Transfer Learning Strategies for Deep Learning-based PHM Algorithms

Abstract

As we enter the era of big data, we have to face big data generated by industrial systems that are massive, diverse, high-speed, and variability. In order to effectively deal with big data possessing these characteristics, deep learning technology has been widely used. However, the existing methods require great human involvement that is heavily depend on domain expertise and may thus be non-representative and biased from task to similar task, so for a wide variety of prognostic and health management (PHM) tasks, how to apply the developed deep learning algorithms to similar tasks to reduce the amount of development and data collection costs has become an urgent problem. Based on the idea of transfer learning and the structures of deep learning PHM algorithms, this paper proposes two transfer strategies via transferring different elements of deep learning PHM algorithms, analyzes the possible transfer scenarios in practical application, and proposes transfer strategies applicable in each scenario. At the end of this paper, the deep learning algorithm of bearing fault diagnosis based on convolutional neural networks (CNN) is transferred based on the proposed method, which was carried out under different working conditions and for different objects, respectively. The experiments verify the value and effectiveness of the proposed method and give the best choice of transfer strategy.