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Entries tagged with: Functional Safety

10 Years After, Has Anything Been Learned from Deepwater Horizon?

10 Years After, Has Anything Been Learned from Deepwater Horizon?

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 years since the Deepwater Horizon incident on April 20th 2010.  Even today, the Gulf Coast is still feeling the effects.  In its latest estimates, BP is looking at a total loss of $65Bn USD, in settlements, fines and compensation.  This latest estimate was published in…

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  • by Dr. William Goble, CFSE
  • Thursday, January 12, 2012
  • News

2011…A Year in Review

2012 - Good Progress for Cybersecurity and Functional Safety

I think it is wise for individuals to periodically review things. I like to do my professional review at the end of the year. 2012 was a good year.

Product Certification

Over 60 new products received functional safety or cybersecurity certification this year. Those products and more…

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Back to Basics 01 - Functional Safety

Back to Basics 01 - Functional Safety

In the following series of blogs, we'll go back to basics and run down everything you need to know to get started in functional safety.  We'll start with some more general terms and descriptions and make our way to more advanced material.

1. Functional Safety

Functional safety means the…

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Back to Basics 02 - Safety Integrity Level (SIL)

Back to Basics 02 - Safety Integrity Level (SIL)

In the following series of blogs, we'll go back to basics and run down everything you need to know to get started in functional safety.  We'll start with some more general terms and descriptions and make our way to more advanced material.

2. Safety Integrity Level (SIL)

Safety…
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Back to Basics 03 - Safety Instrumented Function (SIF)

Back to Basics 03 - Safety Instrumented Function (SIF)

In the following series of blogs, we'll go back to basics and run down everything you need to know to get started in functional safety.  We'll start with some more general terms and descriptions and make our way to more advanced material.

3. SIF

SIF – Safety Instrumented Function…

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Back to Basics 04 - Safety Instrumented System (SIS)

Back to Basics 04 - Safety Instrumented System (SIS)

In the following series of blogs, we'll go back to basics and run down everything you need to know to get started in functional safety.  We'll start with some more general terms and descriptions and make our way to more advanced material.

4. SIS

A SIS – Safety Instrumented…

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Back to Basics 06 – IEC 61508

Back to Basics 06 – IEC 61508

In the following series of blogs, we'll go back to basics and run down everything you need to know to get started in functional safety. We'll start with some more general terms and descriptions and make our way to more advanced material.

IEC 61508: 2010 International Performance-Based Standard 

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Back to Basics 10 – How Does a Product Get a SIL?

Back to Basics 10 – How Does a Product Get a SIL?

IEC 61508 functional safety standard indicates Safety Integrity Levels (SIL) needs to be evaluated by three design barriers:

  • The Systematic Capability Rating
  • The Architectural Constraints for the Element
  • The Probability of Failure for the Product

What Makes a SIL?

Systematic Capability is achieved when the equipment…

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Back to Basics 11 – How is SIL Used by an End User?

Back to Basics 11 – How is SIL Used by an End User?

Back to Basics 12 –  What is IEC 61508 Certification?

Back to Basics 12 –  What is IEC 61508 Certification?

IEC 61508 Certification is a Third-Party Validation against the standard’s requirements, comprising of:

  • Detailed Analysis of engineering processes to determine Systematic Capability and Cybersecurity Strength 
  • Detailed Analysis of hardware design / design margins resulting in Random Failure Rate in all failure modes
  • Analysis/Testing to show safe, correct operation and Cybersecurity Susceptibility

To achieve an…

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Back to Basics 13 - How Do I Start IEC 61508 Certification?

Back to Basics 13 - How Do I Start IEC 61508 Certification?

Do you want to know more about IEC 61508 certification, but you’re not sure if you are ready to jump in? Don’t worry, we will make this process as painless as possible.

Here is what to expect:

  1. Introduce Scope
  2. Kickoff Meeting
  3. Perform FMEDA on Product
  4. Creation of…

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China Probes Factory as Death Toll Rises

Walking into work last week and seeing this article reassured me why I work at exida.  Incidents, like this recent one at a pesticide plant in eastern China, are why we push every day to help educate people about the importance of functional safety.

Have you heard about…

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Dare to Be Different

Dare to Be Different

Define the Safety Function for a Better Certification

When a product is getting certified for functional safety, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the safety function.  First, let’s be clear what is meant by the safety function.  IEC 61508-4 describes a safety function as a “function to be implemented by a safety-related system or…

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Do you know your Site Safety Index?
  • by John Yozallinas, CFSE
  • Thursday, August 02, 2018
  • Certification

Do you know your Site Safety Index?

There’s a lot that exida does behind the scenes to advance the industry and benefit you. We try to make sense of data that we collect and put it to good use. One thing we found is that human activities play a role in functional safety, often causing the intended safety performance…

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Do You Really Know What You Know (When it Comes to Functional Safety)?

Do You Really Know What You Know (When it Comes to Functional Safety)?

You don’t’ really know what you know until you have to explain it (or teach it) to someone else. 

When I’m asked about some of the technical aspects of functional safety, I have to stop and ask myself “What Do I Know About This?”  I’m not the kind…

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Fake Fact: Final Elements should not be included in SIF evaluation

Fake Fact: Final Elements should not be included in SIF evaluation

Ehh… If your safety action is stopping flow/closing a valve, how are you going to accomplish this if you consider that the remote actuated valve is not part of your SIF ?

So, what is this myth based on? The title of IEC 61508 reads “Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable…

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Functional Safety and Taxes: Are you an expert?

Today, April 15th, is tax-day in the US.  Ok, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has given us a few extra days this year (the tax filing deadline is not until April 18th).

There are a lot of similarities between how you do your taxes and how you handle…

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How Much Testing Is Enough?

How Much Testing Is Enough?

Have you ever wondered if you tested your product enough? Either in enough ways or for a long enough time?  This assumes that you’d prefer to discover all the problems before your customers do. If you follow a 61508 compliant development process, you should be able to…

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