Tool Qualification – DO-254, DO-330, and ISO 26262 Approaches
Presenter: Tom Ferrell, Principal at FAA Consulting, Inc.
Thursday, June 7, 2018

Abstract:

The concept of tool qualification has been around for quite a while. The basic intent is to ensure that tools do what they claim to do. In years past, tools used for FPGA and ASIC development and verification have often gotten a pass on this process through claims of wide-spread tool usage or assertions that all tool outputs will be subsequently verified. Increasingly, such claims are being challenged as design complexity increases and tool update cycles grow shorter.

This webinar will review the state of play with regards to tool qualification as required by major design assurance guidelines, most notably DO-254 and ISO-26262. DO-330, the RTCA standalone treatment of tool qualification, will also be reviewed to see how it may serve as the future model for hardware tool qualification. DO-330’s division of responsibilities between tool user vs. tool developer will also be discussed. Personnel responsible for selecting tools and subsequently qualifying them should find this webinar informative and through-provoking.

Agenda: 

• Tool Qualification Overview
• DO-254’s Design vs. Verification Tool Classification
• Tool Assessment Process
• ‘Relevant’ Tool History
• Basic Tool Qualification
• Design Tool Qualification
• DO-330 – A New Model
• ISO 26262 – Demonstrating Tool Confidence

Bio:

Mr. Ferrell is a subject matter expert in design assurance techniques and safety compliance. He has served as a Systems and Equipment Designated Engineering Representative (DER) for the FAA for over 27 years. One of the technical editors of the Digital Avionics Handbook by CRC Press, 3^rd Edition, Mr. Ferrell has a deep working knowledge of the requirements that need to be met for safety-critical systems.