Design and Implementation of an Expert Management System for Automobile Fault Detection
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
To develop an expert system on car maintenance and troubleshooting that is capable of assisting car owners in dealing with their cars problems and troubleshooting them whenever time is limited and the human experts, also known as mechanics is not available at that very time. The development of the system surely has some significance to humans especially those who own a car and to the system developer as well. Among others, the system will perform the following functions:
- It will conclude its diagnosis based on answers of the users to specific question posed by the system to the user.
- It provides facility in order to take the user opinion on the following: does the use agree with the system’s diagnosis? Does the user disagree with the system’s diagnosis?
- It provides explanation, picture, why and fact facility.
- It stores the facts and the conclusion of the inference of the system and the facts and the conclusion of the inference of the user, for each case in data base.
- It processes the data base in order to extract rules, which complete the knowledge base.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of writing this literature review is to pass on to the reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on the topic and what their strengths and weaknesses are. Literature review lets the researcher gain and demonstrates skills like the ability to seek information and to scan the literature efficiently using manual or computerized methods and to identity useful articles and books. Before coming out with the idea of developing this expert system for car faults diagnosis which is an implementation of experts system, some research had been done regarding the previous and current technology of expert systems itself.
The research would go into reviewing the literature of underlying concepts behind the development of several applications of expert systems. This phase is quite important as we got to know on how well expert system performs in their ability of assisting and replacing the human expert as well as the user, the result of researchers and reviews that have been conducted help much in giving the idea and insight to the development on the existing application of expert system to be implemented in this system.
An automobile like any other machines is created to make things easier for man as it serves his purpose for his convenience. A car when purchased is usually in near perfect working condition. However over time, due to continuous use, neglect or wear or environmental influence the vehicle begins to experience some fault. This can be the most stressful period for most vehicle owners, especially those who don’t have any idea on what to do.
There are also situation in which auto technicians are either unavailable or costly to hire. A motorist with a broken down vehicle on a long, empty stretch of road in the middle of the night is unlikely to get any help from a mechanic. It would also save a lot of money if vehicle owners could carry out minor repairs on their cars themselves, and even if the situation arises that the vehicle be taken to the repair shop, the car owner could avoid being bamboozled if he or she has an idea of the internet fault.
We have some testing equipment and procedures which are necessary to any effective diagnosis of automobiles faults example are;
- Digital Multi-Meter:It is use to test foro basic voltage (alternate current and direct current) resistance, frequency duty cycle, temperature etc. it is also adequate for detecting electrical faults.
- Exhaust Gas Analyzer:It measure the types of gases presented in the exhaust pipe (oxygen, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons). It is used to diagnose fault in ignition, fuelling and various mechanical engine problems.
- Jump Lead:It provides emergency power to the battery.
- Fuel Pressure Test Kit:IT measures fuel pressure up to 7.0 bars.
- Vacum Gauge:It takes the pulse of the engine from a connection to the inlet manifold and is useful for diagnosing timing and mechanical faults.
- Spark Jumper:It use to checks for a spark from plugs whilst cranking the engine.
Other tools are like spanners and pliers. Apart from having all this testing equipments, there still some necessary basic inspection, required by the car owners to undergo daily. Such inspections are;
- To check the engine oil, level and condition
- To check coolant level and coolant system condition
- To check the automatic transmission fluid level and condition.
- Check battery condition
- Check battery electrolyte level
- Check battery cables and connections
- Check fan belt condition and tension
- Remove spark plays and check the condition renew if necessary.
- Look for cracks and sign of tracking
- Check the rotor condition and measure the resistance where appropriate.
- Checks for freedom from vacuum leaks from the vacuum hoses, inlet manifold, oil dipstick.
- Clean away accumulated sludge, and assure that the hoses are clean.
- Check air filter condition renew if it is slight dirty
- Check exhaust system condition
- Check fuel system condition check for fuel leaks worn or broker components.
- Visually inspect all connections, multi plugs and terminals. Check for corrosion and loose or displayed terminals.
- Check the throttle body for a carbon build-up usually as a result of fumes from the breathing system. The carbon can cause of fumes from the breathing open throttle which can cause idle, cursing and other running problems carburetor clearing fluid usually cleans away the carbon nicely.
Using a rule based approach a component expert system can be developed to carry out a through diagnosis of automobile engine faults, diagnosing the possible faults associated with each symptom and a correctional procedure for each of them. When we are talking of an expert system technology we are referring to a “computer software system that emulates the decision making ability of a human expert”. It diagnosis problems and gives advice on what the cause of those problem are and can also give solution.
CHAPTER THREE
SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
INTRODUCTION
Systems analysis is a vital aspect of project development because it others the researcher opportunities to understudy the existing system in order to eliminate problem or constraints militating against the smooth functions of the existing systems. With this in hand, the design of the new system will be efficient and effective as applied in this project.
The process of developing the expert system is not really an easy job to do as it requires much effort in the skills of problems solving, instead of using the energy and time. An expert system is a computer program which simulates the human problems solving and reasoning and so it must be integrated properly with the right knowledge as human beings have knowledge acquisition is believed to be the critical and most difficult task in the development of expert system, but the implementation and integration process is seen as an equally important and tough job to be done. That is why designing is very important as to make sure that the step in the development process is right and always meets the requirement.
WEAKNESS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM
- Inability to represent accurately time varying and spatially varying phenomena.
- Inability of the program to dictate specific gaps in the knowledge base.
- Difficulty for knowledge engineers to acquire knowledge from expert reliability.
- Difficulty for knowledge to ensure consistency in the knowledge base.
- Inability of the program to learn from its errors
METHODOLOGY
The methodology adopted here is an improvement from the previous methodologies in the field of computer science, software engineering, knowledge engineering and multi-media since this expert system will be an integration of these technologies.
KNOWLEDGE ACQUSITION
To develop viable system adequate information on the working of the particular system being developed must be obtained and represented in a format in which rules can be applied. Acquisition of this knowledge could be from a human expert and is coded into a form that a compute may apply to similar problems.
CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION
INTRODUCTION
Implementation is to carrying out execution, or practices of a plan, a method or any design for doing something. As such, implementation is the action that must follow any preliminary thinking in order for something to actually happen. In an information technology context, implementation encompasses all the processes involved in gathering new software or hardware operating properly in its environment, including installation, configuration, running, testing and making necessary changes. The word deployment is sometime used to mean the same thing.
Before the designed system can be fully implemented, there must be some skeletal structure for the initial stage of development each component of this structure is tested for its accuracy and stability. This involves a top down testing of the modules to ensure that each phase of the design is error free.
When this is ascertained, other layers of complexity are added prior to the full operation of the package, it is important that there is an instruction for the end- user to ensure that the package is used with smooth operation.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION & CONCLUSION
SUMMARY
It cannot be denied that the role of expert systems in almost every part of human life is getting bigger. This is so because of the performance that the expert system has shown of what it can do to help human beings. Peoples lives seen to be easier in many ways with the presence of expert systems.
Academically, the expert system can help humans by aiding the human expert function whenever the expert can’t be accessed or by assisting the human experts in situations where he/she has to cover many things. In this case the expert may be useful to execute routine tasks and let the human experts to do the rest, especially the more difficult jobs.
This expert system for car fault diagnosis is believed to be an excellent idea as another application of expert systems and how we can utilize the enormous function of it. In fact, there are other domains which are suitable to be introduced to the implementation of expert system and get the maximum achievement with it. Although there are also some criticism and issues regarding the development of expert system which relates to the issues of reliability and human social life, efforts have been discussed to overcome those problems.
RECOMMENDATION
The prototype of system was developed in a limited time and resources and thus it is not all that compatible and useful enough to be implemented in the really world yet. There must be so many other steps to be taken in refining the errors and rules before it can really be used in the real situation. When this is done, this expert system for car fault diagnosis would be ready to be use to assist all the car owners out there in situations where they have problems with their cars, so they can handle these problems themselves. Time and distance would no longer be constraints to them.
CONCLUSION
This proposed system can help inexperienced mechanics or drivers in providing decision support system, interactive training tools and expert advice. Using this system loss of customer and income due to lack of knowledge can be avoided.
Having this expert system may allow mechanics to do more work in less time, thus bringing in more revenue. And mechanic will also gain through improved productivity.
REFERENCES
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- Andersen, K.K., and T.A. Reddy, 2002. The error in variables (EIV) regression approach as a means of identifying unbiased physical parameter estimates: Application to chiller performance data. International Journal of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigerating Research 8(3):295-309.
- Bailey, M.B. 1998. The design and viability of a probabilistic fault detection and diagnosis method for vapor compression cycle equipment. Ph.D. thesis, School of Civil Engineering of University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.
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