Fault Detection Based on Deep Learning

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Process Control and Monitoring".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2025) | Viewed by 4836

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Automation, College of Information Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102299, China
Interests: fault detection and diagnosis; fault tolerance control; security control of cyber–physical systems
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Co-Guest Editor
College of Artificial Intelligence, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Interests: dynamic modeling and identification of industrial processes; intelligent control and fault warning technology of refining and chemical equipment; deep learning and neural network prediction

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fault detection is critical to ensure the reliability and safety of industrial systems, infrastructure, and equipment. In recent years, the integration of deep learning techniques into fault detection has shown great promise in enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of diagnostic processes. This Special Issue of Processes aims to explore the latest advancements in the application of deep learning for fault detection across various industries.

In fault detection, deep learning models can process complex sensor data, time-series information, and images to identify faults that may signal impending failures. One of the key challenges in fault detection is handling the large-scale and high-dimensional data generated by modern systems. Deep learning techniques such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and autoencoders have proven to be effective in managing such data, allowing for real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance. Furthermore, techniques such as transfer learning and few-shot learning have made it possible to apply deep learning models to environments with limited labeled data, which is often the case in industrial settings.

For this Special Issue, we seek contributions that cover a wide range of topics related to deep learning-based fault detection, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Novel deep learning architectures for fault detection in specific domains (e.g., manufacturing, energy systems, automotive, aerospace, etc.);

(2) Hybrid models that combine deep learning with traditional methods for enhanced performance and robustness;

(3) Transfer learning and data augmentation techniques to improve model generalization with limited fault data;

(4) Explainability and interpretability of deep learning models in fault detection, ensuring their integration into safety-critical applications.

We welcome original research papers that present new methodologies, innovative applications, and insights into the integration of deep learning in fault detection. The goal of this Special Issue is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art, as well as to stimulate further research and development in this rapidly evolving field. We believe that the combination of deep learning and fault detection has the potential to drive significant advancements in industrial automation, safety, and maintenance, contributing to more efficient, reliable, and sustainable operations.

We look forward to your contributions to this exciting and important area of research.

Prof. Dr. Maoyin Chen
Dr. Zhu Wang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • models
  • control
  • optimization
  • industry

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 2625 KB  
Article
Hypersphere-Guided Reciprocal Point Learning for Open-Set Industrial Process Fault Diagnosis
by Shipeng Li, Qi Wen, Binbin Zheng and Xinhua Wang
Processes 2025, 13(11), 3698; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13113698 - 16 Nov 2025
Viewed by 380
Abstract
Deep neural networks (DNNs) have achieved superior performance in diagnosing process faults, but they lack robustness when encountering novel fault types absent from training sets. Such unknown faults commonly appear in industrial settings, and conventional DNNs often misclassify them as one of the [...] Read more.
Deep neural networks (DNNs) have achieved superior performance in diagnosing process faults, but they lack robustness when encountering novel fault types absent from training sets. Such unknown faults commonly appear in industrial settings, and conventional DNNs often misclassify them as one of the known fault types. To address this limitation, we formulate the concept of open-set fault diagnosis (OSFD), which seeks to distinguish unknown faults from known ones while correctly classifying the known faults. The primary challenge in OSFD lies in minimizing both the empirical classification risk associated with known faults and the open space risk without access to training data for unknown faults. In order to mitigate these risks, we introduce a novel approach called hypersphere-guided reciprocal point learning (SRPL). Specifically, SRPL preserves a DNN for feature extraction while constraining features to lie on a unit hypersphere. To reduce empirical classification risk, it applies an angular-margin penalty that explicitly increases intra-class compactness and inter-class separation for known faults on the hypersphere, thereby improving discriminability among known faults. Additionally, SRPL introduces reciprocal points on the hypersphere, with each point acting as a classifier by occupying the extra-class region associated with a particular known fault. The interactions among multiple reciprocal points, together with the deliberate synthesis of unknown fault features on the hypersphere, serve to lower open-space risk: the reciprocal-point interactions provide an indirect estimate of unknowns, and the synthesized unknowns provide a direct estimate, both of which enhance distinguishability between known and unknown faults. Extensive experimental results on the Tennessee Eastman process confirm the superiority of the proposed method compared to state-of-the-art OSR algorithms, e.g., an 82.32% AUROC score and a 71.50% OSFDR score. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fault Detection Based on Deep Learning)
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22 pages, 10302 KB  
Article
Incipient Fault Detection Based on Feature Adaptive Ensemble Net
by Yanbo Xu, Zhou Bai and Maoyin Chen
Processes 2025, 13(5), 1474; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13051474 - 12 May 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 919
Abstract
With the increasing complexity of modern industrial processes, fault occurrences may lead to catastrophic consequences, making incipient fault detection crucial for industrial safety. This critical task confronts a key challenge: insufficient cross-domain generalization capacity. To overcome this challenge, a feature adaptive ensemble net [...] Read more.
With the increasing complexity of modern industrial processes, fault occurrences may lead to catastrophic consequences, making incipient fault detection crucial for industrial safety. This critical task confronts a key challenge: insufficient cross-domain generalization capacity. To overcome this challenge, a feature adaptive ensemble net (FAENet) is proposed by integrating transfer learning with ensemble learning. The framework comprises a feature adaptive extractor (FAE) utilizing convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with maximum mean discrepancy (MMD) for domain-invariant feature extraction, combined with an information entropy gain-based feature screening to filter out redundant and detrimental features. In addition, the famous benchmark Tennessee Eastman process (TEP) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) bearing datasets are adopted to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method. For incipient difficult faults 3, 5, 9, 15, 16, and 21 in the TEP, FAENet achieves 99.43% for average fault detection rates (FDRs), exceeding traditional methods of cross-domain fault detection (TCA, JDA, DANN, DTL) by more than 60%. For CWRU’s incipient bearing faults, FAENet achieves 99.4% for FDR, demonstrating significant superiority. This research holds significant practical implications for enhancing the safety and efficiency of industrial systems. It establishes a reliable framework for intelligent fault detection systems across diverse industrial environments, enabling early detection of potential faults to minimize operational risks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fault Detection Based on Deep Learning)
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22 pages, 9717 KB  
Article
Digital Twin Incorporating Deep Learning and MBSE for Adaptive Manufacturing of Aerospace Parts
by Zhibo Yang, Xiaodong Tong, Haoji Wang, Zhanghuan Song, Rao Fu and Jinsong Bao
Processes 2025, 13(5), 1376; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13051376 - 30 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2997
Abstract
With the growing demand for diverse and high-volume manufacturing of composite material parts in aerospace applications, traditional machining methods have faced significant challenges due to their low efficiency and inconsistent quality. To address these challenges, digital twin (DT) technology offers a promising solution [...] Read more.
With the growing demand for diverse and high-volume manufacturing of composite material parts in aerospace applications, traditional machining methods have faced significant challenges due to their low efficiency and inconsistent quality. To address these challenges, digital twin (DT) technology offers a promising solution for developing automated production systems by enabling optimal configuration of manufacturing parameters. However, despite its potential, the widespread adoption of DT in complex manufacturing systems remains hindered by inherent limitations in adaptability and inter-system collaboration. This paper proposes an integrated framework that combines Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) with deep learning (DL) to develop a digital twin system capable of adaptive machining. The proposed system employs three core components: machine vision-based process quality inspection, cognition-driven reasoning mechanisms, and adaptive optimization modules. By emulating human-like cognitive error correction and learning capabilities, this system enables real-time adaptive optimization of aerospace manufacturing processes. Experimental validation demonstrates that the cognition-driven DT framework achieves a defect recognition accuracy of 99.59% in aircraft cable fairing machining tasks. The system autonomously adapts to dynamic manufacturing conditions with minimal human intervention, significantly outperforming conventional processes in both efficiency and quality consistency. This work underscores the potential of integrating MBSE with DL to enhance the adaptability and robustness of digital twin systems in complex manufacturing environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fault Detection Based on Deep Learning)
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