Method for the automated generation of a fault tree structure

A method for automatic generation of an extended fault tree structure adapted to one of a production installation type and a specific production installation within a system for determining an overall equipment effectiveness for the specific production installation type or the production installation, which comprises:

• providing a data processor having stored programs and data stores including a fault database, a fault tree memory, and a verification script memory;
• entering fault events in the fault database one of through a data input and determined from data called up from a data server;
• storing, with the data stores:
• fault events in the fault database;
• a prescribed general hierarchical fault tree structure and the extended fault tree structure in the fault tree memory;
• and
• verification scripts for a verification of fault hypotheses in the verification script memory;
• generating, based upon the prescribe& general hierarchical fault tree structure, the extended fault tree structure by carrying out functions of a hypothesis verifier, a fault data classifier, and a hypothesis configurer with the data processor and the stored programs;
• entering and altering fault hypotheses with a hypothesis editor;
• and
• producing the extended fault tree structure by:
• the hypothesis verifier accessing data from the data server;
• the hypothesis verifier deriving, from the accessed data, fault events according to execution requirements of the verification scripts;
• the hypothesis verifier storing these fault events in the fault database together with previously entered fault events ;
• at prescribable time intervals, the fault data classifier:
• classifying the fault events by accessing the fault database ;
• mapping the fault events as weighted causes of faults onto the fault tree structure;
• and
• at least one of:
• displaying the extended fault tree structure through a display device;
• and
• feeding the extended fault tree structure to an output device.

In a system for determining effectiveness and for analyzing causes of faults, a method for automatically generating an extended fault tree structure adapted to one of a production installation type and a specific production installation, which comprises:

• providing a data processor having stored programs and data stores including a fault database, a fault tree memory, and a verification script memory;
• entering fault events in the fault database one of through a data input and determined from data called up from a data server;
• storing, with the data stores:
• fault events in the fault database;
• a prescribed general hierarchical fault tree structure and the extended fault tree structure in the fault tree memory;
• and
• verification scripts for a verification of fault hypotheses in the verification script memory;
• generating, based upon the prescribed general hierarchical fault tree structure, the extended fault tree structure by carrying out functions of a hypothesis verifier, a fault data classifier, and a hypothesis configurer with the data processor and the stored programs;
• entering and altering fault hypotheses with a hypothesis editor;
• and
• producing the extended fault tree structure by:
• the hypothesis verifier accessing data from the data server;
• the hypothesis verifier deriving, from the accessed data, fault events according to execution requirements of the verification scripts;
• the hypothesis verifier storing these fault events in the fault database;
• at prescribable time intervals, the fault data classifier:
• classifying the fault events by accessing the fault database;
• mapping the fault events as weighted causes of faults onto the fault tree structure;
• and at least one of:
• displaying the extended fault tree structure through a display device;
• and
• feeding the extended fault tree structure to an output device.