FMS MAINT: maintenance for the future

The primary focus of the FMS MAINT project has been the variety of problems that reduce the availability of machine tools and flexible manufacturing systems. A single solution would not be cost effective, or portable from big companies to small companies. Instead, various islands of software assistance have been developed. These provide a cost effective way to address the problems most suitable for current technology and automation techniques. They also provide the flexibility needed to allow them to be applied to companies from the largest to the smallest. The systems that have been developed: automated data collection of utilisation and failure data, automated analysis of historical problems, condition monitoring, diagnostic expert systems, multimedia information systems, quality support including methodology, statistical process control, and ball bar diagnostics, and maintenance planning have all been tested at four pilot sites covering large and medium sized companies and from users to machine manufacturers.