Case-based reasoning and fuzzy logic in fault diagnosis

This paper is divided into four parts: the first one introduces SADEX, a fuzzy Case Based Reasoning (CBR) System for fault diagnosis. The second focus on its observation relevance factors and shows how the results are in complete agreement with the relevance concept introduced by Robertson and Spark-Jones in their well known and proved technique for document retrieval. The third describes how equipment composition information can be used to generalize and adapt case solutions to new and unknown occurrences; this generalization is based on a taxonomic similarity between functionally autonomous modules (FAMs). Finally the MKM - Maintenance Knowledge Manager system is introduced.