RAMS

Reliability, Availability, Maintainability – these three terms for system attributes form the acronym RAM. Enotrac is the ideal partner in the field of RAM management. Maximum safety and availability in operation can only be achieved if all requirements are reliably met and systems are continuously monitored, checked and maintained. With a high level of precision and problem-solving competence, the experts perform all tasks within this area up to and including management of the entire RAM process.

The Enotrac experts specialise not only in the implementation of various RAM analyses such as FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis), FMECA (Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis), FTA (Fault Tree Analysis) and reliability-oriented maintenance analyses, but also in reliability studies for rolling stock, infrastructure and components, which are based on basic data provided by the respective suppliers. An important task in RAM management is the precise definition of RAM targets, as only then can they be achieved and verified. Processing the functional descriptions of vehicles is also an important task in RAM management.

Special emphasis is placed on the coordination between RAM interfaces within the different teams as well as with external actors, such as subcontractors and independent experts. Enotrac creates appropriate models from RAM data and Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analyses.

RAM documentation (such as the RAM plan, RAM requirement specification, technical documentation, etc.) is prepared according to CENELEC standards EN 50126, EN 50128 or EN 50129. RAM verification and validation is carried out according to the same standards.

The planning and management of projects with safety-critical systems or components places the highest level of demand on detailed work. Enotrac supports customers and partners professionally and reliably in safety management – with state-of-the-art know-how, experience from a large number of projects, thoroughness and high quality awareness.

In the role of Safety Manager for a project, Enotrac takes responsibility for the planning of the development or procurement of safety-critical systems as well as the preparation and review of the associated safety certificates. When submitting verifications to independent safety assessors, appropriate advice and support is provided to ensure successful approval. This is because applicants must prove in each case that their subsystem complies with the provisions of the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) and the Notified national technical rules (NNTR) or the special cases.

Professional tools are used, such as for the creation of hazard reports, for FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) or for fault tree analyses, to name just a few examples. The application of relevant standards, in particular EN 50126, EN 50128/EN 50657, EN 50129 and other standards referenced therein, is ensured.

To this end, Enotrac conducts training courses on basic and specialised knowledge in safety management in order to integrate safety aspects into the daily work of those involved in the project.

As a critical infrastructure component, the railway system is a potential target for cyber attacks. This threat is most relevant to the ongoing digitalization of the railway system, which is progressing rapidly. There are many examples of digitalization projects in Switzerland, including “Smartrail 4.0”, “System integration railway control (SIBS)” and “Evolution of ERTMS Safety Systems (EESA)”. The sources and the communication channels of diagnostic data as well as users of the data on the vehicle and infrastructure side are possible entry points for cyber attacks.

Ensuring personal safety requires compliance with safety requirements of the well-known standards EN 50126, EN 50128, EN 50129, EN 50657 and EN 50159. Cyber security requirements, together with requirements for the development process, are specified in CENELEC’s technical specification TS 50701 and the IEC 62443 series of standards.

Enotrac has extensive knowledge of the interaction between rolling stock, infrastructure and signalling systems, as well as in-depth experience in the implementation of demanding safety and security requirements for compliance with all applicable standards.

Requirements management, also known as requirements engineering, involves measures for controlling, monitoring and managing requirements. It is used for the efficient and error-free development of complex systems and ensures that there is common understanding between contractor and client about a system to be developed.

Requirements are developed, refined, implemented and tested over several phases, corresponding to the phases in the life cycle model (or V-model) presented in the CENELEC standards EN 50126, EN 50128 and EN 50129. Traceability of requirements is an important part of requirements management. Particularly when refining the requirements, new insights are often added that can have an impact on the requirements at a higher level. A functioning change management system for traceability is therefore very important.

Requirements management is usually tool-based, as this is the only way to reliably keep track of requirements over several project phases through to the test specifications. Enotrac supports customers in requirements management on site or with appropriate RE tools. The Enotrac experts have experience with all common RE tools; the customer is free to choose the system that is suitable for them.

When developing safety-critical systems (as well as HW and/or SW components), all activities related to verification and validation must be carefully planned. The conclusion of the V&V process is preparation of the associated verification and validation reports. Enotrac offers planning, management or support of the verification and validation activities for projects with safety-critical systems or components (HW and/or SW).

Enotrac is a reliable partner in all phases of the V&V process. The experts can assume the role of verifier or validator in the application of the relevant standards (in particular EN 50126, EN 50128/EN 50657 and EN 50129 and the standards referenced therein). If the customer decides to assume this role, they receive competent support, for example in the submission to independent experts and in reviewing the findings of the independent experts with regard to successful approval.

Enotrac provides the necessary basic and specialised knowledge in training courses. Customers can thus manage all aspects of verification and validation as well as the responsibilies that come with the role of the verifier/validator and integrate them into their daily work.

The two terms in brief:

• Verification is the confirmation that the specified requirements have been met. This is done by providing objective evidence.
• Validation is the confirmation that the requirements for a specific intended use or a specific intended application have been met. This is also done by providing objective evidence.

The Regulation (EU) No 402/2013 establishes a revised common safety method (CSM) for the risk management procedure used to assess technical systems and the changes they cause in the railway system.

Enotrac conducts risk analyses in accordance with this regulation and Addendum 2015/1136.

This involves a wide range of tasks and activities. The Enotrac experts organise and facilitate hazard analysis workshops, and create and maintain the hazard log. After the identified hazards are integrated into the document, the corresponding risks are assessed. A system definition must be created for the risk analysis and determination of the persons, devices and procedures that belong to the system under consideration. This includes the identification of interfaces to other systems or processes. The safety requirement specification is created and the requirements are formulated according to the CSM RA, which establishes proof of the safety requirements.

Enotrac takes over the management and coordination of the interfaces within the various teams as well as any external actors (e.g. independent experts).

Safety-relevant system developments are becoming increasingly complex. This leads to a greater number of more extensive requirements for the developers, manufacturers and suppliers. To achieve the necessary level of product safety, the functional safety of the corresponding components, systems and processes must be ensured.

Enotrac offers the planning and management of projects with functional safety requirements as well as competent support in these projects. Enotrac can also assume certain roles in a project, such as that of the validator or the safety manager. Services from Enotrac for systems with functional safety can be provided from the planning phases to implementation and tests or also for the procurement tender. These services make use of professional tools, for example for the creation of a hazard log, for an FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis), or for fault tree analyses.

The Enotrac experts also provide competent support in the application of applicable standards, in particular IEC 61508. Basic and specialised knowledge in functional safety is shared by the Enotrac experts in training courses. In the final stages, Enotrac offer support in the preparation and review of verification documents and in the submission of the verifications to the independent safety assessor.