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Procedia Computer Science 00 (2017) 000–000
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Procedia Computer Science 112 (2017) 1007–1014

International Conference on Knowledge Based and Intelligent Information and Engineering

Systems, KES2017, 6-8 September 2017, Marseille, France

The development of data mining methods criteria

to identify failures of aircraft control surface actuator
G.S. Veresnikova,*, A.V. Skryabinb
a
V.A. Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences of Russian Academy of Scienses, Moscow 117997, Russia
b
Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, Zhukovsky 140180, Russia

Abstract

The article is devoted to the actual task of developing criteria for evaluating methods of data mining to identify the technical state
of the aircraft control surface actuator. A list of criteria and their practical significance are presented in the framework of the
problem of recognition of failures and degradations of the electro mechanical actuator. On the basis of the proposed criteria, there
may be requirements for data mining methods for their use in the system of early diagnosis (health usage monitoring system) of
technical systems.
© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Peer-review
Peer-review under
under responsibility
responsibility of
of KES
KES International.
International
Keywords: data mining; electro mechanical actuator; health usage monitoring system; machine learning; monitoring; prediction; degradation;
failure; electric aircraft.

1. Introduction

At the present day intensive development in the field of creating More-Electric Aircraft and Full-Electric Aircraft
are being carried out in the Russian Federation and in the world. One of the feature of the creation electric plane is
the application of the technology controlling aerodynamic surfaces with electromechanical actuators (EMA)1.
Vision for the use of drives of this type have caused the appearance of a number of problems, the solution of which
is necessary for the introduction of this technology. One of such tasks is to provide flight safety indicators not lower
than those of an airplane using hydraulic (traditional) actuators in the control system. Ultimately, the control system

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +7(495)334-92-49.

E-mail address: veresnikov@mail.ru

1877-0509 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Peer-review under responsibility of KES International.

1877-0509 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Peer-review under responsibility of KES International
10.1016/j.procs.2017.08.082
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must meet the requirements laid down in aviation regulations2. To improve the reliability of the actuator, backup is
used for certain critical components, as well as control and reconfiguration algorithms.
In addition to using these measures to increase reliability, it is possible to apply early diagnosis of progressive
degradations of the actuator and prediction the occurrence of failures. Of particular interest are methods of data
mining (DM), the use of which in early diagnosis systems is possible in connection with the development of devices
for measuring physical parameters and signal acquisition, increasing the productivity of computers and storage
devices. The data acquired during the operation of the aircraft (A/C) is a valuable source of information about earlier
situations. Modern methods of information analysis, including the latest achievements of statistics, DM technologies
allow finding regularities in big data and can be successfully used for monitoring the technical condition of A/C
assemblies and units.
If we compare the approach to identifying the technical state of aircraft assemblies and units based on precedents
and modeling, it should be noted that the construction of an adequate model for the purposes of early diagnostics
requires a complete understanding of the functioning of all elements of the monitored components, taking into
account possible malfunctions and features of defect development depending on conditions of functioning.
Therefore, the creation of an adequate model designed to identify equipment failures is not always possible. If the
diagnostic system includes static models, then due to a change in the operating conditions, it may become
inadequate. For example, even an uncomplicated monitored object operating in an abnormal or emergency mode
may not correspond to the constructed model, because the range of possible faults is wide and can't be provided in
advance. When using the precedent approach, such requirements are not imposed. The decision is made on the basis
of available empirical information (precedents). The advantage of the precedent approach is the use of a precedent
base as an initial information, which can be supplemented with new data. Part of the a priori information on the
basis of which the diagnostic system identifies the state of the monitored object is laid at the stage of its creation
(accumulated statistics, modeling of the operation of the monitored object), and some can be obtained during
operation and further testing of the monitored object. That is, as more information accumulates, the early diagnostics
system will improve, improve its characteristics as experience accumulates (replenishment of the precedent base).
The use of precedent-based methods makes it possible to create learning systems that gain experience by modifying
and supplementing a training sample or a precedent base. A learning system is understood as a system whose control
algorithm changes in accordance with the evaluation of the results of management so that, with the passage of time,
it improves its characteristics and the quality of functioning3.
There is a large number of modern methods that have the potential for building an early diagnosis system. For
example, neural networks, decision trees, a reasoning method based on similar cases (the method of k-nearest
neighbors), the support vector machine4,5,6,7, etc.
The presented methods use precedents, differing according to the principle of their use for the formation of
solutions. It is difficult to give an unambiguous answer about the advantage of one of the presented methods for
solving a particular applied problem. In addition, many traditional methods have many modifications, which have
their advantages and disadvantages. The need to choose a method for identifying the technical state of the actuator
for inclusion in the early diagnostics system determines the urgency of developing criteria on the basis of:
 a DM methods multicriteria evaluation is carried out to identify the technical condition of the aircraft assemblies
and units;
 requirements for the DM methods for their use in the system of early diagnostics are presented.
The DM methods application consists of two stages. At the first stage, the system of early diagnostics is trained.
The search and formalization of regularities in data containing experience represented in the form of a set of
precedents is carried out. This can be the adjustment of the weight coefficients of neural network connections, the
construction of a decision tree, the finding of a separating hyperplane etc. At the second stage, a formal
representation of the found laws and methods for their use are included in the early diagnostics system and used to
identify and forecast the technical condition of the A/C assemblies and units.
Accordingly, the criteria for selecting the DM methods for implementing the early diagnosis system can be
divided into two groups. The first group of criteria refers to the training methodology, the second - to the operational
properties of the early diagnosis system, including the DM methods.
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Nomenclature

A/C Aircraft
DM Data mining
ECU Electronic control unit
EMA Electro-mechanical actuator
FCS Flight control system

2. Criteria for the formation of requirements for the methodology of training the early diagnosis system

We will outline the criteria for the formation of requirements for the methodology of training the early diagnosis
system.
1. The formalization level determines the possibility of automating the learning algorithm. Algorhythms intended
for training an early diagnosis system may contain operations that have an empirical component (requiring the
participation of an expert). The highest level of formalization makes it possible to implement a learning
algorithm that operates in an automatic mode without the participation of a specialist who understands the
features of the DM methods.
2. The learning algorithm determination appreciates the uniqueness of the results of each stage of training in the
early diagnosis system. In the case of full determination of the learning algorithm, the same relationships are
formed for the same source data. If the algorithm contains a random component, it is impossible to guarantee
that the result of the diagnostics when learning on identical sets of data will coincide. At the present time, the
use of the DM methods to support the task of control of A/C is restrained by the requirements for flight safety,
which makes it impossible to pass an object certification whose critical functions are performed using
intelligent systems with nondeterministic algorithms.
3. The computational complexity of the learning algorithm determines the time required for the training of the
early diagnosis system and, accordingly, the permissible frequency of updating the laws used to identify the
technical state of the controlled object. Formation of regularities for the system of early diagnostics of
actuators, firstly takes place on the basis of statistical information, expert opinions and bench tests, and then
when additional information recorded during the flight is received. Since the training of an early diagnosis
system can occur in a specialized data center outside the A/C, training time is not critical. However, it must be
borne in mind that the information processing center for each type and model of the monitored equipment can
contain its own diagnostic system, which is part of a general diagnostic complex with limited computing
capabilities. The frequency of updating relationships in the early diagnosis system is determined by the test
results for a specific application task.
4. The means of adding new information to the early diagnosis system determines the scale of the changes made
in the previously found patterns when adding new data. It can range from a complete reorganization of all
interconnections (neural network) to the introduction of new elements into the database (nearest-neighbor
method).

3. Criteria for the formation of requirements for an early diagnosis system, including the DM methods

To formulate the requirements for the operational properties of the early diagnostic system for a specific applied
problem, criteria were determined on the basis of which it is possible to produce a multicriteria evaluation of the
DM methods.
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Table 1. Criteria for the formation of requirements for an early diagnosis system

# Criterion Short description

1 Functionality
2 Adequacy
3 Result interpretability
4 Stability of function in conditions
of uncertainty
5 The computational complexity of
the forming the solution algorithm
6 Compactness of dependency
storage
7 Possibility of alternative solutions
The ability to formally provide a solution to the task
The correspondence of the found regularities to the object of diagnostics. For
example, it can be defined as the probability of incorrect identification (error) of the
technical state of the monitored object
The ability to check the logic of the diagnostic result
The ability to form a correct diagnostic result when analyzing the vector of
controlled parameters containing missing or incorrect values
Depends on the capabilities of technical means of data processing, in which the
system operates an early diagnosis
The amount of data to store in the early diagnosis system
The ability to determine several variants of the diagnostic result with different
preference levels

It should be noted the practical significance of these criteria when creating a system for early diagnosis of the
actuator.

3.1. Functionality

In the early diagnostics system, the vector of the monitored parameters (formed on the basis of electrical signals
from the sensors installed in the actuators) should be analyzed and the output vector is determined, which is the
basis for making a decision on the technical state of the monitored object, which is determined by such a criterion,
as functionality.
For the diagnosis of actuators in accordance with the criterion of "functionality", the DM methods can be used
that use precedents to assess the current situation vector: neural networks, decision trees, support vector machine,
etc.
The precedent as the basic unit of accumulated experience includes the situational vector (the parameters of the
situation describing this precedent) and the solution (description of the problem situation).
That is, as a precedent, the pair (X, Y) is considered, where X=(x1, x2,…, xn) - the situation vector (a set of
analyzed parameters), Y - diagnosis or forecast of the technical state of the controlled object.
As the elements of the situation vector, parameters that are the result of measurement or preliminary processing
of:
 control signals;
 monitored parameters of assemblies and units;
 environment parameters in which the monitored object functions (temperature, vibration, load profile, etc.).
Controlled signals depend on the type of power supply, circuitry and architecture of the actuator being developed.
In particular, to identify the technical state of the steering gears, it is advisable to consider the signals that are
presented in table 2.
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Table 2. Signal monitored in actuator.

Power supply Updating rate Storage rate

Signal Units
type (minimum), Hz (minimum), Hz
Rod control signal 250 16 mm
Position feedback sensor 250 16 mm

Any power Actuator model output 250 16 mm

supply type Logical signal of actuator
500 16 0/1
systems status

Actuator temperature 16 16 °C

Current consumption 16 16 A
Electrical
Supply voltage 16 16 V
power supply
Rotor position sensor 250 16 rev/min

The sampling should take place during the operation of the device (actuator) in the reference operating mode,
which corresponds to the load profile, depending on the particular flight mode of the aircraft. As the parameters that
determine the actuator load profile, use the force on the rod (caused by hinge moment), the rod velocity (or the
frequency of operation) and the amplitude of the movements (Fig. 1). These operating conditions of the device must
be checked during the operating time and environmental conditions specific to the flight of a particular facility. You
should also evaluate the performance of the device throughout the life cycle of the device.

Figure 1 – Related load profile example of regional A/C rudder depending on flight operation mode

In general, parameters such as backlash (the difference between the signals of the position sensor on the rod and
the rotor position sensor) and the energy efficiency of the drive (the ratio of the output power to the consumed one)
should also be used to diagnose EMA8. To control these parameters, no additional sensors are required. Also of
interest is the monitoring of EMA vibrations, but in this case additional sensors are required.
For EMA, as well as for (traditionally) hydraulic actuator, it is possible to distinguish three stages of the full
diagnostic cycle9: retro-scopy, monitoring and prediction. At the stage of retro-scopy, on the basis of the
accumulated data, trends in the structural and functional parameters of components from the operating time, the
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process of wear of conjugated pairs, accumulation of fatigue deformations in force elements, aging of seal materials
are studied. The analysis of failures and malfunctions revealed during operation is also carried out, and the achieved
level of reliability is estimated. At the second stage (monitoring), justification of the permissible and limiting
changes in the structural and functional parameters of the drive is carried out. According to the measured
parameters, the current state of the drive is evaluated. The third stage (prediction) is used to forecast the change in
the technical condition of the drive, on the basis of which the technical capabilities incorporated in the units are
specified and recommendations are made on establishing its resource and optimizing the maintenance and repair
process.
The classes of faults that need to be identified during the diagnostic process are related to various EMA structural
elements. Structurally, EMA can be divided into three blocks: a gear, an electric motor and an electronic control unit
(ECU).
For the gear, which mainly includes rotating components (bearings, rolling elements, as well as a nut and screw
for screw transmission, or a wave former for wave transmission), the most typical development of such degradations
as: wear, plastic deformations, cracking and corrosion, which ultimately lead to chip separation, increased backlash,
strong vibrations, jamming and complete destruction of individual components.
Failures occurring in the motor and ECU are predominantly caused by degradations of electrical components and
compounds (aging of the insulation, temperature drift, breakdown of the dielectric), mostly leading to a short circuit
or wire breakage. When using a brushless DC motor, the degradation of permanent magnets used in an rotor of this
type motor is of particular interest. Such degradations are manifested in the aging of the interatomic coupling of
magnets and the appearance of the eccentricity of the magnetic field of the rotor and lead to demagnetization and
failure of the rotor supports.

3.2. Adequacy

The main characteristic that determines the practical value of the early diagnosis system is the adequacy of the
interrelations between the input and output information realized in the process of learning it. In order to obtain a
quantitative assessment of the adequacy of the regularities found during the learning process, the percentage of cases
of improper identification of the technical state of the monitored object can be calculated, which for a sufficient
volume of the test sample can be represented as the error probability. Separately, one must take into account the
errors of the first and second kind. In the case of identification of the technical condition of the EMA, the "price" of
the error for each case of incorrect classification is different, therefore, it is necessary to use the loss function that
characterizes the damage when decisions are made incorrectly.

3.3. Result interpretability

Interpretability of the result is also an important characteristic of the early diagnosis system. An early diagnosis
system can make a mistake, but the ability to explain the result from the point of view of formal criteria will help to
identify the shortcomings of the training (for example, in the formation of the initial information for training). For
EMA, the adequacy and interpretability of the diagnosis result is verified by the laboratory tests with the actuator,
which artificially injected degraded elements with a certain degree of degradation10, 11. It should be noted that the
accuracy of early diagnosis is affected by many factors. For example, noise characteristics, the resolving power of
sensors, the quality and representativeness of the training sample, data analysis methods play a crucial role in
detecting degradation. Therefore, the accuracy of the system can be determined after carrying out the simulation and
experimental studies.

3.4. Stability of function in conditions of uncertainty

The ability of the early diagnostics system to maintain the stability of functioning in conditions of uncertainty
determines the possibility of its use in the event of failure of individual sensors, disruption of the information
transmission capacity, noise of the signal, etc. In the conditions of partial availability of information corresponding
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to the class of degradation close to the class of the failed device, the system should be carefully checked during
ground preparation in order to identify or exclude components with an extreme degree of degradation.

3.5. The computational complexity of the forming the solution algorithm

The computational complexity of the algorithm for forming the solution is the main characteristic that allows to
bring into line the time constraints on the formation of the diagnostic result and the capabilities of the technical
means within which the early diagnostics system operates. It should be noted that the advantage of this criterion can
be obtained by a method that ensures the possibility of parallelization and hardware implementation of the
regularities found in the learning process. This will significantly increase the rate of the diagnostic result.

3.6. Compactness of dependency storage

Compactness of dependency storage formed in the process of training the system of early diagnosis. It is an
important criterion for the limited technical possibilities for data storage, for example, in the case of the
implementation of an early diagnostics system on the hardware of the aircraft airborne complex.
It should be noted that the data from the ECU to the flight control system (FCS) are transmitted at a frequency of
at least 250 Hz, but often their storage is performed at a frequency of 16 Hz, which allows a longer time range to be
stored, but potentially can make difficult the class degradation recognition of the system. The use of an early
diagnosis system in data processing centers does not impose strict restrictions on the amount of information stored,
but its training based on the entire available data set, which contains information primarily about the regular
operating modes of the FCS, will be difficult. Preliminary procedures for eliminating redundant information from
the precedent base, can significantly reduce training time and data volume of the early diagnosis system without
reducing the quality of recognition.

3.7. Possibility of alternative solutions

The ability to form alternative solutions allows the person making the decision to have information about the
possible implementation of an unlikely but potentially damaging variant of a contingency or emergency situation. It
should be noted that this criterion is relevant when applying the results of early diagnostics in the algorithms of
reconfiguration of the flight control actuation system in flight. Its value is secondary to the post-processing of flight
data during a ground check.

4. Conclusion

Restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence systems by the requirements set forth in the current aviation
regulation standards are, in the opinion of the authors, temporary. In the future, these restrictions should be removed
together with the issuance of new standards that allow the use of DM methods in such systems. In late 2016, the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) introduced the first version of the standard for the creation
of robots and artificial intelligence, which was called Ethically Aligned Design12. This document can serve as a basis
for creating industry standards for the use of robotic systems in various industries. A large number of DM methods
and their modifications determine the urgency of the problem of forming algorithms for identifying the technical
state of actuators, based on accumulated empirical data. In the process of research, a list of criteria was developed
and their practical significance was studied within the problem of recognition of failures and degradations of EMA
components. On the basis of the developed criteria, a multicriteria assessment of the DM methods was carried out
and a set of algorithms for the functioning of the monitoring system and identification of the technical state of the
EMA was formed.
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