Expert systems are a form of artificial intelligence which imitate the decision-making processes of experts. An expert system enables an expert to share his expertise in a certain field with nonexperts via a computer. An interaction with a computer expert system regarding a particular problem should closely resemble a consultation with a human expert. Expert systems and other forms of artificial intelligence were once considered strictly the domain of main frame computers; however, advances in both hardware and software have made it possible to run relatively small and specialized expert systems on personal computers.

In our laboratory, we have written EXPERT-3, an expert system development tool for the IBM PC. Using EXPERT-3, we have developed an expert system for the selection of elastomers for oil patch applications. One might expect the development of an expert system on a personal computer to be limited by the computer's capabilities; however, the limiting factor in the development of the elastomers expert system was the reliability and completeness of our elastomer data. We were limited by the quality of our expertise, not by the ability of the PC hardware and EXPERT-3 software to imitate that expertise.

Subject
Test methods, Corrosion failures, Materials, Hardware, Materials selection, Tools, Failure analysis, Engines, Interfaces, Fluids, Environments, Elastomers, Oil
© 1986 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1986
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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