Viewing Computer-Aided Failure Modes and Effects Analysis from an Artificial Intelligence Perspective

Computer-aided failure modes and effects analysis FMEA is a goal of design, manufacturing, and reliability engineers to improve the quality and reliability of systems; however, commercial implementations have utilized little or no artificial intelligence AI techniques in their design. Computer-aided FMEA is viewed from an AI perspective. First, the types of knowledges exploited by FMEA experts are discussed, and model-based methods that are applicable to intelligent automation are addressed to provide a foundation for building expert systems for design and reliability analysis. Next, existing prototype systems and techniques are characterized, according to their knowledge and reasoning strategies, to familiarize the reader with recent developments. In addition, a blackboard model of an expert system for FMEA is proposed that functionally decomposes the knowledge associated with each subfunction of the FMEA process into a set of knowledge sources.

[1]  Anne M. Keuneke,et al.  Device representation-the significance of functional knowledge , 1991, IEEE Expert.

[2]  C. J. Price.  Knowledge engineering toolkits , 1990 .

[3]  William J. Clancey,et al.  Model Construction Operators , 1992, Artif. Intell..

[4]  Tom M. Mitchell,et al.  Models of Learning Systems. , 1979 .

[5]  Johan de Kleer,et al.  Readings in qualitative reasoning about physical systems , 1990 .

[6]  Michel Gondran,et al.  System reliability: evaluation & prediction in engineering , 1986 .

[7]  William J. Clancey,et al.  Using the system-model-operator metaphor for knowledge acquisition , 1991, IEEE Expert.

[8]  M. Lehtelä.  Computer-aided failure mode and effect analysis of electronic circuits , 1990 .

[9]  Norman J. McCormick,et al.  Reliability and Risk Analysis , 1981, IEEE Transactions on Reliability.

[10]  Frederick Hayes-Roth,et al.  Building expert systems , 1983, Advanced book program.

[11]  P. Schaefer,et al.  Using causal reasoning for automated failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) , 1992, Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium 1992 Proceedings.

[12]  J. B. Bowles,et al.  A blackboard model of an expert system for failure mode and effects analysis , 1992, Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium 1992 Proceedings.

[13]  R. D. Sexton.  An alternative method for preparing FMECA's , 1991, Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium. 1991 Proceedings.

[14]  Allen Newell,et al.  The Knowledge Level , 1989, Artif. Intell..

[15]  Cynthia H. Kamhieh,et al.  Failure modes and effects analysis automation , 1988 .

[16]  William J. Clancey,et al.  Heuristic Classification , 1986, Artif. Intell..