Intelligent Debris Analyzer: A New Tool For Monitoring Lubrication Machines

摘要

Critical aircraft and marine components such as turbine engines and gear boxes usually require health monitoring techniques to periodically assess their condition. Debris entrapped in their oil filters contains a vast amount of untapped information. If interpreted properly, this information can be interpreted and applied for monitoring the overall machine condition and can be used to make important and relevant maintenance recommendations. Standard oil analysis methods do not generate the results required to make similar recommendations for the operation of systems with fine filtration units. Furthermore, current manual methods for filter debris analysis rely on expert knowledge and expertise and are time-consuming, expensive and inconsistent. They are, therefore, not really exportable from the laboratory to the shop floor. This paper describes a novel Intelligent Debris Analyzer (IDA) system for detection of impending failures and diagnosis of wear trending. IDA is a hybrid artificial intelligence system incorporating digital image processing, pattern recognition and an expert system. This new system automatically evaluates the debris image, draws an expert conclusion on wear conditions and recommends maintenance actions.