Implementation of FMEA in the Development of Actuator and Sensor Fault Models for a Rover Health Monitoring Simulation

The use of Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is posited as a means of directing the design of health monitoring systems for Planetary Exploration Rovers (PERs). This analysis is performed on the DC motors and IMU sensors of such a rover and the results of the analysis allow the design of a health monitoring system to be customised to the highest priority failure modes. It is shown that these failure modes can be modelled and then successfully detected using residual generation. In this way the FMEA can be used to increase the reliability of the PERs.