Tool and Library Qualification

Qualification creates the required confidence
in the safe usage of tools and libraries

Tool UsageTool Chain Analysis

Challenges

Safety standards like ISO 26262, IEC 61508, DO-178/330 and EN 50128, require to prove confidence in the tools used. Therefore a risk analysis (“Tool Classification”) is used to determine the qualification need. A systematic test (“Tool Validation”) increases the confidence in critical tools. “Tool Qualification Kits” enable tool users to perform tool classification and tool validation for their projects with low effort.

tool qualification process certified

The TÜV-Süd certified the Validas tool qualification process. more

„Fantastic to work with you again and I really appreciate all your safety expertise“

Greg Miller, Texas Instruments

Methodology

The TÜV-Süd certified the Validas tool qualification process. more

We perform tool qualification in three phases:

  • Classification of tool chains: Resulting in a tool classification report
  • Qualification of a tool according to a tool qualification plan: Resulting in a tool qualification report
  • Tool usage according to a tool safety manual

Validas applies a model-based approach to classify and qualify tools systematically. The required documents are generated and, if necessary, tests are also executed. Both activities are automated without user interaction. The modelling tool used is called as the “Tool Chain Analyzer”.

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Do you have questions about tool qualification? - We gladly answer them in the context of a webex or a workshop. Just contact us: Dr. Thomas Flaig, E-Mail

Our services

We create tool qualification kits for tool users and tool developers that are compliant to the established safety standards ISO 26262, IEC 61508 and DO 178/330. Due to our model-based approach, our qualification kits are extremely flexible and easy to use in projects. The required safety documentation is generated automatically. The documentation is based on user selection of supported features and on results from executed test cases contained in the QKit.

Our services range from creation of “all inclusive” qualification kits (where you just provide us tool and manual) via cooperative development to step-wise guidance towards building own qualification kits.

Qualification kits from Validas AG contain:

  • Model of tool features, potential and known errors and mitigations for the errors
  • Model-based tool for configuration of use cases
  • Test automation unit and test cases
  • Generator and templates for the required safety documents

Therefore, the effort required for creating a qualification kit, depends only on the kind of tool, i.e. the number and complexity of the tool features and the number of qualification tests that it contains.

„Validas has accomplished the qualification of compiler within the timeline we requested and the report has been approved from TÜV successfully“

„Validas按照我方时间节点，完成编译器认证，并顺利的通过最终审核“

Beijing Electric Vehicle Co. Ltd. / 北京新能源汽车股份有限公司

Examples

Validas has created qualification kits for many tools. Some examples are listed here:

In addition, we qualify inhouse and special tools, also if required, with a TÜV certificate.

„Our Testwell CTC++ Qualification Kit, built together with Validas AG is rated “best” by customers who compared it with “Qual Kits” of competitors.“

Verifysoft presents their QKit from Validas AG: See Video

Klaus Lambertz (CEO, Verifysoft)

Validation Suite

We build huge validation suites for powerful tools and tool chains.

A validation suite validates a tool chain, for example, consisting of a modelling tool, a code generator and a target-compiler. The goal of qualification is to ensure that the model simulation mainly behaves like the execution of the generated code on the target.

VASE

For building validation suites, we create test strategies and test suites, run test cases, analyze test results and document the validation. If required, we also provide guidelines and model analyzers which detect model elements violating validation goals. The key success factor is that the systematic test cases cover all models used and settings of the tool chain.

The following tool chains and code generators have been successfully qualified by Validas using newly created validation suites (and checked from TÜV Nord):

  • ETAS ASCET
  • MATLAB Simulink/MATLAB Embedded Coder
  • MATLAB Simulink/dSpace TargetLink

Further information on the validation of a Matlab tool chain can be found in the following presentation slides Validierung einer MATLAB-Toolkette – Notwendiges Übel oder Allheilmittel?

Process-Modeling-Technology

The qualification process of Validas has been successfully certified by TÜV Süd to be compliant with ISO 26262 and IEC61508 (see here). The certification of the core process has been done using a new method & tool developed within the research project SPEDIT (BMBF). The Process Modeling Tool (PMT) can be downloaded here and the sources will also be opened. PMT has the following features:

  • modeling of processes, requirements and compliance arguments
  • checks for consistency and completeness
  • tailoring of processes using parameters and value bindings
  • graphical visualization of processes (BPMN like) and compliance arguments (GSN subset)
  • generation of process and compliance reports
  • generation of project specific check lists for verification and validation conditions
  • interface to Verification and Validation (V&V) Tool (VVT) for management of check lists
  • Generation of V&V Reports
  • Interfaces to TCA and Excel

We recommend and use the PMT to model and manage our safety relevant processes. PMT is the cost free entry ticket for your company into the road towards safe and efficient processes and tools. PMT and VVT support you by systematic and efficient implementation of those processes. Validas supports you on this road from tools to safe tool chains.

The current version of PMT (version 1.5) is available here:

The corresponding version of VVT (version 1.2) is available here:

The following supporting material is available:

For more information and to answer your questions please contact us: E-Mail

Further Information

The qualification support by Validas AG starts with the determination of qualification needs and includes complete tool qualification and the generation of test cases. We enjoy cooperating with your tool developers and tool testers and integrate their test cases into the qualification kit.

We support you in all three tool phases with the following processes irrespective of whether you are a tool user, tool provider or tool distributor:

  • Classification of tools using the Tool Chain Analyzer
  • Qualification by validation: Tool Test
  • Creation of qualification kits using the Tool Qualification Framework

You want more information?

You want to qualify a tool or a library? Please contact our qualification expert.

Dr. Thomas Flaig
Tel +49 (89) 5388669-295
E-Mail