METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING SERVICE-INTENSIVE REPLACEABLE PARTS IN AN ASSEMBLY

A method and apparatus for monitoring service-intensive replaceable parts in an assembly in which information regarding a replaceable part (1), such as specifications, physical dimensions, physical properties, functions and/or other data for the replaceable part, is stored on a suitable memory component (5) in and/or on the replaceable part (1). The stored data is read with a reading device at a predetermined time or at predetermined time intervals and transmitted to an evaluation unit. The read data can be compared in the evaluation unit with preset data and, after evaluating the results of the comparison of the data, an appropriate change in the replaceable part or in the operation of the assembly may or may not be carried out.