See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/308117288

Diagnostics in Technical Systems: Interdisciplinary Challenge in Traditional

Engineering

Conference Paper · September 2002

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.20202.31682

CITATIONS READS

0 234

1 author:

Jan Kaźmierczak
Silesian University of Technology
114 PUBLICATIONS   199 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

SMART CITY: A Holistic Approach View project

Industry 4.0 Solution and Polish Manufacturing SMEs View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Jan Kaźmierczak on 15 September 2016.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Diagnostics in Technical Systems:
Interdisciplinary Challenge in Traditional Engineering

Prof. Jan Kazmierczak

Faculty of Organization and Management, Silesian Technical University, Poland
E-mail: jakaz@polsl.gliwice.pl

Keywords: “classic” diagnostics, process of diagnosing, diagnostic-based maintenance

management

SUMMARY: The paper presents some fundamental differences between the traditionally seen
Technical Diagnostics and contemporary needs linked with this particular domain, that ought to
affect also didactic programs of engineering schools. The first part of the paper introduces briefly
“classic” aspects of Diagnostics. The second part shows a variety of additional aspects of the
diagnosing treated as a specific process. From this point of view, the diagnose-based decision
making is considered as being concerned with effective management of technical systems. The
professional profiles of diagnostic information “suppliers” as well as “users” are discussed in the
last part of the paper as the base of a new concept of the place of education in Diagnostics as an
important element of forming the “new engineer”.

1. INTRODUCTION
Between challenges of the break of millennia, an essential change can be noted in the look on
Engineering as one of basic areas of human activity as well as on engineers as the class of people
who are educated/formed for “performing” the Engineering for an in the society. The difference
between the engineers of industrial and post-industrial epoch affects significantly the educational
practice of engineering schools. This difference is especially well-seen when we take into
consideration some elements of the traditional branches of Engineering, like Mechanics or
Machine Building and Exploitation. Let’s consider Technical Diagnostics as the subject which is a
typical part of basic or specialization courses in many Mechanical faculties.
The origin of the problem of recognizing states of an object by means of selected features of
external influences between the object and its environment (diagnostic symptoms) lies in medical
sciences. On the other hand, the non-destructive and non-aggressive methods and tools of
recognizing states of machines and industrial installations play important role especially in
exploitation/maintenance activities as well in some stages of manufacturing process (i.e. quality
control in assembly lines).
Using Technical Diagnostics as a particular example we can try to analyze the evolution of this
subject itself as well as to identify circumstances which effect on and are affected by this evolution.
Taking about such an evolution it is worth to consider both the requirements of contemporary
industry/economy and necessities as well as abilities of fitting these requirements by didactic
enterprises.
 2. ‘TECHNICAL DIAGNOSTICS’: CLASSIC MODEL OF TEACHING
Technical Diagnostics is since many years an important element of the course program in the
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Silesia/Poland. The course of
Technical Diagnostics is a part of the program of third year of studies and includes lectures (30
teaching hours), laboratory (15 hours) and individual projects of students. The contents of this
course was evaluated according to the ‘classic’ model of educating Mechanical Engineering. In
particular, this model of the course program can be called “problem-oriented”. Considering both
the recognition of needs formulated by industry and own educational experiences it is assumed that
course program of Technical Diagnostics” ought to cover the following partial problems:
· Identifying states of the diagnosed object
· Identifying diagnostic signals (carriers of diagnostic data)
· Identifying relations between states of the object and states of the signal
· Choosing the methods/tools of measuring and processing diagnostic signals
· Classification of states
· Diagnostic reasoning
As an autonomous area, the problems of Diagnostic Monitoring are considered in order to
recognize changes of states of the object in time. In particular, this are contains:
o Methods of collecting of monitoring data
o Methods of organizing and visualization of data
o Methods of processing monitoring data
o Trend detection and analysis, forecasting
Details of the course program are represented in the contents of the course book, published in
1996 [1], which is a summary of experiences of the author of this paper in putting into practice this
classical approach of teaching Technical Diagnostics in Mechanical Engineering Faculty. This
contents is as follows:

1. INTRODUCTION
2. BASIC TERMS
Features. State and space of states. Classes of states. Time, diagnosed process and
diagnostic signal. Models of relationships
3. MODELS OF MACHINES IN DIAGNOSTICS
Quasi-deterministic models of a machine. Uncertain models of a machine.
Diagnostic model of a machine. Composed models of a machine
4. MODELLING OF RELATIONS IN DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH
Types of relations in diagnostic research. Reduction of a number of considered
features of diagnosed processes and diagnostic signals. Projecting of states in spaces
of limited dimensionality. Models of diagnostic relations. The net of relations in
diagnostic research
5. SIGNAL PROCESSING IN DIAGNOSTICS
Spectral analysis. Synchronous averaging. Decomposition of spectra
6. METHODS OF CLASSIFICATION
Basic assumptions. Similarity, dissimilarity, distance. Comparison of objects with
sets of objects. Comparison of sets with sets. Classification - outline of the problem.
Data-bases. Fuzzy approach. The number of features. Validation of the classifier.
Number of classes. Designing of binary classifiers

7. DIAGNOSTIC REASONING
 Fault trees. Test trees. Decision tables. Diagnostic graphs. Knowledge
representation. Expert systems.
8. THE TIME DOMAIN IN TECHNICAL DIAGNOSTICS
Time series: general introduction. Time series of values of the features of diagnostic
signals. Problems of processing the time series of diagnostic data. Trends in the time
series of diagnostic data
9. MODELLING OF DIAGNOSTIC TIME SERIES
ARMA/ARIMA models of time series. Examples of algorithms of generating linear
models of time series according to the ARMA/ARIMA method
10. TREND DETECTION AND ANALYSIS IN TIME SERIES OF DIAGNOSTIC
DATA
General conditions of trend detection in time series. Trend detection in time series by
means of the testing of 'queues'. Trend detection by means of Spearman's rank
correlation coefficient. Trend detection by means of ARI models. Advantages and
disadvantages of the algorithms of trend detection
11. FORECASTING IN THE TIME SERIES OF DIAGNOSTIC DATA
Terms and definitions. Review of the methods of 'short-term' quantitative forecas-
ting. General types of forecasting models. Choice of the proper forecasting model for
the needs of diagnostic experiments. Calculations of forecasts in the time series by
means of a fixed model. The quality of forecasts. Calculation of the forecasts of
diagnostic signal features and diagnostic reasoning.

It is worth to be noted that variety of problems in the presented program is really large. It
means that students who will study this course need an appropriate background knowledge. This
knowledge has to be theoretical as well as practical. Apart from being able to analyze in detail the
design and functioning of the machine that is an object of diagnosing, students needs a solid
preparatory backgrounds in the fields like: measurements tools and techniques, data processing
methods, time series analysis etc. Therefore the location of the course of Technical Diagnostics in
a general plane of studies is of high importance.
The above presented description shows the subject that is clearly located in the field of
Machine Building and Exploitation even if contains elements of interdisciplinary.
It is also worth to mention in this point, that the development of “object-oriented” methods and
tools of Technical Diagnostics is strongly linked with growing-up some new areas of Engineering
science and practice. The procedures of measurement and processing diagnostic data are
automatized in many technical devices, including continuous systems of diagnosing and monitoring
in industrial objects of special attention (for instant: nuclear power plants) as well as systems used
in transportation devices (airplanes). In fact, the contemporary “diagnoser” is more and more
situated in IT area than in Mechanics or Machine Building. This tendency affects also the
appearance of Mechatronics as a new look at the links: machine – information – man.

3. DIAGNOSING AS A PROCESS
After the first period of development Technical Diagnostics as being oriented on identifying
states of single units (stationary machines, transportation devices, industrial installations), the
“area of meaning” of this subject in the general field of Engineering has growth up step by step.
For now, we are talking about diagnosing of more and more complex technical systems as well as
diagnosing of more and more complex technological processes. As a new autonomous area, the
diagnosing of whole industrial enterprises is formulated.
 These “new entities” imply application for personnel able to fulfill the new needs.
Consequently, it should be also consider by units responsible for forming such a personnel. This is
one of reasons of transplanting educational efforts in the domain of Diagnostics from traditional
Faculties to others. As an example, the course of “Diagnostics and Monitoring of Technical
Systems” which is a part of the course program in the Faculty of Organization and Management,
Technical University of Silesia, can be mentioned. Because the total number of teaching hours is
similar to the described above, it was necessary to re-structure the contents of this program due to
the conditionings as described above.
It was assumed, that the “center of gravity” in this program should be moved from the object
of diagnosing to the activities which are forming the “process of diagnosing”. The scheme of such
a process, based on the approach of Engineering of Information Systems [2], is shown in Fig.1.

Consultancy
Diagnosis
Intuition

Knowledge Diagnostic reasoning

Experience

External
Information Empirical Processing of data
Information

Completing
Data
Empirical
Data
Collecting of data

Diagnosed
Object

Fig. 1. The scheme of "process of diagnosing "

The above presented model is a base of “activity-oriented” course program in Diagnostics. It

is worth to be mention that such a model of course implies some “de-technization” of its contents.
Together with purely technical problems (measurements, data processing etc.), some soft factors
are taken into consideration like personal experience, intuition, consultancy etc. These factors form
in significant part the desired profile of the specialist who should formulate diagnosis as a specific
kind of knowledge about the behavior of diagnosed object and supply this knowledge “to whom it
may concern”. In this point the new didactic challenge appears: it is necessary to ensure students
that apart of “typical” questions:
Ø What ? ( .. we want to do)
Ø Why ? ( .. we want to do it)
Ø How? ( .. we intend to perform our activity)
the very important question is:
Ø Who? ( .. will take part in the game)
According to the above presented approach we try to educate a “supplier” of the specific kind
of knowledge: diagnosis of state/states of the object obtained by means of diagnostic method. It is
a key-point in the discussed course program to draw attention of students on specific requirements
concerned with this activity: the diagnose is usually a base for very important decisions concerned
with further actions. In medical terms, the effectiveness of therapy depends first of all on accurate
diagnose. Therefore, solidity as well as accountability have to be mentioned as additional but
essential personal features of the “diagnoser”.
As we can state, in any case the diagnose is a final effect in the chain of activities. Coming
back to the question “Who?”, we can in next step introduce users of diagnostic
data/information/knowledge as separate class of actors who are taking part in engineering
enterprises. Because of it, they also have to be properly educated.

4. DIAGNOSTIC-BASED MANAGEMENT IN TECHNICAL SYSTEMS

Let’s concentrate on using diagnoses in functioning of technical systems. Diagnose of the state
of machinery is a typical element of modern maintenance systems, diagnose of processes is used in
production control systems. Because of it, the idea of including some elements of Technical
Diagnostics into course programs of other parts of didactic process in engineering schools seems to
be reasonable. The lack of such ‘inter-subject’ links can be easy seen in many modern methods and
tools exploited in industry.
Basing on practical experiences (Faculty of Organization and Management, Technical
University of Silesia) we can consider the relationship between Technical Diagnostics – treated as
one of disposable streams of data – and Production Management with modern supporting tool:
informatic systems of MRP/ERP class. In particular, the author of this paper intends to introduce a
sub-area of application field of such systems, concerned with maintenance tasks. Together with
development of large “general purpose” MRP/ERP systems which contain maintenance-oriented
modules, some more specialized systems called CMM (Computerized Maintenance Management)
[3] are offered on the market and used in industrial practice. These systems are almost perfect from
the view-point of Information Technology, but a lack of knowledge about detailed problems of
supported activities are also seen in their structures. Of course, producers of these systems declares
full flexibility due to implementing in the system some specialized applications of users. Thus, the
necessity of possessing proper knowledge of the users.
In Fig.2 an example of the main menu screen of a CMM system is shown which introduces the
twelve main modules of the discussed maintenance-supporting tool.
 Fig.2. The main menu of an exemplified CMM system

Systems of the above mentioned type are widely introduced in engineering literature and – in
more detail – in the materials offered by producers and distributors of such tools. But, if we decide
to apply one of the systems, offered on market, in particular circumstances of a technical system,
we ought to consider both some features of the supporting tool and some specific conditions and
needs belonging to the system which we want to support. In the particular case of supporting the
maintenance of machinery and installations in a technical plant, the choice of the maintenance
supporting system can be considered as the first step in the implementation procedure.
From the viewpoint of the rational choice of the supporting system the following requirements
must be considered:
a) the compatibility of the system with the possibly wide range of computer tools which are used
within the implementing subject,
b) the ability of the system to adopt and process the sets of data, formerly existing and used in the
subject (collected by means of other data base solutions),
c) the flexibility of the system to be adopted to the needs of supporting maintenance in particular
conditions of the implementing subject,
d) the possibility of creating some specialized applications due to the specific needs of the user.
The point (d) shows the place of implementing diagnostic information in functioning of the
CMM system. It is necessary, if we want not only to use a modern tool, but also to perform – by
means of this tool – modern activities. In the particular area of maintenance, the model of
management ought to be based on actual knowledge about the state of maintained objects.
The links between Technical Diagnostics and maintenance management systems are
“bilateral”. This statement implies also the presented here idea of teaching program. It is worth to
include elements of Diagnostics in programs of Production Engineering, but the reverse motion is
also reasonable. The activities shown in the model of diagnostic process are performed in some
structures, the diagnostic information is also a part of larger informational and decisional system.
Identification of such systems as well as identification of the “place” of diagnostics in it should be
also included in educational programs. When we want to consider reasonably particular
requirements, created by the implementing subject (technical system), the initial analysis of:
 Ø organizational structure
Ø informational structure
Ø decisional structure
of the implementing subject ought to be carried on. Methods and tools of such analysis are
offered by the domain of Structural Analysis [4]. The properly recognized structures as well as
informational links (which can be investigated for instance by means of the DFD technique) from
the background for the identification of possibilities and necessities of choosing the supporting
system.
Apart from „standard“ set of functions, the CMM system can be supplied with additional
applications, which increases significantly effects of its use. It is especially well-seen in the system
of supporting maintenance of technical objects. As an „optional“ function of such a system the
possibility of processing data about the state of exploited objects can be mentioned. The MP2
system, shown above as an example of the CMMs tool, offers some routines of collecting and
analyzing of diagnostic information about the state of a maintained machine. Values of diagnostic
symptoms are compared with fixed threshold values. This function of the MP2 system is a
significant advantage of that tool, but more advanced processing of diagnostic data could make this
system:
Ø better fitted to the specific needs of machine maintenance,
Ø more competitive in the market.
The collecting and processing data from diagnostic monitoring of the object can be the first
possible application in the CMMs. Such an application should be based on time series processing
and could contain for instance:
Ø segment of visualization of monitoring data
Ø segment of trend detection and analysis
Ø segment of forecasting
As an extension of the trend analysis, a problem of „diagnostic forecasting“ can be considered.
The possibility of predicting future states of an exploited object, even with the short „lead-time“
(the so-called short-term forecasting) can be also effective supporting tool in a system of CMM
class.
All the presented abilities are potentially offered by the supporting system itself. Will this
possibility be exploited in a particular case, it depends mainly on the user of this system, his
knowledge, experience and abilities. Therefore, we are coming back to the problem of forming
engineers of our times.

5. CONCLUSIONS
Author of this paper tried to show a specific educational subject in order to illustrate and to
prove the thesis that the engineers of 21st century should be – in some sense – the “renaissance
man”. If we consider all the elements, included into the presented course program, this thesis is
undoubtedly proved. We can only wish ourselves to use this manner of thinking in all educational
enterprises of high engineering schools. If so, our students will get a real chance to be properly
educated due to contemporary challenges.
 References:
1. Cholewa W., Kazmierczak J.: Data Processing and Reasoning in Technical Diagnostics,
WNT, Warsaw, 1996
2. Beynon-Davies P.: Information Systems Development: An Introduction to Information Systems
Engineering, MacMillan Press Ltd., 1998
3. Kazmierczak J., Kristovic D.: Some Aspects of Computer Supported Maintenance Mana-
gement, Proceedings of EUROMAINTENANCE’98, Dubrovnik/Croatia, October 1998, p. 217-
224
4. Yourdon E.: Modern Structured Analysis, Prentice Hall, 1988

View publication stats