Establishing an advanced framework of degradation prognostics and performance evaluation for mechanical systems will lead to many benefits. Assessing/monitoring the degradation process of mechanical systems in real-time will provide more accurate and robust damage protection, and ensure the scheduling plan is enforced, thus improving market operation. Through the prognostics and remote real-time health evaluation, the development trend of early faults can be tracked, and the maintenance measures can be reasonably carried out in advance due to monitoring datasets that are provided, which avoids the sudden damage of equipment and thus the operational safety could be enhanced.

In the long term, the technology of degradation prognostics and performance evaluation can prolong the service life of mechanical equipment, and greatly improve economic and social benefits. It could be a turning point in industrial development, and therefore studies on the scheme of prognostics and performance evaluation are essential in academic areas and have practical value in engineering applications.

The aim of this multidisciplinary Special Issue is to collate advanced research in the area of mechanical systems that includes rotating machinery, reciprocating machinery, machine tools and other complex mechanical systems, as well as to foster the intersection of advanced data processing technologies to address the varied needs and applications for mechanical systems. Research articles that contain theoretical, analytical, and experimental investigations are welcomed, as well as review articles on all aspects of prognostics, data processing and performance evaluation for mechanical systems, especially in relation to machines, aerospace, energy, transportation and structural engineering and their applications.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Physical models and advanced data-driven methods for long- and short-term prognostics
• Prognostic and performance evaluation for critical components in rotating machines
• Remaining useful life (RUL) prediction for mechanical systems
• Prognostic analytics and maintenance with big data
• Prognostic and performance evaluation for machine tools
• Accelerated life test (ALT) for rotating machines and reciprocating machines
• Structural health and performance prognostics with networks and datasets
• Real-time health evaluation of complex faults for mechanical systems
• Health indicators investigation and evaluation based on industrial case studies