Summary
Key results
Dedicated rail embedded team with a lead architect
Enabled further growth and expansion of the R&D center in Poland
Expanding R&D capabilities and building next-generation axle detection systems
As Frauscher expanded its product portfolio and demand for new axle detection solutions increased, the company needed a partner to support low-level software development while ensuring compliance with strict safety standards. An embedded and safety-engineering team was required to deliver multiple projects in parallel without increasing the burden on the internal R&D organization.
Sii Poland was selected for its experience in building embedded systems for the railway industry and its track record on projects certified to SIL 4.
SIL 4–compliant communication protocol development
Sii Poland set up an autonomous Scrum team of embedded engineers, testers, and a system architect specializing in railway solutions. Working in an Agile model and closely aligned with the client’s central R&D organization, the team developed a new communication protocol for the axle counter – an essential piece of railway infrastructure responsible for safe axle counting and track occupancy detection. The work covered the full software lifecycle, from concept through validation aligned to Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL 4).
Scope included:
- Design and implementation of the axle counter communication protocol in C/C++
- Safety validation and testing aligned to SIL 4, using both hardware and simulation environments
- Automation with Jenkins CI/CD to enable recurring regression testing and version control
- Certification-grade documentation and test reports compliant with railway safety requirements
Secured delivery and strengthened R&D capacity
The project allowed Frauscher to increase engineering capacity without immediately scaling internal teams. The new communication protocol was developed in compliance with SIL 4, improving product safety and accelerating time-to-market. The engagement demonstrated that Sii Poland can act as an effective extension of the client’s R&D capabilities – supporting long-term collaboration on future product development.