A multi-agent collaborative maintenance platform applying game theory negotiation strategies

Abstract

Engineering asset management (EAM) is a broad discipline with distributed functions and services. When engineering assets are capital intensive, management requires specialized expertise for diagnosis, prognosis, maintenance and repairs. The current practice of EAM relies on self maintained experiential rules with coordinated collaboration and outsourcing for maintenance and repairs. In order to enhance the life long asset value and efficiency (from the stakeholder's viewpoint) and after sales service quality (from the asset provider's viewpoint), this research proposes a collaborative maintenance platform that integrates real time data collection with diagnostic and prognostic expertise. The collaborative system combines and delivers services among asset operation sites (the maintenance demanders), the service center (the intermediary coordinator), the system providers, the first tier maintenance collaborators, and the second and lower tier parts suppliers. Multi-agent system technology is used to integrate different systems and databases. Agents with autonomy and authority work to assist service providers and coordinate communications, negotiations, and maintenance decision support. Finally, game theory is used to design the decision models for strategic, tactical, and operational decision making during collaborative maintenance practices.