SEAFEM: A computational tool for the determination of failure causes in metallic mechanical components

Abstract

A HYBRID EXPERT SYSTEM FOR FAILURE ANALYSIS OF METALLIC MECHANICAL COM POUNDS WAS DEVELOPED BY THE GROUP FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND MATERIALS RESEARCH OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING OF THE UNAM, TO PROVIDE A WAY OF COMPENSATING THE LACK OF EXPERTS IN THIS FIELD. THIS EXPERT SYSTEM (SEAFEM) ANALYSES COMPONENTS SUCH AS GEARS, SHAFTS, SPRINGS AND BEARINGS. IT IS ALSO A TOOL TO TRAIN PEOPLE THROUGH ITS USE BY DIRECTING THE IN EXPERIENCED USER TO WARD THE DETERMINATION OF A FAILURE MECHANISM TROUGH AN INTERACTIVE CON FIGURATION AND A SET OF LOGICALLY ORDERED QUESTIONS. THE INNOVATIVE ASPECT OF THE SYSTEM RESIDES IN THE US AGE OF TWO CLASSICAL LOGICAL SCHEMES (RULE BASED REASONING AND CASE BASED REA SONING), WHICH IS ADVANTAGEOUS COMPARED SYSTEMS DEVELOPED BY OTHER GROUPS AS A PRACTICE OF DEDUCTIVE REASONING PROCESS AND STRUCTURED INFORMATION MANAGEMENT IS COMBINED. THE METHOD EMPLOYED HERE IS SIMILAR TO THAT FOLLOWED BY AN EX PERT WHICH FOLLOWS A LOGICAL STRUCTURE OF PROBLEM ANALYSIS COMBINED WITH EXPERIENCE BASED ON PREVIOUSLY STUDIED CASES. THIS PAPER EX LAINS THE FUNCTIONING, KNOWLEDGE STRUCTURE AND APPLICATION TO THE SOLUTION OF FAILURE PROBLEMS IN SHAFTS AND TORSION BARS, TOGETHER WITH AN EXPLANATION OF THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT.