Application of Open Source Hardware to the Development of Autonomous Maintenance Support Systems

Abstract

Autonomous maintenance systems offer organizations the opportunity to embed state of the art maintenance tools and techniques with minimal operator input supported by a range of technologies such as condition monitoring sensors and techniques, intelligent data processing systems and smart prognostic algorithms. Many companies perceive that autonomous maintenance is difficult to achieve due to a lack of understanding of the infrastructure required to support such an approach as this requires an understanding of the fundamental principles of electronic instrumentation, processing and communication techniques, alongside the ability to create and integrate the appropriate software and firmware. Open source hardware has received attention in recent years as it allows a range of users to create sophisticated applications quickly using readily available components and modules. Such platforms are supported by a range of library software designed to further accelerate and simplify the development process. These products have attracted much attention from hobbyists but are now attracting attention in their own right from potential industrial users. However the reliability of these systems in an industrial environment remains a concern. In this chapter the benefits of applying open source technologies to create an autonomous maintenance system will be examined alongside the perceived and actual barriers limiting their uptake. The required enablers to achieve the potential benefits will then be explored leading to a detailed roadmap identifying what needs to be achieved for the significant industrial potential of these devices and systems to be realized.