Process Automation Tools

Objective & context

In 2008, the first discussion between AKKA Belgium and the customer established a need for the digitization of the customer engineering process dedicated to the deployment of ETCS on the Belgian railway network.

The ETCS is a system that safely optimizes the control of train traffic.

Solution

The AKKA team supported the customer in the creation of a set of IT tools: the ETCS Process Automation Tools. The Tool Suite allows the digitization of the Signalling assets, tracks updates and generates all the inputs necessary for the installation and configuration on the field of ETCS devices.

Added Value

Output of the engineering process (installation plan, hardware configuration, documents for certification, …) are automatically generated and therefore reduces the risks of errors, enhances and tracks the quality of signalization data, and reduces the time and workload for the production of installation studies (from several months to a couple of weeks).

 

‘’ A close collaboration between the The customer signalling experts and the AKKA Benelux experts allowed us to quickly develop an operational engineering tool. A successful key step was rewarded by the SIL Certification (Safety Integrity Level). According to the European railway standards, it guarantees that the tool developed by AKKA Benelux fulfils a high quality level, is stable in time and authorizes The customer to integrate it in an ETCS data process production with very high security level. The collaboration with AKKA Benelux allowed us to progress very fast and to have the flexibility required to implement the new ETCS system. ‘’

Yves W.

Systems Manager