What’s New in RAM Commander version 7.5
This document describes new features of RAM Commander 7.5. The document covers only the features which were added to the RAM Commander 7.5. See RAMC_7_33_ReleaseNotes.doc and other previous documents for the description of RAM Commander 7.33 SP1, SP2 and SP3 new features.
Major Improvements and New Features
q Support of Multi-user access
q Support of remote sites through Terminal Server or Citrix
Reliability
q FIDES Guide 2004 - new reliability prediction method
q IEC 62380 ( RDF 2003) - new reliability prediction method
q Import Wizard - import of Stress Parameters as separate columns
q Product Tree screen - Possibility to Search by the fields: Status, calculated FR, Mct, MTTR
q Product Tree Search results window is now resizable and allowed to print
q Put to Library option – updates only the fields with no values in processor data
q Report Generator – “Parent reference designator” field added
q Tree Diagram report – possibility to choose the type of part name (PN or CN or GN or Ref.Des. etc.)
q Customizable GPRD Library location in "Location" options of Library menu
Derating
q New reports in Derating module
q Stress Limit for Derating results reports
q Import from SPICE – log information improvement, added VAP for Resistors, possibility to set NetList’s part ID’s prefix size
q Global Change is now available for Derating analysis mode
FTA
q FTA printing improvements:
· automatic page break for multi-page diagrams
· automatic fit to page
· automatic paper orientation selection for best fit
· possibility to print only selected branch
· possibility to print all the tree and sub trees recursively
· Print current date and time on diagrams
q Calculate and display results for intermediary gates (Calculation -> MCS calculation for all gates option)
q Enhanced Paste option with gates and events codes automatic change
q Customizable background/foreground colors for Remark gates
q Uniform captions for Transfer gates created using both “Transfer branch” and “Add transfer” options
q Possibility to print FTA items search results
q Possibility to see a list of all identical events and their locations in the project (Item -> View all identical events option)
q Possibility to delete unused events from the library
FMECA and TAM Module
q Functional Blocks screen - automatic tree components selections (select all, unselect all, select all unselected) in popup menu (right-click the FB column header)
q Functional Blocks screen – multiple selection/deselection
q Functional Blocks screen – view tree elements by Ref.Des. or PN or CN or MN or GN
q New FMECA report – Failure Modes by End Effect
q Popup menu for FM Test – “Assign selected tests”, “Remove all tests”
q Functional Block data screen - MCT field added
q Edit Functional Block data directly from Product Tree
q Print Item Function for Functional Blocks in FMEA and Criticality Analysis report
Design/Process FMEA
q FMEA Data Table - Export to Excel
q Add FM dialog – set default Severity to “-“
q Critical causes display marked with a deeper red color
q Copy&Paste of process/part will copy also Team Evaluation data
q Option to create Cause automatically when FM is created (in Diagram properties)
Other new features
q Safety - Functional Tree Diagram Report
q Connection with FavoWeb – possibilities to send and receive MTBF data and FMECA End Effects library through Web.
q New Maintenance Task Analysis report
q Possibility to save project in RAM Commander 7.33 version format (Backup as 7.33)
Fixed features
q FMECA - Functional Block hierarchical ID format is now 1.4.FB4 instead of 1.4.100004
q System Configuration - regular (serial) element with Qty=N>1 was created as single element in RBD - now a N of serial elements are created in RBD
q Organize function of Product Tree – always set top item's number to 1
Installation of RAMC 7.5
For the local stand-alone installation, run the RAMCW75.EXE downloaded from the A.L.D. web site (www.aldservice.com) , or run RAMC\setup.exe from the installation CD. For additional instructions and for client-server configuration, see User Manual: Installation guide.
RAM Commander Version 7.5 Release Notes
Multi-user
RAM Commander 7.5 allows simultaneous work of a number of users on the same project. Now some of the users may perform Reliability analysis, while other users input FMECA, or draw RBD diagrams or work with Fault Trees – all inside the same project.
The first user who enters a non-selected project becomes project manager. Only this user may change project default settings (default prediction methods, FMECA Criticality settings etc.). All other users can enter the project and work on it. Only project manager can perform backup/restore/rename operations, and only while there is no other active users currently working on the project. Current project manager may decline his status by closing the project and de-selecting it in the project list. Then another user may select the project and become a project manager.
Some resources in a project cannot be edited simultaneously: FTA diagrams, RBD diagrams, etc. When a user tries to access one of such resources currently occupied by another user, a warning message will appear. For example, if one user is editing specific RBD diagram, another users cannot open it. But he/she can open another RBD diagram or create a new one.
There are several states of projects in the projects list:
State / Meaning / What to doProject line is red:
/ No permission to access the project. / You can’t enter the project. Ask project owner to grant you the access (see permissions selection in project settings)
Project line is gray:
/ Project is not selected, project manager position is vacant, possibly there are other users working on the project / You may enter the project, and you will become project manager.
Project line is green:
/ Project is selected by you, you are the project manager of this project / You may enter the project, you may change default settings of the project, you may rename, backup, copy and delete the project (if there are no active users currently working)
Project line is yellow:
/ Another user selected the project, and he is a current project manager (See “Locked By” field for his name) / You may enter the project and work with it, but you can’t change default calculation methods and you can’t delete, rename, backup or copy the project.
To use RAM Commander in the Multi-user mode in a particular project, project permissions should be set to All or Group level:
Otherwise, only a project creator (owner) will have the permission to enter it.
Work through Terminal Server or Citrix is supported
RAM Commander 7.5 supports installation configuration, when clients are connecting to RAM Commander through Terminal Server or Citrix software. Please contact your software vendor for more information and installation instructions for this configuration.
FIDES - new reliability prediction method
The new reliability prediction method - FIDES Reliability Methodology for Electronic Systems has been developed in 2004 under the supervision of DGA (French MoD), STTC/CO and CELAR.
FIDES group includes AIRBUS France, Eurocopter, GIAT Industries, MBDA Missile Systems, Thales Airborne Systems, Thales Avionics, Thales Research & Technology, and Thales Underwater Systems.
The FIDES Guide is a global methodology for reliability engineering in electronics. It
has two parts:
· A reliability prediction guide,
· A reliability process control and audit guide.
The FIDES Guide aims to enable a realistic assessment of the reliability of electronic equipment, including systems operating in severe environments (defense systems, aeronautics, industrial electronics, transport, etc.). The FIDES Guide also aims to provide a concrete tool to develop and control this reliability.
Its key features are:
· Providing models both for electrical, electronic, and electromechanical components, and for the PWAs or some subassemblies.
· Revealing and taking into consideration all technological and physical factors that play an identified role in a product's reliability.
· Taking into precise consideration the mission profile.
· Taking into consideration the electrical, mechanical and thermal overstresses.
· Taking into consideration the failures linked to the development, production, field operation and maintenance processes.
· The possibility of distinguishing several suppliers of a same component.
By identifying the factors contributing to reliability, whether technological, physical or process-based, the FIDES Guide makes it possible to revise product definition and intervene throughout the product lifecycle, to improve and control reliability.
IEC 62380 reliability prediction method
IEC 62380 (RDF 2003) is an updated version of RDF 2000 UTEC 80810 method – French Telecom Standard.
It includes most of the same components as MIL-HDBK-217. Since it is difficult to evaluate the environmental factor, RDF 2000/2003 uses equipment mission profiles and thermal cycling for evaluation. RDF2000/2003 provides complex models that can handle permanent working, on/off cycling and dormant applications. As this standard becomes more widely used, it could become the international successor to the US MIL-HDBK-217.
Tree Diagram report – possibility to choose a type of the part/item name (PN or CN or GN or Ref.Des. etc.)
By default, item name in Tree Diagram report is Reference Designator. Since 7.5 version user may choose source for item name in Tree Diagram report using Item ID priority option in View menu.
Customizable GPRD Library location in "Location” options of Library menu
RAM Commander 7.5 allows the usage of a number of GPRD library files. To switch between these files, from the Library menu, choose Location option. Library menu appears at the first, RAM Commander window Then see “GPRD Library Location” settings.
Report Generator – “Parent reference designator” field
New field “Parent Reference Designator” is available in Report Generator module, “General” field group.
Import Wizard – import of Stress Parameters as separate columns
In earlier versions, in order to import the stress data (like VSR, PSR etc.) with the help of the Import Wizard you had to prepare all stress parameters of each element as a semicolon-delimited string with parameter names and values. RAM Commander 7.5, while still supporting the old method, allows now a much more convenient way of importing stresses, where each stress should be set in a separate column of the imported Excel file. Import Wizard has all supported stresses in field lists, and each stress column in Excel file should be linked to corresponding stress name in Import Wizard fields list:
Put to Library button – update only the fields with no values in processor data
When user updates part data in Component Library from processor data screen in project, and part already exists in the library, RAM Commander updates only the fields which are empty in the library but contain data on the processor data screen in the project.
Possibility to Search by status fields and by calculated FR, Mct and MTTR fields
Product Tree Search option now allows search by status fields, by FR, MTTR, Mct. It allows for example to get a list of all project items with wrong calculation status and allowing for a fast project check for errors.
Product Tree Search results window is now resizable and allowed to print
Product Tree Search option window is now resizable and has Print button to print search results.
New reports in Derating
Some new reports were added to RAM Commander’s Derating Analysis module. One of them is wide report, where all derating parameters are displayed in one line (not in column, as in old report):
Stress Limit for Derating results reports
New option allows defining criteria for stressed elements. It could be not only 100% overstressed elements, but user may enter custom criteria for overstress (in percents, where 100% is real overstress) and get derating reports according to this criteria – see “Stress limit” field on report conditions dialog:
Import from SPICE –log information improvement, added
VAP for Resistors, possibility to set NetList’s part ID’s prefix size
“Import from SPICE” module is improved as stated above.
Global Change is now available for Derating analysis mode
Global Change – Processor Data is available for changing derating data too, since 7.5 version.
FTA printing improvements: automatic page break for the multi-page diagram
If you build a large fault tree and do not want do divide it to several sub-trees, RAM Commander 7.5 has an option to print a large tree on several pages, dividing tree to smaller sub-trees automatically and keeping links between pages. Use option “Print + automatic separation to pages” of FTA menu.
FTA printing improvements: automatic fit to page
Keep “Fit to printer” option of FTA menu selected and RAM Commander will always perform diagram fitting to printer page automatically:
FTA printing improvements: automatic paper orientation selection for best fit
There are 3 possibilities for paper orientation: user may select desired paper orientation manually (Portrait or Landscape) or let RAM Commander select the best paper orientation suited to the shape of the diagram (recommended):
FTA printing improvements: possibility to print only selected branch
In RAM Commander 7.5 user may print only a selected branch without printing the whole diagram. Select the parent gate of a desired branch and choose “Print the selected branch only” option of FTA menu.
FTA printing improvements: possibility to print the entire tree and sub trees recursively
If you have a tree with sub-trees, RAM Commander has an option to print the main tree and all it’s sub trees (and sub trees of sub trees etc.) by one click – use “Print tree + sub trees” option of FTA menu.
Calculate and display results for intermediary gates