Pilz offers CE marking service

A Pilz Automation Technology product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Sep 11, 2008

Pilz Automation Technology is offering to manage entire CE marking projects on behalf of clients, thereby helping clients to comply with the requirements of European Directives.

Machinery manufactured, imported from non-EU countries or substantially modified is subject to the CE marking process when put into service in the European market.

By applying the CE mark, the supplier is claiming the machinery meets the essential requirements of the relevant EU Directives - mainly the Machinery Directive.

Assemblies of machines such as robot cells and production lines also have to be CE marked.

The CE marking process and the interpretation of the relevant Directives and standards requires a high level of knowledge and expertise.

Such a level of competence is difficult to maintain in an ever-changing regulatory environment.

Fortunately, however, Pilz has consultants and engineers available who can assist customers with both the CE marking process and implementation of any additional safety measures that are found to be necessary to meet the essential requirements of the Directives.

Pilz can manage the entire CE marking project on behalf of a client or provide input as and when called upon.

Typically Pilz undertakes the following activities on behalf of clients: identification and application of the relevant Directives and standards; hazard analysis and risk assessment; creation of a safety concept and generation of related safety design; evaluation of compliance with the essential requirements and, if necessary, recommend actions required to achieve compliance; conduct all required checks, tests, and measurements; and compilation of the legally required documents, including the technical construction file; management and archiving of documentation.

In both individual machinery projects and projects involving the linking of machines (known in the Machinery Directive as complex assemblies), Pilz can take overall responsibility for CE marking to the extent of signing the Declaration of Conformity.

Even with machinery that already displays the CE mark, customers still have a responsibility to ensure the safety of workplace machinery.

Pilz can therefore examine such machinery to ensure that the documentation and machinery meet the necessary standards and that the machine is, in fact, safe.

Whatever the nature of the project, if the safety-related aspects of the machine need further work, customers have the choice of doing it themselves (provided they possess the necessary competences) or work with a third-party supplier, panel builder or system integrator.

Alternatively, Pilz can provide engineering services, as well as an extensive range of machinery safety products.

Lastly, for customers designing machinery with long lead times, Pilz can provide advice and guidance in preparation for the new Machinery Directive that comes into force at the end of 2009.