In this post, I’ll discuss two safety-related parameters: safe speed and safe standstill. Speed control is a very common machine function. Conveyors, mixers, pumps, and many other applications rely on variable-speed drives. Some speed parameters are also safety-related because variations in speed can increase the risk to workers. See this post for more information on…
Read MoreUnderstanding Safety Functions: the start/restart function
After the safety-related stopping and the reset functions, the start/restart function is the next most common. Without a start/restart function, there is no way to make the machine do what it’s supposed to do. If you’re designing a machine control system, you need to understand this function.
Read MoreWhat is risk assessment?
Risk assessment began as a discipline in the late 1960s, with some of the earliest formal papers published in the early 1970s [1] and [2]. The early researchers were part of the US military and were interested in reducing the risks for military personnel carrying out their duties.
Read MoreISO/DIS 13849-1 Available for Public Review
Update 2020-10-11: The next three-day ISO/TC 199/WG8 meeting runs Tuesday-Thursday this week. Our committee members will be wading into the next 1 600 comments along with expert members from around the world. We’ll update you again as the changes get closer. Update 2020-09-29: Over 1 920 (!!) comments were received by the committee during the…
Read MoreEU Machinery Directive Public Review
If you ship machinery products to the EU the Machinery Directive affects you. You have a chance to contribute to the review of this document.
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