Optimal Troubleshooting for Electro-Mechanical Systems

When a complex electromechanical system fails, the troubleshooting procedure adopted is often complex and tedious. No standard methods currently exist to optimize the sequence of steps in a troubleshooting process. The ad hoc methods generally followed are less than optimal methods and can result in high maintenance costs. This paper describes the use of behavioral models and multistage decision-making models in Bayesian networks for representing the troubleshooting process. It discusses advantages in using these methods and the difficulties in implementing them. An approximate method to obtain optimal decision sequence for a troubleshooting process on a complex electromechanical system is also described.