Working with a Dependent System Fault (DSF)

A dependent system fault (DSF) is a failure mode that can contain an event from another reference. A DSF is created on the affected system, the failure mode of another reference can be instantiated in the DSF.

In the following scenario, a car headlight failure is affected by the battery failure. A battery failure DSF (Battery Failure) is created on the affected system (Headlight), and a battery failure mode is created on the affecting system (Battery). From the battery reference, the failure mode is then instantiated in the headlight DSF.

  1. From the architecture tree, select the affected system reference (Headlight).
  2. Create a dependent system fault (Battery Failure).

    For more information, see Creating a Failure Mode.

  3. Within the same reference, click to display the failure mode that must contain the DSF (Loss of Headlight Electricity).
  4. Drag the Battery Failure DSF to this failure mode, in the fault tree.


  5. Click the navigation bar to navigate the structure and select the affecting reference (Battery logical component).
  6. Create a failure mode on the affecting reference (Battery Failure).

  7. From the architecture tree, select the failure mode containing the DSF to display it in the fault tree (Loss of Headlight Electricity).
  8. Drag the affecting failure mode on the DSF element, in the fault tree.

    The affecting failure mode is instantiated in the DSF.