Transfer Function Modelling: A Literature Survey

摘要

Monitoring and control is very important in maintaining quality outputs, reducing downtimes and improving operation's efficiency of processes. Transfer function modelling has been the heart of process monitoring and control. This study surveys the past, present and future of transfer function modelling. The survey found that continuous transfer function models used in modelling engineering control systems have the widest applications. Similarly, the discrete transfer function models are applied mostly in forecasting and have wide application in econometrics and the social sciences and to a little extent in the physical and life sciences. The current efforts by researchers in extending the frontiers of discrete transfer function modelling to fault diagnosis, improvement of maintenance and operation's efficiency, determination of production process capability etc were highlighted. Finally, the future directions of research in transfer function modelling which include but not limited to: leak detection and failure prediction, improved modelling software tools, performance evaluation and improvement in chemical industries, power systems, oil and gas industries, economic and management systems etc was suggested. Our findings show that transfer function would be very important in solving manufacturing dysfunction.