Artificial Neural Networks for Fault Detection and Identification on an Automated Assembly Machine

• Main Author: Fernando, HESHAN
• Other Authors: Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.). Theses (Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.))
• Language: en; en
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Artificial neural networks; Fault identification; Fault detection
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1974/12188

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been used in many fault detection and identification (FDI) applications due to their pattern recognition abilities. In this study, two ANNs, a supervised network based on Backpropagation (BP) learning and an unsupervised network based on Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART-2A), were tested for FDI on an automated assembly machine and compared to a conventional rule-based method. Three greyscale sensors and two redundant limit switches were used as cost-effective sensors to monitor the machine's operating condition. To test each method, sensor data were collected while the machine operated under normal conditions, as well as 10 fault conditions. Features were selected from the raw sensor data to create data sets for training and testing. The performance of the methods was evaluated with respect to their ability to detect and identify known, unknown and multiple faults. Their modelling and computational requirements were also considered as performance measures. Results showed that all three methods were able to achieve perfect classification with the test data sets; however, the BP method could not classify unknown or multiple faults. In all cases, the performance depended on careful tuning of each method’s parameters. The BP method required an ideal number of neurons in the hidden layer and good initialization. The ART-2A method required tuning of its classification parameter. The rule-based method required tuning of its thresholds. Although it was found that the rule-based system required more effort to set up, it was judged to be more useful when unknown or multiple faults were present. The ART-2A network created new outputs for these conditions, but it could not give any more information as to what the new fault was. By contrast, the rule-based method was able to generate symptoms that clearly identified the unknown and multiple fault conditions. Thus, the rule-based method was judged to be the best overall method for this type of application. It is recommended that future work examine the application of computer vision-based techniques to FDI with the assembly machine. The results from this study, using cost-effective sensors, could then be used as a performance benchmark for image-based sensors. === Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-16 17:21:13.676