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

Support of Multi-user access

Support of remote sites through Terminal Server or Citrix
Reliability

FIDES Guide 2004 - new reliability prediction method

IEC 62380 ( RDF 2003) - new reliability prediction method

Import Wizard - import of Stress Parameters as separate columns

Product Tree screen - Possibility to Search by the fields: Status, calculated FR, Mct,
MTTR

Product Tree Search results window is now resizable and allowed to print

Put to Library option – updates only the fields with no values in processor data

Report Generator – “Parent reference designator” field added

Tree Diagram report – possibility to choose the type of part name (PN or CN or GN
or Ref.Des. etc.)

Customizable GPRD Library location in "Location" options of Library menu
Derating

New reports in Derating module

Stress Limit for Derating results reports

Import from SPICE – log information improvement, added VAP for Resistors,
possibility to set NetList’s part ID’s prefix size

Global Change is now available for Derating analysis mode

FTA printing improvements:
FTA

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
A.L.D. Headquarters
52 Menachem Begin Road, Tel-Aviv, 67137 ISRAEL
Phone: (972-3) 791-3200 Fax: (972-3) 791-3210
E-mail: [email protected]
Web : www.aldservice.com

Calculate and display results for intermediary gates (Calculation -> MCS
calculation for all gates option)

Enhanced Paste option with gates and events codes automatic change

Customizable background/foreground colors for Remark gates

Uniform captions for Transfer gates created using both “Transfer branch” and “Add
transfer” options

Possibility to print FTA items search results

Possibility to see a list of all identical events and their locations in the project (Item
-> View all identical events option)

Possibility to delete unused events from the library
FMECA and TAM Module

Functional Blocks screen - automatic tree components selections (select all,
unselect all, select all unselected) in popup menu (right-click the FB column
header)

Functional Blocks screen – multiple selection/deselection

Functional Blocks screen – view tree elements by Ref.Des. or PN or CN or MN or GN

New FMECA report – Failure Modes by End Effect

Popup menu for FM Test – “Assign selected tests”, “Remove all tests”

Functional Block data screen - MCT field added

Edit Functional Block data directly from Product Tree

Print Item Function for Functional Blocks in FMEA and Criticality Analysis report
Design/Process FMEA

FMEA Data Table - Export to Excel

Add FM dialog – set default Severity to “-“

Critical causes display marked with a deeper red color

Copy&Paste of process/part will copy also Team Evaluation data

Option to create Cause automatically when FM is created (in Diagram properties)
Other new features

Safety - Functional Tree Diagram Report

Connection with FavoWeb – possibilities to send and receive MTBF data and FMECA
End Effects library through Web.

New Maintenance Task Analysis report

Possibility to save project in RAM Commander 7.33 version format (Backup as 7.33)
Fixed features

FMECA - Functional Block hierarchical ID format is now 1.4.FB4 instead of
1.4.100004

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

Organize function of Product Tree – always set top item's number to 1
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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.
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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
Project line is red:
Meaning
No permission to
access the project.
Project line is gray:
Project is not selected,
project manager
position is vacant,
possibly there are
other users working
on the project
Project is selected by
you, you are the
project manager of
this project
Project line is green:
Project line is yellow:
Another user selected
the project, and he is
a current project
manager (See “Locked
By” field for his name)
What to do
You can’t enter the project.
Ask project owner to grant
you the access (see
permissions selection in
project settings)
You may enter the project,
and you will become project
manager.
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)
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:
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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.
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
The possibility of distinguishing several suppliers of a same component.
By identifying the factors contributing to reliability, whether technological, physical or processbased, 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 semicolondelimited 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:
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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):
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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
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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
The regular MCS calculation gives unavailability results for events and for a top gate only. RAM
Commander has possibility to calculate unavailability for all tree gates – use “MCS calculation
for all gates” option of the “Calculation” menu:
Enhanced Paste option with gates and events codes automatic change
New Special Paste option works like Paste option, but allows changing gates and events codes
while pasting. Select tree branch you wish to copy and use Copy option. Then select tree
element for pasting branch from the clipboard, right-click on it and choose “Paste special” from
the popup menu. The following dialog will appear:
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You may choose how to change codes separately for gates and for events – the options are to
change gates according to hierarchy in the new location, to add some additional suffix to the
codes or to leave codes unchanged.
For example, if a fault tree for the right aircraft wing was build and later user wishes to copy
the same branch for the left wing, Special Paste function could be used to automatically
change basic events and gate codes to be unique and differ from codes used in the right wing
analysis.
Customizable background/foreground colors for Remark gates
Remark gates allow changing their foreground and background colors:
Uniform captions for Transfer gates created using both “Transfer
branch” and “Add transfer” options
Whatever way a Transfer gate is created, RAM Commander 7.5 will give the same default
code, name and description for transfer gate (was different in previous versions).
Possibility to print FTA items search results
FTA elements / identical events / identical transfers search dialog has possibility to print out a
list of the found tree elements.
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Possibility to see a list of all identical events and their locations in the
project
In addition to “View Identical Events” option which shows a list of all appearances of specific
event, a new option “View all identical events” of “Item” menu was developed. It shows a list
of all events which appears in the entire project/tree more than once.
Possibility to delete unused events from
the library
Use the following option of “Library” menu in FTA module
to delete all unused Basic, House and Undeveloped events
from the Events Library:
Functional Blocks screen - automatic tree components selections
(select all, unselect all, select all unselected) in popup menu (rightclick the FB column header)
There are new selection options at the functional blocks selection screen. Right-click functional
block column, popup menu will appear. Choose “Select all” to link all tree items to selected FB.
Choose “Unselect all” to exclude all selected tree items from the selected FB. Choose “Select
all unselected” to include into the selected FB all tree elements, which are not linked to any
Functional Block.
Functional Blocks screen – multiple
selection/deselection
Multiple selection is available on Functional Blocks selection
screen. Select multiple cells in the grid, right-click the grid and
choose “Select” or “Deselect” item of popup menu. The action
will be performed on all selected (blue) cells:
Functional Blocks screen – view tree elements by Ref.Des. or PN or CN
or MN or GN
By default Functional Blocks screen lists tree items by their reference designators. User may
choose another presentation (Part name or Catalog number or Generic Name etc.) from the
popup menu:
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New FMECA report – Failure Modes by End Effect
To get a new report, choose “Fault Tree” type and “Failure Modes by End Effect” subtype in
Tree reports dialog, choose one or more phases and press ok. The new report will give a list of
Failure Modes for each End Effect and Phase:
Popup menu for FM Test – “Assign selected tests”, “Remove all tests”
Now user may assign or remove tests without entering TAM screen. Once user selects (using
checboxes) a list of tests on a TAM screen, this list is saved in memory. To assign the same
stored list to another failure mode, select corresponding line and a “Detection” field in FMECA
data table, right-click on it and choose “Assign selected tests” option:
To delete all tests of specific Failure Mode, select corresponding line and a “Detection” field in
FMECA data table, right-click on it and choose “Remove all tests” option.
Also, The Testability Analysis Screen of FMECA now have two new options for editing subtest –
remove subtest and select subtest from the list:
12
Functional Block data screen - edit MCT field
Functional Block data screen contains now FB description and it’s Mct:
Edit Functional Block data directly from Product Tree
Browsing Product Tree in “Functional View” mode, user may double-click on FB and get its data
screen for editing.
Print Item Function for Functional Blocks in FMEA and Criticality
Analysis report
FB description is now used as a tree element function in FMEA and Criticality reports.
P&D FMEA Data Table - Export to Excel
FMEA Data Table (option “FMEA Data Table” of “Item” menu of Process&Design FMEA) has a
new option for data table export to Excel – exactly as displayed in the table, using current list
selection and order. Press “Excel” button for export.
P&D FMEA: Add FM dialog – set default Severity to “-“
Default severity is always set to “-“ value, both creating new elements in grid or using data FM
dialog.
P&D FMEA: Critical causes display marked with a deeper red color
RAM Commander 7.5 a deeper red color of the critical causes serves a better presentation.
13
P&D FMEA: Copy&Paste of process/part-copy also Team Evaluation
data
Failure Modes are copied together with their causes, corrective action and (since RAM
Commander 7.5) team evaluation information.
Option to create Cause automatically when FM is created
There is a new setting in FMEA properties – “Automatically create blank cause on FM creation”:
If this checkbox is selected, new cause will be automatically added when user creates a new
Failure Mode.
Safety - Functional Tree Diagram Report
The new report outputs Functional tree in a tree form.
Connection with FavoWeb : send and receive field MTBF data and
FMECA End Effects library through Web.
This new option allows connection between the two products of ALD Group – RAM Commander
and FavoWeb (FRACAS). The possibilities are:
a) import field MTBFs from FavoWeb to RAM Commander
b) Export End Effects from FMECA analysis from RAM Commander to FavoWeb
Connection’s technology is Web Services located on FavoWeb’s web server.
To perform the data exchange, choose “Exchange with FavoWeb…” from “Modules” menu and
choose required options:
14
New Maintenance Task Analysis report
To generate this new report, enter tree reports in Maintainability mode and choose the
following type and subtype:
The report will give labor hours requirements for each skill type, each product tree part and
each task type.
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