Development of an Expert System for Diagnosing Problems on a Paper Machine

T h i s paper d i s c u s s e s t h e development o f an expe r t system f o r d i a g n o s i n g prob lems l e a d i n g t o sheet b reaks on a papermak ing mach ine . Such a system i s expec ted t o r e s u l t i n b o t h energy and monetary s a v i n g s by r e d u c i n g bo th t h e f r e q u e n c y and d u r a t i o n o f unschedu led machine o u t a g e s . The knowledge base f o r t h i s sys tem, wh ich uses a commerc ia l s o f t w a r e s h e l l , i s s t i l l under c o n s t r u c t i o n and c u r r e n t l y c o n t a i n s about 1600 r u l e s . One o f t h e un ique f e a t u r e s o f t h i s system i s t h e f a c t t h a t f o u r e x p e r t s a r e s u p p l y i n g t h e knowl e d g e . These e x p e r t s a r e t h e s u p e r i n t e n d e n t s o f t h e f o u r paper machines a t t h e m i l l p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t h e p r o j e c t . The advantages and d i s a d v a n t a g e s o f u s i n g t h i s many e x p e r t s a r e d i s c u s s e d , a s i s t h e method f o r h a n d l i n g t h e d i f f e r e n c e s between them i n t h e p r o t o t y p e sys tem.