Business Challenges - Software development is often isolated from other development groups - Source code management is usually performed in isolated SCM applications - Software components are not managed within the product configuration - Software build workflow processes are inconsistent with product development - Software features are not traceable to product requirements

1. Manage Software and Firmware
Understanding change impact across the
electronics software, hardware, and firmware
Author: Ad Ghauri
June 21, 2016
Template developed for Aerospace and
Defense Industry

2. Manage Software and Firmware Files
SCM PLM Interface Challenges
Business challenges
Software development is often isolated from other development groups
Source code management is usually performed in isolated SCM applications
Software components are not managed within the product configuration
Software build workflow processes are inconsistent with product development
Software features are not traceable to product requirements
Interfaces or migration if sunsetting
Software source code management
(Release Management)
Software problem management
(Change Management)
Clearcase Subversion Clearquest Jira
Bill of Material
Products essentially are now a HYBRID of electronics,
controls, hardware, firmware and software
Part Hardware Soft/Firm-ware Burner

3. Manage Software and Firmware Files
Understanding Bidirectional Impacts
ECM as a component of an Engine
Engine design, engineering and manufacturing can not work in isolation from ECM Software development and testing
ECM Software development and testing should be done with the latest hardware configuration. As the ECM software reads live
hardware sensor data from Engine configuration to enable operational decision making
Therefore ECM Software development and testing needs to be part of the Design, Engineering and Manufacturing BOMs. At the least
the latest executables, enabling tools (image burners), and product configuration must be aligned in all BOMs.
ECM Software build processes must be aligned with product design and manufacturing processes
Software features must be traceable in product requirements. In the modern software driven products, there is not just a on/off data
from sensors, but variable data from CAN bus ranging from 0V – 5V which for example may enable opening and closing of certain
valves at different thresholds.
Release and Change Control Interfaces
Modifications in Product’s FFF (Form, Fit, Function)
propagates changes in ECM software logic
Changes in ECM software can impact behavioral
changes in one or more Engine parts
BOM for Engine version includes a versioned package of ECM software files
Released ECM Software code
Engine Assembly
Version
ECM Box & bolts
etc. Versions
ECM PCB
Version
ECM Hardware +
Firmware Version
Config + Dependent
Executable version
Tool Version
Dependency
Engine M272.941 with ECM V4.1
Design
Requirements Traceability and alignment with Design, Testing and Manufacturing Processes
Testing

4. Manage Software and Firmware Files
Current Modularity
Engine
M272.941
ECM
V4.1
H/W Sensor
Configuration
SEN-941
PCB
Configuration
PCB-4.1
Test Results
TR-101
Circuit
Diagram
CD-4.1
SCMPLMAreas of Interest
SC Release and Change Management
SVN
Clearcase
SW compilation
No Part
Context in
SCM or PLM
for impact
analysis or
traceability

5. • As product complexity increases and software-driven
electronics make their way into more and more product
offerings, today’s high tech and electronics companies need to
find a way to break down the barriers that have isolated their
software development process from the rest of the product
lifecycle.
• Best-in-class product manufacturers are looking to integrate
their software development domain with their mechanical,
electronic and control system design domains and intelligently
manage their various interdependencies
• Best-in-class product manufacturers manage the software
lifecycle in the context of a total and truly integrated product
development environment
Manage Software and Firmware Files
Best in Class Strategies

6. Software and Firmware as a part
Software requirements as part of a whole product requirement and
specification
Software entities as a component or part of the total product
Software is a component in the overall product just like an armature in a
motor
All of the tools and processes used across the software lifecycle
Tools and Processes in manufacturing for certain product version are
synonymous with the software, firmware, burning & configuration tools for
software
Manage Software and Firmware Files
Avoiding Isolation through effective Release Management and
Change Control

7. • Track, Manage, and Configure software and firmware as an integrated part
in product development
• Link software and firmware features to the product requirements that
define how the software interacts with other parts of the system.
• Establish and ensure appropriate dependencies and compatibilities during
product development
• Ensure that software identification, auditing, accounting and configuration
management are streamlined
• Ensure software modules compatibilities before development. Ensure
software is compatible with the electronics hardware
• Ensure that changes to software and hardware modules are managed
from concept to EOL
• Ensure impacts of software changes are analyzed before changes are
authorized and executed
• Ensure software development implements features based on an
requirements-driven process
Manage Software and Firmware Files
Software and Firmware as a part - strategies

8. • Manage core software development tools and processes
• Streamline development and QA processes for impact analysis, change execution,
and tool application/modification processes.
• While Software Configuration Management (SCM) manages the development
cycle well, PLM manages the requirements, system design and corresponding
hardware life cycles best.
• PLM plays a dominate role in the change management, production, support,
maintenance and end-of-life phases of software & firmware
• Aligning Software Configuration Management (SCM) and PLM processes is
therefore achieves best results.
• Develop mechatronics data model that addresses the needs of the software and
firmware data lifecycles.
• In practice once the software & firmware applications are developed, they will be
tested either in simulation or against physical product. In either case the correct
version of design model or physical prototype respectively will be required.
• Develop handover process from SCM to PLM and vice versa for developing a
requirement to testing a requirement to making it part of the product BOM
Manage Software and Firmware Files
Software & Firmware tools and process management - strategies

9. Manage Software and Firmware Files
Illustrative Mechatronics Product Life Cycle

10. Manage Software and Firmware Files
Illustrative Mechatronics Product Life Cycle

11. Manage Software and Firmware Files
Illustrative Mechatronics Product Life Cycle
Software
functional and
non-functional
Requirements
System
functional and
non-functional
Requirement
SC-41.0.09 SW SC-41.x can only be
programmed with Tool
BT-9041 into ECM V4.1

12. Manage Software and Firmware Files
Illustrative Mechatronics Product Life Cycle
What processes are
involved in ensuring SW
requirements are tied to
overall product
requirements
What processes are
involved in ensuring SW
development processes
are tied to overall
product development
What processes are
involved in ensuring SW
burning tools are
associated as
dependencies
What processes are
involved in ensuring SW
Release Management
processes are aligned
with Engineering Change
Management
What processes are
involved in ensuring SW
testing is done with
latest design based
prototypes
What processes are
involved in ensuring SW,
burner tools, and PCB
etc. are all packaged
correctly first in EBOM
and later MBOM
Based on the illustrations above lets analyze the relevant
processes
Align PLM with SCM processes - Configuration identification,
control, status accounting & auditing

13. Manage Software and Firmware Files
SW requirements tied to overall product
What processes are involved in ensuring SW requirements are tied to overall product requirements

14. Manage Software and Firmware Files
SW development is part of product development
What processes are involved in ensuring SW development processes are tied to overall product
development

15. Manage Software and Firmware Files
SW testing based on latest product design
What processes are involved in ensuring SW testing is done with latest design based prototypes

16. Manage Software and Firmware Files
SW burning tools dependencies
What processes are involved in ensuring SW burning tools are associated as dependencies

17. Manage Software and Firmware Files
SW Release Management alignment with Engineering Change
What processes are involved in ensuring SW Release Management processes are aligned with Engineering
Change Management

18. Manage Software and Firmware Files
SW, burner tools, and PCB etc. disposition in EBOM and MBOM
What processes are involved in ensuring SW, burner tools, and PCB etc. are all packaged correctly first in
EBOM and later MBOM

19. Manage Software and Firmware Files
Align PLM with SCM processes - Configuration identification,
control, status accounting & auditing
What SCM processes are involved in ensuring alignment of Configuration identification, control, status
accounting & auditing

20. • Software as a competitive advantage. McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group.
• Systems Engineering: At Teamcenter's Core. CimData Corporation.
• Engineering Evolved: Getting Mechatronics Performance Right the First Time. Aberdeen Group.
• Configuration Management Guidance". Department of Defense.
• Design for PCB assembly/test. Siemens Product Lifecycle Management.
• National Consensus Standard for Configuration Management. TechAmerica.
• History and Heritage of Civil Engineering. ASCE.
• Teamcenter gateway for electronic design automation. Siemens Product Lifecycle Management.
• Institution of Civil Engineers What is Civil Engineering. ICE.
• Configuration Management and the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) National Lessons Learned Program. Federal
Transportation Administration.
• Systems Engineering Fundamentals. Defense Acquisition University Press.
• Configuration Management Compliance Validation: Critical Review and Technology Assessment(CR/TA)Report. Defense
Technical Information Center.
• Analysis of Standards for Lifecycle Management of Systems for US Army. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Author: Ad Ghauri
Manage Software and Firmware Files
Special thanks to References