Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1, May 2011
International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Research
http://www.esjournals.org
ABSTRACT
Car fault identification is not easy for inexperienced mechanical engineer or driver because it is needed a lot of knowledge
for finding the fault. Therefore, they extremely depend on expert mechanical engineer. In this study, to develop e-learning
for car faulty diagnosis by using 19 rule-based of the knowledge-base is collected from mechanical engineer experts,
specialized books, and from different car websites. The three knowledge bases of car start problem, break problem, and
cooling system problem are created after compiling enough information for each problem using Visual Basic and
Microsoft Access. The system is designed to meet user’s needs in terms of ease of use and understandability and
convenience that are the most necessary factors that attract users to use the system. Moreover, the system indicated that an
expert system will be practical and can be useful in providing consistent car problem detection. It can be concluded that e-
learning for car faulty diagnosis is helpful although it might not give a complete guide and help as a human expert namely
mechanical engineer do, but at least the e-learning for car faulty diagnosis can give a temporary assistance to those who are
in need of an instance help.
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In dealing with car’s problem, mechanical Rule 1: IF the result of switching on the
engineers are those who can help to solve them. But headlights is they light up AND
sometimes they do not have enough time to see the nothing happen is the result of when
mechanic and maybe the distance is quite far, and we are you turn the key to try to start the car
in hurry. Therefore we need instance help and solution. So THEN car symptom is dead battery
it is believed that the use of expert system can be benefits
in this situation by giving a temporary and instance guides Rule 2: IF car symptom is dead battery THEN
to car’s owner. Inexperienced mechanic wrongly recommended action is replace the
diagnosing the problem of the car can cause the loss of battery
customer and income of an auto repair shop. If mechanic’s
repair shop makes a wrong diagnosis, the customer will be Rule 3: IF the headlights light up when switch on
reluctant to come back to the repair shop. Also them AND the car cranks slowly when
inexperienced mechanical engineer needs to be trained by you turn a key to try to start the car
the expert. It takes long period of time for a new AND the gas tank is empty THEN the
mechanical engineer to understand all the matters. Also, in car is out of gas.
the busy time, the skilled mechanical engineer may have
no time to repair the car and train new mechanical Rule 4: IF the car is out of THEN refuel the gas.
engineer in every step at the same time. Moreover, to
waste time of car owners who always send their car to Rule 5:IF the headlights light up when switch on
check a trivial problem at an auto repair shop instead of them AND the car cranks slowly when
repairing it by their own. Car owners would face with high you turn a key to try to start the car
costs of car maintenance and long waiting time of repair AND the gas tank is not empty AND
processes in case a car is sent to check at the shop all the the headlights dim when you to try the
time. No preliminary action taken place by the car owner starter THEN the battery is weak.
while a car problem occurs can increase a chance of higher
severity level. Many cars’ owners never know how to Rule 6: IF the battery is weak THEN recharge the
check their cars in order to keep them in a good condition. battery.
Thus, a car owner would have to pay more for
maintenance cost. Rule 7: IF the headlights light up when switch on
them AND the car cranks slowly when
you turn a key to try to start the car
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Volume 1 No. 1, May 2011
International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Research
http://www.esjournals.org
AND the gas tank is not empty AND car AND you’re not so sure if the gas
the headlights does not dim when you tank is empty or not THEN the
to try the starter THEN the symptom symptom cannot be identified.
cannot be identified.
Rule 17:IF the headlights light up when switch on
Rule 8: IF the symptom cannot be identified them AND the car cranks sometimes
THEN recheck from the first step. when you turn a key to try to start the
car AND the gas tank is empty THEN
Rule 9:IF the headlights light up when switch on the car is out of gas.
them AND the car cranks slowly when
you turn a key to try to start the car Rule 18:IF the headlights light up when switch on
AND the gas tank is not empty AND them AND the car cranks sometimes
the headlights sometimes dim and when you turn a key to try to start the
sometimes don’t when you to try the car AND the gas tank is not empty
starter THEN the battery is weak. THEN the symptom cannot be
identified.
Rule 10: IF the headlights light up when switch
on them AND the car cranks slowly Rule 19:IF the headlights light up when switch on
when you turn a key to try to start the them AND the car cranks sometimes
car AND you’re not so sure if the gas when you turn a key to try to start the
tank is empty or not THEN the car AND you’re not so sure if the gas
symptom cannot be identified. tank is empty or not THEN the
symptom cannot be identified.
Rule 11: IF the headlights light up when switch
on them AND the car cranks normally 3.4 Implementation
when you turn a key to try to start the
car AND the gas tank is empty THEN E-learning for car faulty diagnosis is developed
the car is out of gas. using Visual Basic and Microsoft Access. The system is
designed to meet user’s needs in terms of ease of use and
Rule 12: IF the headlights light up when switch understandability and convenience that are the most
on them AND the car cranks normally necessary factors that attract users to use the system.
when you turn a key to try to start the Communication between the user and the system is done
car AND the gas tank is not empty through the user interface which implemented in English
AND the smell of gasoline is present languages. The user interface is represented as a menu
when trying the starter THEN the car is which displays the questions to the user and the user
being flooded. answers with Yes/No or multiple choices provided to
select. The entire question asked in the system is created
Rule 13:IF the car is being flooded THEN wait from rule-based system that the authors have collected the
10 minutes, then restart flooded car. information and built knowledge-based system.
Rule 14:IF the headlights light up when switch on
them AND the car cranks normally
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
when you turn a key to try to start the
car AND the gas tank is not empty E-learning for car faulty diagnosis starts with the
AND the smell of gasoline is not window showing three alternative ways for a user to
present when trying the starter THEN choose as shown in figure 1. Three buttons are “New
the symptom cannot be identified. Customer” button, “Login to the System” button, and
“Exit Program” button. The user selects by clicking at
Rule 15:IF the headlights light up when switch on “New Customer” button. For “Login to the System”
them AND the car cranks normally button, the users can get access to the system without
when you turn a key to try to start the having to sign up a new customer to see how the system
car AND the gas tank is not empty works and they can also gain the knowledge from the
AND the smell of gasoline is system. Users who do not want to use the system or they
sometimes present when trying the want to leave after they finishing using the system by
starter THEN the car is being flooded. clicking at “Exit Program” button.
http://www.esjournals.org
Figure 2: Add new customer window (1) Figure 4: Login window (1)
Data grid view will display all the information IF the ID and name are correct, information of
filled out by the user as shown in figure 3. It is arranged address, telephone, E-mail, and car make will be shown up
by order. Hence, the first customer registered would be on as shown in figure 5. At this point, the login process is
the top of the list and then second user would be under the accomplished. Then, the user select “Confirm” button to
first. Each customer has a unique ID used to get into the start interviewing.
system. Then, the user clicks at “Start Interview” button.
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Volume 1 No. 1, May 2011
International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Research
http://www.esjournals.org
http://www.esjournals.org
http://www.esjournals.org
more work in less time, thus bringing in more revenue and [5] Fedra, K. and Winkelbauer, L., “A hybrid expert
mechanical engineer gain through improved productivity. system, GIS and simulation modeling or
Further work is needed to improve the system by adding environmental and technological risk
sufficient domain knowledge that represents domain management”, Environmental Software &
knowledge thoroughly to cover all the car problems. Services GmbH, 2002.
[4] Andrew Golding, Paul Rosenbloom, “Improving [9] Nazar M. Zaki and Mohd Daud, “Development
Rule-Based Systems through Case-Based of a Computer-Aided System for Environmental
Reasoning” World Academy of Science,
Compliance Auditing”, Journal of Theoretic,
Engineering and Technology 75 2011252
2001.
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