Exploring the Nexus between Sensor Reliability and System Performance

In contemporary technological landscapes, sensors play a pivotal role in enabling diverse applications across industries, from healthcare to manufacturing. This paper undertakes a thorough investigation on system performance (reliability and availability of a system), focusing on the critical interplay between baseline performance, performance with integrated sensors and performance considering sensor reliability, recognizing the foundational importance of sensors in data-driven decision-making processes. The research employs a causation-based approach to systematically develop functional relations within the system. The failures identified of each component and functional relationships will then be analyzed using a simulation technique to understand the inherent performance of the engineering system. From here, a genetic algorithm is used to design a sensor set and tailor it for an engineering system, providing a foundation for conducting trade studies in the paper's subsequent sections. Through rigorous quantitative analysis and simulations, we compare the impacts of the performance of the sensor set design compared to the baseline performance. The paper then investigates the complexities of sensor reliability on overall system performance. Through advanced simulations, we elucidate the potential cascading effects that variations in sensor reliability can have on the system's performance. By exploring these ripple effects, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of how sensor reliability plays a crucial role in determining the success of complex systems. Beyond the immediate considerations of sensor characteristics, the paper analyses the maintenance aspects of sensors by performing a series of analyses to suggest maintenance aimed at improving the sensor and hence system reliability. Highlighting the relationship between sensor reliability and system performance, this section stresses the critical role of consistent maintenance practices in ensuring sustained data quality and system functionality. In conclusion, this paper aims to highlight the different perspectives that can be analyzed to understand the reality of system performance, considering facets such as sensor maintenance and reliability. It also aims to demonstrate various approaches that can be applied to engineering systems to uncover truths about sensor performance and reliability.