Seeded fault testing in support of mechanical systems prognostic development

The US Navy is evolving a strategy to develop and demonstrate prognostics and health management for propulsion and mechanical systems. How this overall strategy has evolved and its current status are presented. The SH-60 program was initiated as the first proof-of-concept effort to develop, demonstrate, and integrate available and advanced mechanical diagnostic technologies for propulsion and power drive system monitoring. Included in these technologies were various rule based and model based analysis techniques which were applied to demonstrate and validate various levels of diagnostic and prognostic capabilities. These are discussed and updated. Using past and recent "seeded faults" tests as case examples, various diagnostic methods were used to identify the faults, and various means of applying prognostics and health management are discussed. The most recent examples of "seeded faults" and related tests are also discussed as case studies, demonstrating various degrees of diagnostic, prognostic and health management capabilities. The current philosophy and thinking in respect to prognostics for mechanical systems is embellished, using examples from past and more recent "seeded fault" databases. Of particular interest is discussions of tests focused on demonstrating the understanding of fault to failure progression characteristics and the physics of failures. Accomplishments are discussed and additional needed testing and demonstration requirements are defined. Finally, status and future planned efforts for the USN Helicopter Transmission Test Facility (HTTF) and other related test resources are presented.