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Associations unite for wide-ranging training

A Manufacturing Technologies Association product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Apr 10, 2007

Training courses cover risk assessment, EMC, the WEEE and RoHS directives as well as the function safety of control systems and the new Machinery Directive.

In conjunction with two other engineering trade associations, the PPMA and PICON, the MTA is organising a series of six training courses for its members.

These courses bring together the collective expertise of all three organisations on such topics as risk assessment, EMC, the WEEE and RoHS directives as well as covering function safety of control systems and the new Machinery Directive.

There have been significant developments in all these areas during 2006 and many changes will, or have already, come into effect during 2007-08.

Much of this European legislation impacts directly on machinery manufacturers and suppliers (as well as end users, who will need to understand the PUWER regulations, which are the subject of October's seminar).

The 2007 programme kicks off on 18th April with a course on machinery risk assessment.

The course will answer the question: "What is suitable and sufficient risk assessment that will satisfy the Health and Safety Executive?".

Companies are expected to carry out machinery risk assessments not only when new equipment is designed, but also for existing plant that is in daily use and particularly before machinery is modified.

A course on the new Machinery Directive will be held on 3rd May 2007.

The new Machinery Directive has now been published, and although many of its requirements are similar to the current legislation, there are some significant differences which will impact on machine manufacturers, companies that create assemblies of machines and machinery importers.

Manufacturers of partly complete machines now have to comply with specific requirements as well as issuing a declaration of incorporation.

Potentially the most costly change to the directive is the requirement that the fixing systems of fixed guards must remain attached to the guards or to the machinery when guards are removed.

A course on the WEEE and RoHS directives will be held on 27th June 2007.

The effects of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) are as clear as the effects of the Restrictions of the use of Certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (RoHS).

This seminar will examine their effect on machine tools, printing and converting machinery and process and packaging machinery where it is much less clear how the legislation should apply and if it does who should register and who should pick up the bill for recycling.

The course on the Provision and use of work Equipment Regulations on 11th October 2007 will help anyone who is responsible for the purchase, use, maintenance or modification of work equipment to gain a thorough understanding of their responsibilities under this legislation and what it does and does not cover.

The new Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive will be covered on 22nd November 2007.

Compared with the current directive, the new EMC Directive contains significant departures that will have particular impact on companies that combine equipment together to make fixed installations.

It now applies to components and subassemblies as well as electrical apparatus and procedures for claiming conformity to the directive have changed as have the requirement for what used to be called the technical construction file.

The last course of 2007 will cover functional safety of control systems, and will be held on 22nd November.

The functional safety of control systems is one of the most contentious subjects in CE marking with fierce debates on the relative importance of circuit architecture, selection of components and the safety integrity of components and systems.

This seminar will discuss the relative merits and likely uses of the different standards and provide practical examples of how they can be applied to conventional hard-wired safety circuits and to software synchronised machines and machines that use safety bus systems, safety PLCs and safety critical software.