Open approach to safety programming ‘overcomes barriers’
15 November 2024 
At the SPS exhibition in Germany, B&R Industrial Automation has launched a new, open approach to programming safety functions which, it claims, overcomes previous barriers. The Safety+ platform allows developers to use the latest software engineering tools and methods for safety applications. An innovative data structure with digital fingerprints makes the source code freely accessible, while also meeting the special requirements of functional safety.
“With Safety+, we’re providing customers with an open programming system for the first time, allowing them to use familiar advanced tools and methods from standard programming,” explains B&R’s safety product manager, Franz Kaufleitner. “Safety applications can be developed much more efficiently and flexibly.”
According to B&R – ABB’s machine automation division – three main capabilities result in this productivity boost: an innovative data architecture; a flexible choice of language and data types; and the use of tools and processes from standard programming.
Data is stored in a freely accessible format and every change is documented. The source files are stored in an open text-based code repository in formats such as XML or JSON. To ensure the integrity of the program code, despite being open, each file is given a digital fingerprint that shows when something changes. What was changed, when and by whom is said to be “completely transparent”.
The metadata doesn’t only reference the complete safety application. Engineers can track every change down to the function block and parameter set level, which allows them to optimise the code in a more targeted way. This results in more agile engineering of safety functions that can then be more easily adapted to changing user requirements, according to B&R.
As well as the new data architecture, the openness of Safety+ allows engineers to create and manage safety applications using third-party tools and platforms. “By integrating safety programming into common tools such as GitHub and Jenkins, developers can work with a high degree of flexibility,” says Kaufleitner. “This simplifies the development process and also promotes collaboration and exchange within the developer community.”
A command line interface (CLI) is available for automatic build generation and continuous integration, allowing developers to interact directly with the software and process program code efficiently.
The third key innovation offers new freedom to choose a programming language and application-specific fine-tuning when programming with data types. B&R says that developers were previously limited in their choice of programming languages and data types for functional safety applications, which had a negative impact on development time and flexibility.
The new platform offers a wider range of programming options, including function blocks, ladder diagrams and structured texts. Safety+ removes previous restrictions on data types and supports elements such as arrays, structs and real data types that are standard in non-safe programming.
“With Safety+, we give developers the freedom they need to create innovative and efficient safety solutions,” Kaufleitner reports. “I don’t think it’s an exaggeration when we talk about a small revolution in safety function programming.”
Previously, encrypted proprietary file systems were used to engineer functional safety applications. While these protected applications from unauthorised changes, they also prevented the use of common productivity-enhancing software tools and methods.
