A Systems Engineering Approach to Electro-Mechanical Actuator Diagnostic and Prognostic Development

The approach implements software tools to integrate simulation-based design principles and dynamic failure mode and effects analysis. It also provides automated failure mode insertion and propagation analysis, PHM algorithm design and verification, full dynamic simulations, code generation, and validation testing.

This process aims to produce the appropriate fault detection and prediction algorithms needed for successful development of an EMA PHM system. As an initial use case, the developed approach was implemented to develop and validate a model-based, virtual sensor software package for landing gear EMA PHM. This effort included creation of a dynamic, component-level system model that can be used to virtually sense parameters, detect degradation, isolate probable root cause, and assess severity.