CONSOLIDATE: merging heuristic classification with causal reasoning in machine fault diagnosis

An approach is described which utilizes causal knowledge in assisting the heuristic classification method to solve routine faults. When an unfamiliar fault occurs, the system uses the intended function of the various subsystems to isolate the fault. It is demonstrated how the CONSOLIDATE system works on a simple problem with an automotive carburetor. The system has been implemented in Smalltalk.<
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