Remote diagnostics
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remote Diagnostics refers to ability to diagnose a subject (system, craft or person) from a distance. Instead of the subject being colocated with the person or system doing the diagnose, both can be far apart (earth-moon distance for instance), connected 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:
- Remotely monitor selected vital system parameters
- Analysis of data to detect trends
- Comparison with known behavior database data
- After detected performance degradation predict the failure moment by extrapolation
- Order parts and plan maintenance, to be executed when really necessary, but in time to prevent a failure or stop
Typical uses:
- medical use (see Remote guidance)
- Formula 1 racecars
- space (Apollo project and others)
- Telephone systems like a PABX
- aeroplanes, like 747, Fokker, Airbus and many others.
The reasons for RD can be one of more of these aspects:
- limit local personnel to a minimum (Gemini, 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
[edit] Remote Diagnostic & Maintenance
Remote Diagnostic & Maintenance refers to both diagnoses of the fault or faults and taking corrective (maintenance) actions, like changing settings to improve performance or prevent problems like breakdown, wear & tear. RDM can replace manpower at location by experts on a central location, in order to save manpower or prevent hazardous situations (space for instance).
