What is RAMS engineering?

RAMS engineering is the discipline dedicated to monitor system failures and their consequences.

It assesses the ability of a system, product, process or organisation to perform its required functions under defined conditions.

RAMS combines four key characteristics:

Reliability

Reliability is the ability of an item to perform a required function for a specified period under specified conditions.

Reliability analysis helps identify failure mechanisms and assess the likelihood of failures occurring.

Availability

Availability is the ability of a system to be in a state to perform a required function when required.

It depends in particular on system reliability, maintainability and maintenance organisation.

Maintainability

Maintainability is the ability of an item to be maintained or restored to a state in which it can perform its required function.

Maintainability analysis helps to optimise maintenance activities, intervention times and the resources required.

Safety

Safety aims to control risks that could result in unacceptable consequences for people, assets or the environment.

It is particularly important for systems performing safety-critical functions.

RAMS throughout the system life cycle

RAMS requirements must be considered from the earliest stages of a project and maintained throughout the system life cycle.

viattech Q&S supports its customers in defining and implementing a structured approach for integrating RAMS requirements into engineering activities.

Definition of RAMS objectives

Reliability, availability, maintainability and safety objectives are defined according to user needs, system constraints and applicable acceptance criteria.

Allocation of RAMS requirements

System-level objectives are allocated to the relevant functions, subsystems, equipment and components.

This ensures consistency between overall system objectives and the expected performance of individual components.

Demonstration of compliance

Analyses, calculations, inspections, testing and validation activities provide evidence that RAMS objectives and requirements have been achieved.

Results are documented to ensure requirements traceability and compliance evidence.

RAMS studies and risk analysis

viattech Q&S performs RAMS studies and risk analyses adapted to the characteristics of the system and its industry sector.

Methods are selected according to the objectives of the study, the system life-cycle phase and applicable requirements.

Preliminary Hazard Analysis

Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA) identifies major hazards and hazardous events during the early design phases.

It contributes to define risk-control measures and safety objectives to be considered in the system architecture.

FMEA and FMECA

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) identify potential failure modes and assess their effects and criticality.

RAMS requirements management

Safety and RAMS requirements are monitored throughout the life cycle to ensure that they are addressed during design, integration and validation.

Analysis and action tracking

Study results are monitored to identify the actions required to control risks and achieve RAMS objectives.

Compliance evidence management

Analysis reports, calculation results, test results and other evidence are documented to demonstrate compliance with applicable requirements.

Reliability, availability and maintainability

Reliability, availability and maintainability studies identify technical and organisational opportunities to improve system performance.

Reliability studies

Reliability studies identify failure mechanisms and assess the ability of the system to perform its functions over time.

Reliability prediction

Where sufficient data are available, reliability predictions can be performed to estimate the expected reliability of components and systems.

Availability analysis

Availability analysis considers failures and maintenance activities to assess the ability of a system to remain available for operation.

Maintainability studies

Maintainability studies identify the resources and conditions required to maintain or restore a system to operational condition.

Testability and maintenance

Testability, equipment accessibility and diagnostic capabilities are considered to facilitate fault detection and maintenance activities.

Risk analysis and risk control

Risk management is a key component of RAMS engineering.

viattech Q&S supports its customers in hazard identification, scenario analysis, risk assessment and definition of appropriate risk-reduction measures.

Hazard identification

Hazards that may affect the system are identified based on its architecture, functions, operating environment and operating conditions.

Hazardous scenario analysis

Initiating events, failure modes, hazardous events and their consequences are analysed to understand scenarios that may lead to hazardous situations.

Risk assessment

Identified risks are assessed according to the criteria defined for the project and the applicable industry sector.

Where required, quantitative approaches can complement qualitative analyses.

Risk reduction measures

Analysis results are used to define the technical and organisational measures required to reduce risks.

These measures may involve system architecture, safety functions, operating procedures or maintenance activities.

RAMS management

Achieving demanding RAMS objectives requires an appropriate organisation and a structured engineering process.

viattech Q&S supports customers in implementing RAMS management within their overall development process.

RAMS plan

The RAMS plan defines the organisation, activities, responsibilities, methods and deliverables required to perform RAMS activities.

RAMS requirements management

Requirements are monitored throughout the life cycle to ensure their implementation during design, integration and validation.

Safety evidence management

Analysis reports, calculations, tests and other evidence are documented to demonstrate compliance with safety requirements.

Functional safety and integrity levels

For systems performing safety-critical functions, safety objectives must be translated into verifiable technical and organisational requirements.

viattech Q&S supports customers in defining and allocating safety requirements and applicable integrity levels.

Identification of safety functions

Functions whose failure could result in a hazardous situation are identified and characterised.

Definition of safety objectives

Safety objectives are defined based on identified risks, project requirements and applicable acceptance criteria.

Allocation of integrity levels

Safety objectives are allocated to the relevant functions and components to ensure consistency between system architecture and the accepted level of risk.

Verification and validation

Compliance with safety requirements is demonstrated through verification, validation and associated evidence.

Life Cycle Cost optimisation

RAMS engineering is not limited to risk reduction. It also contributes to optimise system performance and Life Cycle Cost (LCC).

Life Cycle Cost analysis considers investment, operation, maintenance and, where applicable, renewal or decommissioning costs.

RAMS analyses can be used to compare technical solutions and identify the best balance between performance, risk and cost.

RAMS engineering for complex and safety-critical systems

viattech Q&S operates in industries subject to demanding reliability and safety requirements.

Our expertise combines RAMS engineering with systems engineering to integrate safety objectives into requirements, architecture, design, integration and validation.

Need RAMS engineering expertise?

Do you need to analyse the risks of a system, perform an FMEA/FMECA, define RAMS objectives, assess equipment reliability or implement a complete RAMS process?

viattech Q&S supports you in defining, performing and managing your RAMS engineering and risk management activities.

Contact viattech Q&S to discuss your project and define the appropriate scope of services.