A quantum multi-agent based neural network model for failure prediction

An effective prognostic program is crucial to the predictive maintenance of complex equipment since it can improve productivity, prolong equipment life, and enhance system safety. This paper proposes a novel technique for accurate failure prognosis based on back propagation neural network and quantum multi-agent algorithm. Inspired by the extensive research of quantum computing theory and multi-agent systems, the technique employs a quantum multi-agent strategy, with the main characteristics of quantum agent representation and several operations including fitness evaluation, cooperation, crossover and mutation, for parameters optimization of neural network to avoid the deficiencies such as slow convergence and liability of getting stuck to local minima. To validate the feasibility of the proposed approach, several numerical approximation experiments were firstly designed, after which real vibrational data of bearings from the Laboratory of Cincinnati University were analyzed and used to assess the health condition for a given future point. The results were rather encouraging and indicated that the presented forecasting method has the potential to be utilized as an estimation tool for failure prediction in industrial machinery.