Parallel processing of sensor signals using deep learning method for aero-engine remaining useful life prediction

Abstract Accurately predicting the remaining useful life of aerospace engines is crucial for enhancing the reliability of aviation equipment. While some methods have taken note of the challenges posed by vast sensor data and complex signal interrelationships, there is still room for improvement in performance. This paper proposes a novel deep learning model that utilizes a parallel structure to independently process inputs from various sensor signals. Each branch in this parallel structure employs a combination of an improved Inception module and a novel feature filtering module as a feature extractor. The improved Inception module boasts a larger perceptual field to ensure the integrity of feature information. The feature filtering module calculates the importance weights of feature information through convenient computation, allowing the network to focus more on feature information without significantly increasing computational complexity. Finally, the feature extractor is combined with a gated recurrent unit module to learn features from sensor signals. Extensive experiments were conducted on the C-MAPSS standard dataset, comparing the proposed method with other state-of-the-art methods. Ablation experiments were performed on the new generation N-CMAPSS standard dataset. The results of the experiments confirm the superiority and rationality of the proposed prediction method.