Expert systems for multiple uses

It should be possible to build expert systems which are capable of serving more than one purpose. Experts apply their knowledge in more than one way, for example they diagnose, they administer, they train, they schedule and they design using the expertise they have built up. Likewise it should be possible to build an expert system which can be used for more than a single task. The purpose of this study was to identify a problem domain where this could be done, pick an appropriate development methodology and build such an expert system. The system which was finally chosen as a candidate for development was the evaporator section of the chemical recovery process at Associated Pulp and Paper Mills pulp mill at Burnie. The system was initially built using knowledge about fault diagnosis but with the aim of using it as part of the operator training process. The third purpose was to optimise the maintenance cycle and hence reduce down times of all or part of the evaporator process by investigating key features at set intervals. Fast prototyping was used for the development of the system with knowledge being obtained via interview with multiple experts, operators' manuals, trouble shooting guides and evaporator log sheets. The system was developed on a cheap micro-computer based shell. It is operational and is currently being used as a fault diagnosis assistant and for training.