Hybrid Computational Framework for Fault Detection in Coil Winding Manufacturing Process Using Knowledge Distillation

This paper proposes a hybrid computational framework for fault detection during the coil winding manufacturing process by using a combination of Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model with a Supervised Machine Learning (SML) algorithm. The conventional End of the Line (EoL) tests are insufficient in detecting faults during process resulting in increased manufacturing costs and lead times. The proposed methodology utilises a Knowledge Distillation (KD) approach to address the challenges associated with the technique and optimise the student model's performance by employing architecture search and data augmentation. Multiple SML algorithms were evaluated to determine their effectiveness in predicting faults during manufacturing. The random forest algorithm demonstrated superior performance due to its ability to handle complex data and identify the impact of interdependencies of process parameters on the final product quality. The method was validated by conducting physical experiments on a linear coil-winding machine, and the results indicated that the random forest algorithm has the potential to decrease simulation time from 2 minutes to less than a second. The proposed methodology has the potential to reduce manufacturing time, enhance stator quality, and ultimately improve their reliability and safety.