Sectors : Rail
Pedigree
Altran Praxis has extensive experience in providing
safety,
systems and
software services to all parts of the rail industry including first tier suppliers, operators and regulators. We have engaged on major projects in European, Asian and Australian railway environments.
We are a pioneering Independent Safety Assessor (ISA) and a European Notified Body (NoBo) providing conformity assessment for complex and novel systems. Praxis’ Safety Management System ensures that any potential conflicts of interest are avoided.
Praxis has been instrumental in developing and teaching the Yellow Book; the rail industry’s text book for practitioners of engineering safety management across the globe.
Our expertise in advanced systems and software engineering has been used by operators and suppliers to model, design and build innovative rail systems.
Focus
- Praxis develops critical software systems, including those that meet CENELEC requirements.
- Praxis provides advanced systems and requirements engineering to de-risk delivery of technically complex projects.
- Praxis’ safety services include delivery and maintenance of electronic safety cases, safety and approvals management, Independent Safety Assessments (ISA) and Notified Body Certification (NoBo).
Example Rail projects
In
software, Praxis has supported many rail clients in the areas of specification, development, test and verification. Praxis is providing software architecture and development for a European SIL 4 transport system. We are also working with a major rail industry supplier in terms of software strategy.
In safety, Praxis has been involved in the development of safety cases across many programmes. Typically this will be acting as a partner to the prime contractor. Praxis has provided Safety (ISA) and Conformity (NoBo) assessment for all principal signalling technologies (both trackside and train borne) including ATO, TBTC and ERTMS for clients supplying globally.
For example:
- ISA and Notified Body for the signalling command and control aspects of the UK’s TASS (Tilt Authorisation and Speed Supervision) programme.
- The Notified Body role for a major new intercity programme.
- Both systems and subsystem ISA roles for the introduction of ERTMS into a major European rail network.
- The long-term assessment of safety critical trackside and train borne signalling equipment which is used globally in mainline and metro environments.
In systems engineering, Praxis has been involved in requirements capture and enterprise architecture across several programmes. For a rail operator, we undertook requirements engineering and specification at programme and system level for a major infrastructure project.
In training, Praxis is the leading provider of Yellow Book safety management courses, having trained over 5,000 rail engineers world-wide.
Why Altran Praxis for Rail?
Praxis has significant experience of delivering safety-critical systems. Our approach provides early demonstration of software safety and functionality to minimise testing late in the lifecycle. Acceptance and certification are de-risked by using a progressive assurance approach throughout the development process.
Case reference
European Train Control System (ETCS) level 2
Outline
Early in 2008, Hitachi Rail Europe Ltd. announced that it is running a trial alongside Network Rail to test and introduce its trainborne European Train Control System (ETCS) level 2. The system is based on the highly reliable Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system that is used in Tokyo, the most congested metropolitan area in Japan, as well as on the Shinkansen, Japanese Bullet Train.
The aim of the system is to enhance the capacity of the UK network, support increasingly reliable train operation and provide more efficient cab-based signalling system. Hitachi Rail Europe and Network Rail plan to have a demonstration train running by 2012 and the results of the tests will be shared with the appropriate UK and European technical bodies.
Altran-Praxis is the Notified Body (NoBo) and Independent Safety Assessor (ISA) appointed by Hitachi Rail Europe to carry out the safety and conformity assessment work to gain certification of the ETCS on-board system for placing on the EU Market. This is being done in readiness for UK. Having worked closely with Hitachi personnel both in the UK and in Japan since the beginning of this project, Praxis operates in a proactive manner using the activeISA approach.
Outcome
Altran Praxis has successfully completed Concept, Planning and Requirements Capture stages and is now working on a detailed design assessment. The approach has evolved to work efficiently and effectively with Hitachi and the design team based in Japan. The project is well on its way to meet the 2012 target.