diff --git a/fmmd_concept/fmmd_concept.tex b/fmmd_concept/fmmd_concept.tex index ff7a3fa..3d7c02f 100644 --- a/fmmd_concept/fmmd_concept.tex +++ b/fmmd_concept/fmmd_concept.tex @@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ of the Safety Integrity Levels (SIL) of EN61508 \cite{en61508}. \section{A wish list for a failure mode methodolgy} \begin{itemize} \item All component failure modes must be considered in the model. -\item It should be easy to integrate mechanical, electronic and software models. +\item It should be easy to integrate mechanical, electronic and software models \cite{sccs}[pp.287]. \item It should be re-usable, in that commonly used modules can be re-used in other designs/projects. \item It should have a formal basis, that is to say, it should be able to produce mathematical proofs for its results. diff --git a/introduction/introduction.tex b/introduction/introduction.tex index 89b12fe..c96dc92 100644 --- a/introduction/introduction.tex +++ b/introduction/introduction.tex @@ -118,6 +118,11 @@ computing elements. A tragic example of the mechanical and electrical elements interfacing to a computer is found in the THERAC25 x-ray dosage machine. With no common notation to integrate the saftey analyis between the electrical/mechanical and computing domains, synchronisation errors occurred that were in some cases fatal. +The interfacing between the hardware and software for the THERAC-25 was not considered +in the design phase. +Niel Story in the formal methods chapter of "safety critical computer systems" +describes the different formal languages suitable for hardward and software and +bemaons the fact that no single language is suitable for for such a broad range of tasks \cite{sccs}[pp. 287]. \paragraph{Requirements for a rigorous FMEA process} It was determined that any process to apply