control valve 17 is configured as a valve block including multiple control valves. The control valve 17 selectively supplies hydraulic oil discharged by the main pump 14 to one or more hydraulic actuators through one or more control valves. The control valve controls the flow rate of hydraulic oil flowing from the main pump 14 to the hydraulic actuators and the flow rate of hydraulic oil flowing from the hydraulic actuators to the hydraulic oil tank. The hydraulic actuators include a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, a bucket cylinder 9, a left-side traveling hydraulic motor 1L, a right-side traveling hydraulic motor 1R, and a swing hydraulic motor 2A. The swing hydraulic motor 2A may be replaced with a swing motor-generator as an electric actuator.

The operating device 26 is a device used by an operator to operate the actuator. The actuator includes at least one of a hydraulic actuator and an electric actuator. In this embodiment, the operating device 26 supplies hydraulic oil discharged by the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port of the corresponding control valve in the control valve 17 via a pilot line. The pressure of the hydraulic oil supplied to each pilot port (pilot pressure) is a pressure according to the operation direction and operation amount of the operating device 26 corresponding to each hydraulic actuator. The operating device 26 is configured to be able to supply hydraulic oil discharged by the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port of the corresponding control valve in the control valve 17 via the pilot line. The operating device 26 includes, for example, a left operating lever, a right operating lever, a left travel lever, and a right travel lever (not shown).

The discharge pressure sensor 28 detects the discharge pressure of the main pump 14. In this embodiment, the discharge pressure sensor 28 outputs the detected value to the controller 30.

The operation pressure sensor 29 detects the operation content of the operator using the operation device 26. In this embodiment, the operation pressure sensor 29 detects the operation direction and operation amount of the operation device 26 corresponding to each actuator in the form of pressure, and outputs the detected value to the controller 30. The operation content of the operation device 26 may be detected using a sensor other than the operation pressure sensor.

The controller 30 has a data processing unit 35, a judgment unit 36, and a display unit 38 as functional elements. In this embodiment, each functional element is realized as software, but may also be realized as hardware, firmware, etc.

The data processing unit 35 is configured to process information acquired by the information acquisition device. In this embodiment, the data processing unit 35 processes the data output by the information acquisition device so that the data output by the information acquisition device can be used by each of the judgment unit 36 and the control device 210 of the management device 200. The information acquired by the information acquisition device includes at least one of the following: boom angle, arm angle, bucket angle, front-to-rear tilt angle, left-to-right tilt angle, turning angular velocity, turning angle, image captured by the imaging device S6, boom rod pressure, boom bottom pressure, arm rod pressure, arm bottom pressure, bucket rod pressure, bucket bottom pressure, vibration of the turning reducer detected by the vibration sensor S10, detection value of a strain sensor attached to an attachment or a frame, discharge pressure of the main pump 14, and operating pressure related to each of the operating devices 26. The information acquisition device includes at least one of a boom angle sensor S1, an arm angle sensor S2, a bucket angle sensor S3, a machine body inclination sensor S4, a turning angular velocity sensor S5, an image capture device S6, a boom rod pressure sensor S7R, a boom bottom pressure sensor S7B, an arm rod pressure sensor S8R, an arm bottom pressure sensor S8B, a bucket rod pressure sensor S9R, a bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B, a vibration sensor S10, a strain sensor (not shown), a discharge pressure sensor 28, an operating pressure sensor 29, etc. If each of the determination unit 36 and the control device 210 can directly use data from the information acquisition device, the data processing unit 35 may be omitted.

The data processing unit 35 is configured to hold the data output by the information acquisition device for a predetermined period of time. In this embodiment, the data processing unit 35 temporarily records the data output by the information acquisition device in a volatile storage medium for at least a predetermined period of time. The data processing unit 35 may record the data output by the information acquisition device in the storage device 47.

The judgment unit 36 is configured to judge whether or not a collection of data (hereinafter referred to as a "data set") output by the information acquisition device is suitable for diagnosis by the control device 210 of the management device 200 described below. For example, the judgment unit 36 judges whether or not a data set output by the vibration sensor S10 is suitable for diagnosis by the control device 210. This is to prevent a data set that is not suitable for diagnosis by the control device 210 from being supplied to the control device 210.

The display unit 38 is configured to display various information on the display device 40. In this embodiment, a specific screen is displayed on the display device 40 in response to a command from the controller 30.

The management device 200 includes a control device 210, a communication device 220, and a display device 230. The control device 210 also includes, as functional elements, an excavator information management unit 211, a fatigue level calculation unit 212, a busy season information management unit 213, and a guarantee content determination unit 214. Each functional element of the control device 210 may be realized as software, or may be realized as hardware, firmware, or the like.

The shovel information management unit 211 is configured to store and manage the data set output by the information acquisition device. The data set is transmitted from the communication device T1 of the shovel 100 and input to the shovel information management unit 211 via the communication network NW and the communication device 220. The data set transmitted from the communication device T1 may be accompanied by the judgment result of the judgment unit 36. Also, the configuration may be such that only the data set judged by the judgment unit 36 to be suitable for diagnosis is transmitted from the communication device T1.

The fatigue degree calculation unit 212 is configured to calculate the fatigue degree of the attachment based on the data set stored in the shovel information management unit 211. In this embodiment, the fatigue degree calculation unit 212 calculates the fatigue degree of each part of the shovel 100 based on the operation information collected from the shovel 100. The fatigue degree includes the cumulative damage degree accumulated in each part of the shovel 100 and the remaining life of each part. This evaluation uses the operation information, cumulative damage degree, etc. accumulated in the storage device 203 up to the present time. The method of evaluating the cumulative damage degree and remaining life accumulated in the parts will be described later. The evaluation results of the cumulative damage degree and remaining life are stored in the shovel information management unit 211.

The busy season information management unit 213 stores the busy season coefficients used to determine the price in association with the time periods. For example, when classifying the time periods into three levels of busy season information, busy season, normal season, and off-season, the coefficients for normal seasons may be set lower than the coefficients for busy seasons, and the coefficients for off-seasons may be set lower than the coefficients for normal seasons. For example, a period when repair requests increase, such as the end of a fiscal year, may be set as a busy season. Also, a period when the operating rate of the excavator 100 is high may be set as a busy season.

The warranty content determination unit 214 determines the warranty content based on the information of the shovel 100 stored in the shovel information management unit 211. The warranty content includes, for example, the warranty period, repair costs, and usage fees. For example, by accessing the management device 200, the user can cause the display device 230 of the management device 200 to display information about the warranty content (hereinafter also referred to as "warranty content information"), etc.

The warranty period is, for example, the warranty period of the attachments such as the boom 4, the arm 5, the bucket 6, etc. The warranty period includes a normal warranty period, which is a free warranty period such as a manufacturer's warranty, and an additional warranty period that is set in addition to the normal warranty period. The warranty period is set based on the fatigue degree of the attachment calculated by the fatigue degree calculation unit 212. For example, the smaller the cumulative damage degree of the attachment calculated by the fatigue degree calculation unit 212 is than the reference cumulative damage degree, the longer the additional warranty period is set. The reference cumulative damage degree is the cumulative damage degree assumed when the shovel 100 is operated with standard work content, and is set, for example, according to the number of days elapsed since the delivery of the shovel 100. In addition, the longer the remaining life of the attachment calculated by the fatigue degree calculation unit 212 is than the reference remaining life, the longer the additional warranty period is set. The reference remaining life is the remaining life assumed when the shovel 100 is operated with standard work content, and is set, for example, according to the number of days elapsed since the delivery of the shovel 100. Standard work content is work content when work that places a large load on structural members (high-load work), such as breaker work, and work that places a small load on structural members (low-load work), such as finishing work, loading work, and leveling work, are performed in a specified ratio (for example, 1:1).

The repair cost is the repair cost of the attachments such as the boom 4, the arm 5, the bucket 6, etc. The repair cost is set based on the repair timing determined based on the remaining life of the attachment calculated by the fatigue degree calculation unit 212 after a crack occurs in the attachment. For example, when repair is performed immediately after a crack occurs in the attachment, the repair cost is set to the cost obtained by adding a predetermined first surcharge to the base amount. Also, when repair is performed after the attachment is used for a predetermined period (e.g., 2 days to 1 week) within the remaining life range after a crack occurs in the attachment, the repair cost is set to the cost obtained by adding a second surcharge, which is lower than the first surcharge, to the base amount. Also, when the work content is changed so that the remaining life is longer after a crack occurs in the attachment, and the attachment is used for a predetermined period (e.g., 1 week to 1 month) within the remaining life range, the repair cost is set to the cost without adding a surcharge to the base amount. Furthermore, the repair cost may be calculated by multiplying the standard amount by the busy season coefficient of the busy season information management unit 213.

The usage fee is a usage fee for the shovel 100, and includes, for example, a fee paid by a person who rents the shovel 100 to a rental company and a refund from the rental company to a person who rents the shovel 100. The usage fee is set based on the fatigue level calculated by the fatigue level calculation unit 212. For example, the refund is set higher as the cumulative damage level of the attachment calculated by the fatigue level calculation unit 212 is smaller than the reference cumulative damage level. The reference cumulative damage level is the cumulative damage level assumed when the shovel 100 is operated with standard work content, and is set, for example, according to the number of days elapsed since the person who rented the shovel 100 started using the shovel 100. In addition, the refund is set higher as the remaining life of the attachment calculated by the fatigue level calculation unit 212 is longer than the reference remaining life. The reference remaining life is the remaining life assumed when the shovel 100 is operated with standard work content, and is set, for example, according to the number of days elapsed since the person who rented the shovel 100 started using the shovel 100.

The communication device 220 is configured to be able to communicate with other devices, such as the excavator 100, through the communication network NW.

The display device 230 is configured to display various types of information.

The process of calculating the fatigue level of the excavator 100 (hereinafter referred to as the "fatigue level calculation process") will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The fatigue level calculation process is executed by the control device 210 of the management device 200. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the fatigue level calculation process.

First, in step ST1, the management device 200 acquires measurement values for at least one cycle of a series of operations repeated by the excavator 100 during work from the attachment's attitude sensor, the attachment's cylinder pressure sensor, and the swing angular velocity sensor S5. Along with these measurement values, information such as the type of work, the date of work, and the machine identification number is acquired.

The rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3 is acquired from the rotation angular velocity sensor S5. The posture of the shovel 100 is determined by the detection values of the attachment posture sensor and the rotation angular velocity sensor S5. The time range for acquiring measured values by the attachment posture sensor, the attachment cylinder pressure sensor, and the rotation angular velocity sensor S5 during a series of operations of the shovel 100 may be set by the management operator of the management device 200, or by the driver or maintenance personnel of the shovel 100. The series of operations repeated by the shovel 100 includes, for example, a process including the start of excavation, lifting rotation, soil discharge, and return rotation, and the process is repeated in one cycle.

In step ST2, multiple times to be analyzed (hereinafter referred to as "analysis times") are extracted within one cycle of a series of operations. For example, characteristic times such as peaks and inflection points of the time waveforms of the hydraulic pressure in the cylinder and the swing angle are extracted as analysis times. Increasing the number of analysis times extracted improves the analysis accuracy, but increases the calculation time required for the analysis. The management device 200 may automatically extract the analysis times based on the time waveforms of the hydraulic pressure in the boom cylinder 7, the height of the tip of the arm 5, and the swing angle while the excavator 100 is in operation, or the operator may observe the time waveforms to determine the analysis times and input the analysis times.

In step ST3, the analysis model is used to calculate the distribution of stress applied to each of the components such as the boom 4 and the arm 5 at each analysis time. The stress distribution is calculated based on the specific posture of the shovel 100 determined for each analysis time. That is, the stress distribution is calculated based on the load applied to the components of the shovel 100 for each of the various postures of the shovel 100 that appear within one cycle of a series of repeated operations. A numerical analysis method such as the finite element method can be applied to calculate the stress distribution. At this time, the posture of the shovel 100 and the load applied to the components of the shovel 100 are used as analysis conditions. Here, the load is expressed as a vector. The magnitude and direction of the load are determined by the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinder, the axial direction of the hydraulic cylinder (the posture of the attachment), and the rotation angular acceleration. The rotation angular acceleration is calculated by differentiating the rotation angle twice. The stress is calculated for each element and node constituting the analysis model. The analysis result of the stress distribution is calculated for each analysis time and for each component.

In step ST4, the damage level accumulated during one operating cycle (hereinafter referred to as "single-cycle damage level") is calculated for each evaluation point of each component. This allows the distribution of the single-cycle damage level within the component to be obtained. The single-cycle damage level is calculated based on the extreme values of stress extracted from the time change of stress. The single-cycle damage level can be calculated using a known method.

In step ST5, the distribution of the cumulative damage degree and remaining life of the parts is calculated. The method of calculating the cumulative damage degree and remaining life will be described below. The management device 200 calculates the sum of the single-cycle damage degree (cumulative damage degree) from the start of operation of the machine to the present time for each machine and part of the managed shovel 100. The cumulative damage degree accumulated up to the start of the operation that is the subject of the current data collection is stored in the shovel information management unit 211. When the cumulative damage degree of a certain part of the shovel 100 part reaches 1, there is a high possibility that a break will occur at that part. The remaining life is obtained by subtracting the cumulative damage degree from 1.

In step ST6, the cumulative damage level and remaining lifespan determined in step ST5 are associated with information such as the machine identification number and stored in the excavator information management unit 211.

With reference to FIG. 4, an example of a display screen generated by the excavator management system 300 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of one embodiment. In the following description, the display screen 400 is assumed to be displayed on the display device 230 of the management device 200, and displays information including the remaining life calculated by the fatigue degree calculation process and the warranty period associated with the remaining life.

The display screen 400 has a warranty period display section 410, a weakest point display section 420, and a remaining life display section 430. In the example of FIG. 4, the warranty period display section 410, the weakest point display section 420, and the remaining life display section 430 are arranged in this order from the top. However, the arrangement of the warranty period display section 410, the weakest point display section 420, and the remaining life display section 430 is not limited to the arrangement shown in FIG. 4.

The warranty period display unit 410 displays information regarding the warranty period of the attachment. In the example of FIG. 4, the warranty period display unit 410 displays a gauge 411 indicating the normal warranty period of the attachment and a gauge 412 indicating the additional warranty period. The normal warranty period is, for example, a free warranty period such as a manufacturer's warranty, and is displayed based on a preset warranty period. The additional warranty period is displayed based on the remaining life of the attachment calculated in the fatigue degree calculation process.

For example, if the remaining life of the attachment calculated in the fatigue degree calculation process is longer than the reference remaining life, the bar gauge 412 representing the additional warranty period is displayed to the right of the bar gauge 411 representing the normal warranty period, with a length corresponding to the difference between the calculated remaining life and the reference remaining life. On the other hand, if the remaining life of the attachment calculated in the fatigue degree calculation process is shorter than the reference remaining life, the bar gauge 412 representing the additional warranty period is not displayed. The reference remaining life is the remaining life expected when the shovel 100 is operated with standard work content, and is set, for example, according to the number of days elapsed since the delivery of the shovel 100. The standard work content is the work content when work that places a large load on structural members (high load work), such as breaker work, and work that places a small load on structural members (low load work), such as finishing work, loading work, and leveling work, are performed in a predetermined ratio (for example, 1:1).

In the example of FIG. 4, in order to easily distinguish between the normal warranty period and the additional warranty period, the bar gauge 411 representing the normal warranty period is displayed with a solid line, and the bar gauge 413 representing the additional warranty period is displayed with a dashed line. However, the method of displaying the normal warranty period and the additional warranty period is not limited to this, and may be displayed in different colors, for example.

The weakest point display unit 420 displays information identifying the weakest point of the attachment. In the example of FIG. 4, the weakest point display unit 420 displays an image 421 of the arm 5, an image 422 identifying the weakest point in the arm 5, an image 423 of the boom 4, and an image 424 identifying the weakest point in the boom 4. The weakest point in the arm 5 and the weakest point in the boom 4 are displayed based on the distribution of fatigue (e.g., cumulative damage, remaining life) calculated in the fatigue calculation process. For example, the weakest point in the arm 5 and the weakest point in the boom 4 are the points with the largest cumulative damage in the distribution of cumulative damage calculated in the fatigue calculation process. Also, for example, the weakest point in the arm 5 and the weakest point in the boom 4 are the points with the shortest remaining life in the distribution of remaining life calculated in the fatigue calculation process. In the example of FIG. 4, the image 421 of the arm 5 and the image 422 of the boom 4 are displayed side by side, but this is not limited to this, and may be displayed side by side, for example, up and down. Also, only one of the image 421 of the arm 5 and the image 422 of the boom 4 may be displayed.

The remaining life display unit 430 displays the remaining life of the attachment. In the example of FIG. 4, the remaining life display unit 430 displays a bar gauge 431 representing the current remaining life of the arm 5 and a bar gauge 432 representing the current remaining life of the boom 4. The remaining life of the arm 5 and the remaining life of the boom 4 are displayed based on the distribution of the remaining life calculated in the fatigue degree calculation process. For example, the remaining life of the current arm 5 and the remaining life of the current boom 4 may be the shortest remaining life in the distribution of the remaining life calculated in the fatigue degree calculation process, or may be the average value or the median value. In addition, the remaining life display unit 430 may display an image representing a reference remaining life superimposed on the bar gauge 431 representing the current remaining life of the arm 5 and the bar gauge 432 representing the current remaining life of the boom 4. By displaying an image representing the reference remaining life, the administrator can easily grasp the current remaining life relative to the reference remaining life. In addition, the remaining life display unit 430 may display the cumulative damage degree of the attachment instead of or together with the remaining life of the attachment.

As described above, according to one embodiment of the management system 300, the remaining lifespan (or cumulative damage level) of the attachment and the warranty period are displayed in association with each other, as shown in FIG. 4. This allows the administrator to set a warranty period according to the usage status of the shovel 100, based on the information displayed on the display screen 400 of the display device 230. For example, if the remaining lifespan of the attachment displayed on the display screen 400 of the display device 230 is longer than the standard remaining lifespan, the administrator can set a warranty period that adds an additional warranty period to the normal warranty period of the attachment.

In the example shown in Figure 4, for example, if the warranty period is 5000 hours, 80% (4000 hours) of the warranty period has been utilized. Even in this case, if light-stress work is being performed, approximately 60% of the remaining lifespan of the boom 4 and arm 5 remains out of the standard remaining lifespan (100%) guaranteed within the warranty period set as the standard. In other words, only approximately 40% has been utilized. For this reason, once 80% (4000 hours) of the warranty period has been utilized, an additional warranty period of 1500 hours (130%) can be set.

In the example of FIG. 4, information including the remaining life span and warranty period of the attachment is displayed on the display device 230 of the management device 200, but the present disclosure is not limited to this, and may be displayed on the display device 40 of the shovel 100, for example. Also, the information may be displayed on another device that can communicate with the management device 200 via the communication network NW.

In the example of FIG. 4, the remaining life span of the attachment and the warranty period are displayed in association with each other on the display screen 400 of the display device 230, but the present disclosure is not limited to this, and for example, the cumulative damage level of the attachment and the warranty period may be displayed in association with each other. In this case, if the cumulative damage level of the attachment displayed on the display screen 400 of the display device 230 is smaller than the reference cumulative damage level, the administrator can set a warranty period that adds an additional warranty period to the normal warranty period of the attachment.

The display screen 400 may also display the date and time, the device number, the user, and the amount of time used to date (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 5, another example of the display screen generated by the excavator management system 300 will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of the display screen of one embodiment. In the following description, the display screen 500 is assumed to be displayed on the display device 230 of the management device 200, and displays information including the remaining life calculated by the fatigue degree calculation process and the repair cost associated with the remaining life.

The display screen 500 has a remaining life display section 510, a repair cost display section 520, and a weakest point display section 530. In the example of FIG. 5, the remaining life display section 510, the repair cost display section 520, and the weakest point display section 530 are arranged in this order from the top. However, the arrangement of the remaining life display section 510, the repair cost display section 520, and the weakest point display section 530 is not limited to the arrangement shown in FIG. 5.

The remaining life display unit 510 displays the remaining life of the attachment. In the example of FIG. 5, the remaining life display unit 510 displays a bar gauge 511, a bar gauge 512, and figures 513 to 515. The bar gauge 511 indicates the remaining life of the attachment if the shovel 100 is continued to be used with the current work content (current work content). The bar gauge 512 indicates the remaining life of the attachment if the shovel 100 is used by changing the current work content to a work content (recommended work content) recommended for extending the remaining life. The recommended work content is, for example, a change to a transport work, etc. for a shovel performing excavation work in natural ground. For a shovel performing bedrock work, a change to a flat ground excavation, etc. The figures 513 to 515 each indicate a different repair time. The figure 513 indicates the time to perform repairs immediately after a crack occurs in the attachment (or the time when the crack occurs). The figure 514 represents a period (e.g., 2 days to 1 week) within the range of the remaining lifespan if the shovel 100 continues to be used in the current work after a crack occurs in the attachment. The figure 515 represents a period (e.g., 1 week to 1 month) within the range of the remaining lifespan if the current work is changed to a recommended work in order to extend the remaining lifespan after a crack occurs in the attachment. The remaining lifespan of the attachment if the shovel 100 is continued to be used in the current work and the remaining lifespan of the attachment if the shovel 100 is used in the recommended work are displayed based on the remaining lifespan calculated in the fatigue degree calculation process. For example, the remaining lifespan of the attachment if the shovel 100 is continued to be used in the current work and the remaining lifespan of the attachment if the shovel 100 is used in the recommended work may be the shortest remaining lifespan in the distribution of remaining lifespans calculated in the fatigue degree calculation process, or may be the average value or the median value.

The repair cost display section 520 displays information regarding the repair cost of the attachment. In the example of FIG. 5, the repair cost display section 520 displays bar gauges 521 to 523. Bar gauge 521 represents the repair cost when repairing the attachment at the time indicated by the figure 513 displayed in the remaining life display section 510. The repair cost represented by bar gauge 521 is the cost obtained by adding a predetermined first surcharge 521b to the base amount 521a. Bar gauge 522 represents the repair cost when repairing the attachment during the period indicated by the figure 514 displayed in the remaining life display section 510. The repair cost represented by bar gauge 522 is the cost obtained by adding a second surcharge 522b, which is lower than the first surcharge 521b, to the base amount 522a. Bar gauge 523 represents the repair cost when repairing the attachment during the period indicated by the figure 515 displayed in the remaining life display section 510. The repair cost represented by the gauge 523 is the cost without adding a surcharge to the base amount 523a. In addition, the base amounts 521a, 522a, 523a, the first surcharge 521b, and the second surcharge 522b may be multiplied by the busy season coefficient of the busy season information management unit 213.

The weakest point display unit 530 displays information that identifies the weakest point of the attachment. In the example of FIG. 5, the weakest point display unit 530 displays an image 531 that represents the weakest point of the boom 4 at the present time and an image 532 that represents the weakest point of the boom 4 predicted when the work content is changed to the recommended work content. The weakest point of the boom 4 is displayed based on the distribution of fatigue levels (e.g., cumulative damage level, remaining life) calculated in the fatigue level calculation process. For example, the weakest point of the boom 4 is the point with the largest cumulative damage level in the distribution of cumulative damage levels calculated in the fatigue level calculation process. Also, for example, the weakest point of the boom 4 is the point with the shortest remaining life in the distribution of remaining life calculated in the fatigue level calculation process. Note that in the example of FIG. 5, the image 531 that represents the weakest point of the boom 4 at the present time and the image 532 that represents the weakest point of the boom 4 predicted when the work content is changed to the recommended work content are displayed side by side, but this is not limited to this, and may be displayed side by side, for example, vertically.

As described above, according to one embodiment of the management system 300, the remaining life of the attachment and the repair cost are displayed in association with each other, as shown in FIG. 5. This allows the administrator to set the repair cost according to the usage status of the shovel 100, based on the information displayed on the display screen 500 of the display device 230. For example, the administrator can set the repair cost by adding a surcharge to the base amount, based on the remaining life and repair timing of the attachment displayed on the display screen 500 of the display device 230. Furthermore, the work content and the repair cost may be associated. Furthermore, the work content and the remaining life may be associated. Furthermore, the work content and the warranty period may be associated.

In the example of FIG. 5, information including the remaining life span and repair costs of the attachment is displayed on the display device 230 of the management device 200, but the present disclosure is not limited to this, and may be displayed on the display device 40 of the shovel 100, for example. Also, the information may be displayed on another device that can communicate with the management device 200 via the communication network NW.

The display screen 500 may also display the date and time, the device number, the user, and the amount of time used to date (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 6, yet another example of a display screen generated by the excavator management system 300 will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing yet another example of a display screen of an embodiment. In the following description, the display screen 600 is assumed to be displayed on the display device 230 of the management device 200, and displays information including the cumulative damage level calculated by the fatigue level calculation process and the usage fee associated with the cumulative damage level.

The display screen 600 has a usage fee display section 610, a weakest point display section 620, and a cumulative damage level display section 630. In the example of FIG. 6, the usage fee display section 610, the weakest point display section 620, and the cumulative damage level display section 630 are arranged in this order from the top. However, the arrangement of the usage fee display section 610, the weakest point display section 620, and the cumulative damage level display section 630 is not limited to the arrangement shown in FIG. 6.

The usage fee display unit 610 displays information related to the usage fee for the shovel 100. In the example of FIG. 6, the usage fee display unit 610 displays a bar gauge 611 that indicates the fee paid by the person who rented the shovel 100 to the rental company, and a bar gauge 612 that indicates the refund to be refunded by the rental company to the person who rented the shovel 100. The bar gauge 612 that indicates the refund is displayed based on the fatigue level (e.g., accumulated damage level, remaining life) calculated in the fatigue level calculation process. For example, the bar gauge 612 that indicates the refund is displayed as a longer bar gauge when the accumulated damage level of the attachment calculated in the fatigue level calculation process is smaller than the reference accumulated damage level.

The weakest point display unit 620 displays information identifying the weakest point of the attachment. In the example of FIG. 6, the weakest point display unit 620 displays an image 621 of the arm 5, an image 622 identifying the weakest point in the arm 5, an image 623 of the boom 4, and an image 624 identifying the weakest point in the boom 4. The weakest point in the arm 5 and the weakest point in the boom 4 are displayed based on the distribution of fatigue (e.g., cumulative damage, remaining life) calculated in the fatigue calculation process. For example, the weakest point in the arm 5 and the weakest point in the boom 4 are the points with the largest cumulative damage in the distribution of cumulative damage calculated in the fatigue calculation process. Also, for example, the weakest point in the arm 5 and the weakest point in the boom 4 are the points with the shortest remaining life in the distribution of remaining life calculated in the fatigue calculation process. In the example of FIG. 6, the image 621 of the arm 5 and the image 622 of the boom 4 are displayed side by side, but this is not limited thereto, and may be displayed side by side, for example, up and down. Also, only one of the image 621 of the arm 5 and the image 622 of the boom 4 may be displayed.

The cumulative damage display unit 630 displays the cumulative damage of the attachment. In the example of FIG. 6, the cumulative damage display unit 630 displays a bar gauge 631 representing the current cumulative damage of the arm 5 and a bar gauge 632 representing the current cumulative damage of the boom 4. The remaining life of the arm 5 and the remaining life of the boom 4 are displayed based on the distribution of the cumulative damage calculated in the fatigue calculation process. For example, the current cumulative damage of the arm 5 and the current cumulative damage of the boom 4 may be the largest cumulative damage in the distribution of the cumulative damage calculated in the fatigue calculation process, or may be the average value or the median value. In addition, the cumulative damage display unit 630 may display an image representing the reference cumulative damage, superimposed on the bar gauge 631 representing the current cumulative damage of the arm 5 and the bar gauge 632 representing the current cumulative damage of the boom 4. By displaying an image representing the reference cumulative damage, the manager can easily grasp the current cumulative damage relative to the reference cumulative damage.

As described above, according to one embodiment of the management system 300, the cumulative damage level of the attachment and the usage fee are displayed in association with each other, as shown in FIG. 6. This allows the administrator to set a usage fee according to the usage status of the shovel 100 based on the information displayed on the display screen 400 of the display device 230. For example, when the cumulative damage level of the attachment for a specified period (e.g., a rental period) displayed on the display screen 400 of the display device 230 is greater than a reference cumulative damage level, the administrator can set a refund amount that refunds a portion of the usage fee for the shovel 100 according to the difference between the cumulative damage level of the attachment for the specified period and the reference cumulative damage level.

The example in FIG. 6 is a case where predicted usage conditions (work content, cumulative damage level, etc.) are compared with actual results. In the example in FIG. 6, for example, if the standard cumulative damage level (e.g., 100%) is not reached (e.g., 60%) at the end of the usage period, 20% of the usage fee is refunded. In other words, if the cumulative damage level expected at the start of use is not reached, the usage fee is refunded according to the degree of shortfall. By associating the remaining life (or cumulative damage level) with repair costs, it is also possible to associate the remaining life (or cumulative damage level) with usage fees. Work content may be associated with usage fees. Work content may be associated with warranty periods.

In the example of FIG. 6, information including the cumulative damage level of the attachment and the usage fee is displayed on the display device 230 of the management device 200, but the present disclosure is not limited to this, and may be displayed on the display device 40 of the shovel 100, for example. Also, the information may be displayed on another device that can communicate with the management device 200 via the communication network NW.

In the example of FIG. 6, the cumulative damage level of the attachment and the usage fee are displayed in association with each other on the display screen 400 of the display device 230, but the present disclosure is not limited to this, and for example, the remaining lifespan of the attachment and the usage fee may be displayed in association with each other. In this case, when the remaining lifespan of the attachment displayed on the display screen 400 of the display device 230 is longer than the reference remaining lifespan, the administrator can set a refund amount that refunds a portion of the usage fee for the excavator 100 according to the difference between the remaining lifespan of the attachment in a specified period and the reference remaining lifespan.

The display screen 600 may also display the date and time, the device number, the user, and the amount of time used to date (not shown).

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, a support device such as a mobile terminal may be used as a display device for the management system 300. The support device is typically a mobile terminal device, such as a notebook PC, tablet PC, or smartphone carried by a worker at the construction site. The support device may be a computer carried by the operator of the shovel 100. The support device may be a fixed terminal device.

100 Shovel 200 Management device 210 Control device 211 Shovel information management section 212 Fatigue degree calculation section 213 Busy season information management section 214 Warranty content determination section 230 Display device 300 Management system 400, 500, 600 Display screen

Claims (5)

A state detection device that detects the operating state of a shovel to be evaluated;
a control device that calculates a fatigue level of an attachment of the shovel based on the detected operating state, and calculates warranty content information associated with the calculated fatigue level;
a display device that displays the calculated warranty content information;
Equipped with
The warranty content information includes at least one of a warranty period of the attachment associated with the fatigue level, a repair cost of the attachment associated with the fatigue level and a repair time, and a usage fee associated with the fatigue level,
The fatigue level includes a cumulative damage level accumulated in the attachment,
The control device calculates the warranty content information based on the cumulative damage degree and a reference cumulative damage degree,
The standard cumulative damage level is the cumulative damage level expected when the shovel is operated in a standard work content.
Excavator management system. The control device calculates a distribution of stress applied to the attachment, and calculates the fatigue level based on the calculated stress distribution.
The excavator management system according to claim 1 . The display device displays the location where the cumulative damage degree is the greatest.
The excavator management system according to claim 1 or 2. The display device displays the calculated fatigue level.
The excavator management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The guarantee content information is calculated based on busy season information.
The excavator management system according to claim 1 .

Images