Bearing life cycle prognostics

摘要

A life-cycle prognosis is created of a rolling-element bearing. As from manufacturing of the bearing and during the bearing's life-cycle that may include periods of the bearing's non-use, service life data is obtained indicative of one or more factors that occur during the life-cycle and that affect the length of the life-cycle. The service life data is obtained together with identification data that is representative of a machine-readable identifier, applied to the bearing at manufacturing. The identifier serves to uniquely identify the bearing throughout its life. The identification data is used for identifying in a database a history log of the bearing. The service life data is accumulated in the history log of the bearing as from the manufacturing. The history log is used with a specific mathematical life-cycle model for creating an update of the life-cycle prognosis.

主权项

1. A method of creating a prognosis of a life-cycle of a particular rolling-element bearing, the method comprises:
obtaining service life data, indicative of one or more factors occurring during the life-cycle of the particular rolling-element bearing and affecting a length of the life-cycle of the particular rolling-element bearing; obtaining identification data, representative of a machine-readable identifier, applied to the particular rolling-element bearing at the manufacturing of the particular rolling-element bearing, for uniquely identifying the particular rolling-element bearing; using the obtained identification data for identifying in a database a history log of the particular rolling-element bearing; accumulating the obtained service life data, as from the manufacturing, in the history log of the particular rolling-element bearing; and by operation of a data processing unit, using the history log with a specific mathematical life-cycle model for creating an update of the prognosis, wherein the prognosis of the particular rolling-element bearing is created over a time span that begins as of a date manufacture and extends through the life-cycle and including a period of non-use.