Development of Software and Testing Processes for a SIL4 Integrity Railway System
Project Title: Development of Software and Testing Processes for a SIL4 Integrity Railway System
Client: Voestalpine SIGNALING Sopot Sp. z o.o.
Industry: Rail & Mobility
Expertise: Application Development
Scope of the project: Design and implementation of testing processes, development of software compliant with CENELEC SIL-3 and SIL-4 standards, certification support
Tools: C, C#, .NET, ASM, PIC32, ARM
SIL4 (Safety Integrity Level 4) is the highest safety integrity level defined by the IEC 61508 standard, applied to systems where failure could lead to catastrophic consequences, such as loss of life or severe environmental damage. It requires strict design, testing, and verification procedures to ensure risk is minimized to an acceptable level.
SIL4 railway systems demand reliability and compliance with strict industry standards. ALTEN Polska (formerly Solwit), as a partner of Voestalpine SIGNALING, delivered comprehensive services in embedded software development and testing processes, crucial for certifying the solution. The collaboration focused on creating safety-critical software for railway traffic control, ensuring compliance with ISO50128 and ISO50159 standards.
Project Implementation
The ALTEN Polska team carried out two key areas of activity:
Software Development:
- Design and implementation of firmware compatible with the hardware platform provided by the client.
- Integration of safety-critical software with the new hardware platform.
- Development of critical code for system communication and safety.
Software Testing:
- Creation of a multi-level testing process including unit, integration, and functional testing.
- Development of a framework for test automation and comprehensive test documentation structure.
- Implementation of DOORS tools for development and testing processes.
The work was conducted in close collaboration with the client’s team, ensuring full transparency and regular consultations.
Outcome
The delivered system met the highest industry standards and achieved TÜV SÜD certification. The testing process was positively assessed by the certification body, allowing the client to focus on developing other products with ALTEN Polska’s support.
The project was completed successfully, enabling the client to launch a new solution to the market. Additionally, the implemented work culture, based on test automation, contributed to further process optimization.
Summary
The collaboration with ALTEN Polska enabled the client to achieve key goals: obtain system certification, complete the project on schedule, and enhance software development and testing standards.
