Diagnostics Driven PHM The Balanced Solution

Abstract

Much effort has been made to develop technologies and define metrics for Prognostics Health Management (PHM). The problem is that most of this effort has focused on theoretical and high risk concepts of Prognostics performance while ignoring the real needs in “System Health Management”. In the wake of this technological attention, the importance of true Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) has been masked by the focus on single failure mode physics of failure solutions. The critical PHM metrics, derived from Integrated Systems Diagnostics Design (ISDD) have mostly been ignored. These critical metrics include Reliability, Safety, Testability, and System Maintainability & Sustainment, as well as the impact of prognostics performance on Systems Diagnostics. A key point to be made is that the ISDD process is much larger than just developing metrics. ISDD results in a well-designed system that meets true health management needs, as well as significantly lowering development costs, and the cost of ownership. Another point that needs to be made is that the core of ISDD is a proven and highly effective analysis solution in Model Based Diagnostics. This paper discusses the approach of using Model Based Diagnostics in the ISDD process to determine the best balance of the Health Management design. It will be shown how the impact and effectiveness of prognostics as integrated with the ISDD process provides true value to performance and cost avoidance.