Bombardier is testing its upcoming high-speed train ZEFIRO 380 on an Iron Bird test platform. The long-standing strategic partner, Berner & Mattner, has taken over design and implementation of the test cases for this platform. The Iron Bird method originates from the aerospace industry. Functional tests are performed in automated test suites on a model consisting of electronic components and simulations.
The goal of the test method is to detect failures as early as possible and to minimize testing time on the track. The Iron Bird is a complex structure consisting of four software layers, 13 integrated systems, more than 30,000 signals and 200 simulations. Within one year, a six-member team of Berner & Mattner has developed 3,000 test scripts for this test platform, in particular.
"For us at Berner & Mattner, the testing of electrical and electronic systems is one of our core competencies. The challenge was the implementation on a third party system," says Volker Stackmann, Senior Systems Developer at Berner & Mattner. "Our specific objective was to develop appropriate test cases which verify the functionality of the train and also run automatically on the Iron Bird."
For this, we systematically identified test cases based on the train specification using the classification tree method. These test cases cover the most important train functions such as drive, brakes, high voltage, doors and air conditioning.
Stackmann is positive: "The Iron Bird test platform combined with our automated test suites will reduce the overall costs of testing for Bombardier". "Trains can quicker be put into operation, since the majority of the tests take place in the laboratory and not on the vehicle."
About Bombardier
Bombardier Inc. is a leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, ranging from regional aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment and systems and services associated with this. The international corporation is headquartered in Canada. In the last fiscal year (ending January 31, 2011), the total turnover amounted to 17.7 billion U.S. dollars. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). Bombardier is listed both globally and for North America in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Current news and more information can be found at www.bombardier.com.
The goal of the test method is to detect failures as early as possible and to minimize testing time on the track. The Iron Bird is a complex structure consisting of four software layers, 13 integrated systems, more than 30,000 signals and 200 simulations. Within one year, a six-member team of Berner & Mattner has developed 3,000 test scripts for this test platform, in particular.
"For us at Berner & Mattner, the testing of electrical and electronic systems is one of our core competencies. The challenge was the implementation on a third party system," says Volker Stackmann, Senior Systems Developer at Berner & Mattner. "Our specific objective was to develop appropriate test cases which verify the functionality of the train and also run automatically on the Iron Bird."
For this, we systematically identified test cases based on the train specification using the classification tree method. These test cases cover the most important train functions such as drive, brakes, high voltage, doors and air conditioning.
Stackmann is positive: "The Iron Bird test platform combined with our automated test suites will reduce the overall costs of testing for Bombardier". "Trains can quicker be put into operation, since the majority of the tests take place in the laboratory and not on the vehicle."
About Bombardier
Bombardier Inc. is a leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, ranging from regional aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment and systems and services associated with this. The international corporation is headquartered in Canada. In the last fiscal year (ending January 31, 2011), the total turnover amounted to 17.7 billion U.S. dollars. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). Bombardier is listed both globally and for North America in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Current news and more information can be found at www.bombardier.com.
