Designing Diagnostic Expert Systems for Long-Term Supportability
Graham F. Forsyth, John S. Delaney · Volume 4: Manufacturing Materials and Metallurgy; Ceramics; Structures and Dynamics; Controls, Diagnostics and Instrumentation; Education · 2000
In the late 1980s, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) investigated the use of computer-based technology to improve diagnostic troubleshooting methods. One such technology was demonstrated in an Interactive Fault Diagnosis and Isolation System (IFDIS) that was produced by Competitive Advantage Technology Pty Ltd under direction from the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). This paper describes a new design which aims to improve the long-term supportability of such diagnostic systems by making the maximum use of commercial software, producing clear separation of technical information from any software elements, writing all non-standard software using defined standards and generally making the most possible use of the advances in computing over the last ten years. The system is now in field trial with the aim of developing procedures and specifications for production.