Search
Blog Entry: Welcome to the 2H Initiative
exida has been gathering field failure data for over a decade. At this point we have a total of over 60 billion unit operating hours of field data for process industry devices. This data has been used to create a 2H database for components. exida is using this component database…
Blog Entry: The Real PFDavg Variables
I was recently asked how the PFDavg value in an exida FMEDA report was calculated. Those PFDavg values are calculated using the exSILentiaTM program. The person who posed the question was using the equations from Part 6 of IEC 61508 and got a different value. Why? exSILentia does a detailed…
Blog Entry: Why Personnel Functional Safety Certification Programs are Needed
The publication of the international functional safety standards IEC 61508 (1999), IEC 61511 / ISA-84 (2004) and IEC 62061 (2005) were significant milestones in the effort to increase equipment and process safety. 1,2,3 Unfortunately, the release of safety standards does not by itself make the world a safer place. Analysis…
Blog Entry: It’s Just a Little Change…
Once there was a laundry room with old, worn-out linoleum floor. It was functional but did not have the look and feel of newer homes. The lady of the house decided to replace the flooring with new ceramic tile. She engaged her husband with the idea, outlining the benefits of…
Blog Entry: Stiction: Fact or Fiction & Start Time Prediction
Click here to read the blog “What is Stiction?” How Does Stiction Affect Me? Stiction is a phenomenon that is beginning to become an accepted theory among engineers. It is no longer a question of is this happening, but how does it happen and when does it start to affect…
News Item: EXIDA CERTIFIES HERO ENGINEERING FUNCTIONAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO AS/IEC 61508
exida, an accredited global functional safety certification company, has certified the Hero Engineering Functional Safety Management Engineering Services as Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 capable per IEC 61508. “This certification was confirmed through an extensive assessment process including a site audit of both Hero’s procedures and projects executed in accordance…
Blog Entry: How Does Stiction Affect Me?
Click here to read the blog “What is Stiction?” In normal operation of a solenoid valve, the O-rings in the valve create a smooth transition while the plunger or spool is in motion. Because the O-rings are in direct contact with the valve chamber walls, in order for the plunger/spool…
Blog Entry: What is Stiction?
Many studies and organizations have defined stiction, or static friction, in different ways. A few examples of the various definitions are as follows: According to Entech [1], “stiction is a tendency to stick-slip due to high static friction. The phenomenon causes a limited resolution of the resulting control valve motion.…
Blog Entry: How Do You Handle Interposing Relays?
Many times in the design of a safety instrumented system it is necessary to utilize an interposing relay. Typically there is not a certified relay available. Since no certified product is being used it is important to follow the requirements to justify prior use and also to design the circuit…
Blog Entry: New Working Group (WG7) Formed for Alarm Management
The ISA-18.2 committee on alarm management has launched a new working group (WG7) that is focused on developing a standard, recommended practice, or technical report on the application of alarm management to process plants utilizing multiple packaged equipment systems. The work will be based on and complement the existing ANSI/ISA-18.2…
Blog Entry: Understanding Our Customers – One Step Closer to Excellence
Customer service isn’t about slashing prices or offering great rates. Sure these types of strategies can promote new customers and generate business, but how often do the “new customers” return if the service or product didn’t meet their expectations? It’s always said that a great sales person can sell anything…
Blog Entry: 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 can be found…
Blog Entry: Replace Before Failure
The solenoid valve manufacturer provides an FMEDA report that lists “useful life = 12 years.” Useful life is a reliability engineering term that indicates a point in time when the failure rate of a device will begin increasing rather rapidly. Why do we care about this time interval? That means…
News Item: EXIDA CERTIFIES HONEYWELL SMARTLINE ST 800 HART PRESSURE TRANSMITTER FOR FUNCTIONAL SAFETY
exida, an accredited global functional safety certification company, has certified the Honeywell SmartLine ST 800 HART Pressure Transmitter as Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 capable per IEC 61508. “This certification was confirmed through an extensive assessment process including a site audit and completion of a Failure Modes, Effects, and Diagnostic…
Blog Entry: Spaces and Braces and Comments – Oh My!
What constitutes a good coding guideline? Serious software development for functional safety requires a coding standard or coding guideline. Most organizations have one, but how do you know if it’s good? You need to look beyond the boilerplate and physical code layout that are often defined in a coding guideline.…
Blog Entry: Tool Qualification and Safety Standards
When building a product such as an anti-lock braking system for an automobile, or a railroad, or process control safety system, making sure that the product works as specified is a big part of functional safety. When it is time for the system to engage to prevent an accident, you…
Blog Entry: Alarm Rationalization is “Going Green (field)”
With the growing adoption of the ISA-18.2 standard on alarm management, industry leaders are increasingly implementing alarm management best practices (such as alarm rationalization) during the upfront design, before they start up control systems for new, “Greenfield” installation. There are numerous benefits. You think alarm overload and nuisance alarms are…
Blog Entry: Certification Accreditation
I am often asked “who says exida can certify a product?” The best answer is of course “the marketplace.” End user owner/operators ask for an exida certificate because they understand why technical competency is so important when evaluating design quality. Then instrumentation manufacturers get an exida certificate because exida analysts…
Honeywell - SmartLine ST 800 HART
IEC 61508 in the Safety Automation Equipment List
News Item: EXIDA WELCOMES JACK GAO, ALAN GAULTON, AND STEPHEN BURKE TO THE EXIDA TEAM
Jack Gao joins exida as a Safety Consultant in our Asia Pacific region. Mr. Gao has 8 years of experience in C++ and Java programming and is familiar with writing VHDL for Field Programmable gate array (FPGA) device. He is also familiar with using Matlab. And, in addition, has experience…
Page 129 of 146 pages. ‹ First < 127 128 129 130 131 > Last ›