Testing of industrial machinery

UKCA – Your access to the UK. Now that the UK has left the EU, the regulations for product approval and labeling requirements are changing if you want to bring a product to the market in the UK. With the Brexit process complete, manufacturers and exporters are now confronted with the question of what requirements they will be facing.

A two-year "standstill" period began on January 1, 2021, and will end on December 31, 2022. During this time, CE marking will continue to be accepted. Products exported to the UK from the EU will have to comply with relevant UK regulations and standards starting on January 1, 2023. The CE marking will cease to be valid in the UK at that time. Products subject to mandatory marking must in the future carry the UKCA marking.

Saudi Arabia is a very attractive market for European machinery manufacturers. Before April 1, 2018, a shipping certificate was sufficient to import products into Saudi Arabia. However, since then, a completely new system has been introduced: the SALEEM program, and new technical regulations have come into force.

You may export goods to Saudi Arabia only if your products meet the criteria specified in these regulations and if you can prove compliance with a certificate recognized by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO). This proof must be presented to the customs authorities upon import. TÜV Rheinland can support you with entering the market. We test your machinery according to Saudi Arabian requirements and can issue the certificate of conformity for the product and the shipment.

The governments of the USA and Canada established clearly defined regulations that machines must meet before they can be put into operation for commercial or industrial use. These products are subject to mandatory testing and certification by an independent testing organization approved in the respective country. As a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), the services provided by TÜV Rheinland can help get your industrial machinery to market faster.

Depending on the application, we offer the right services for you:

• Field Evaluation Services for customized stand-alone machines according to NFPA 791, NFPA 79 and SPE 1000.
• cTUVus certification according to UL and CSA standards
• Control Panel Shop Program to certify manufacturers of control panels according to UL508A, NFPA 79 and CSA C22.2 No. 14

We support manufacturers in their conformity assessment with our safety assessment of machines in accordance with NR 12 (machine safety). The specified technical instructions, principles and protective measures of NR 12 are intended to ensure the health and physical integrity of workers. NR 12 defines the minimum requirements for the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases in the phases of construction, manufacture, import, marketing, exhibition and movement of machinery and equipment. In addition, we test your machines according to IEC 60204-1, a standard that typically covers the electrical requirements for manufacturers of machines according to NR 10.

The Korean Occupational Safety and Health Administration (KOSHA) and the National Radio Research Agency have standardized the approval procedure under a Korean law. Only products that have been tested by an internationally accredited testing body (registered with the above-mentioned authorities) and that carry the KC (RRA) and KCs mark may be placed on the Korean market.

TÜV Rheinland supports you with the Korean approval procedures, specifically with the mandatory KC (RRA) (EMC for industrial equipment) and KCs (EMC and safety for high-risk machinery) approvals and the voluntary KOSHA S-Mark for machinery.

In Australia and New Zealand, manufacturers are required by occupational health and safety legislation to design and manufacture machines in such a way that they do not pose any risks to the health and safety of the user. These standards regulate different safety-relevant aspects.

Although testing of the standards is not mandatory for export, proof and compliance are required by the market and the respective industry. TÜV Rheinland tests your machines according to Australian and New Zealand standards from the AS/NSZ 4024.xxxx series of standards.

Machinery for the Mexican market must comply with the Mexican NOM standards. Compliance with these requirements is verified in different ways. Three procedures may apply. For many industrial machines, procedure 3 applies.

1) Proof of compliance with a specific NOM standard is required at customs.

2) Proof of compliance with a specific NOM standard is required for commissioning.

3) No standards are established for 1) and 2), and the machine must comply with the applicable NOM standards.

In Mexico, the main standards that apply to industrial machinery are the following:

NOM-001-SCFI is often used as the basic standard for general safety even though it is harmonized with IEC 60950 and applies to information technology equipment.

NOM-003-SCFI applies to electrical installations and is primarily relevant for the machine operator. However, the standard also requires compliance with NOM standards for equipment and machinery. Furthermore, Annex O specifies basic safety requirements for machinery.

NOM-004-STPS specifies occupational safety for the operation of machinery and is important for machine operators. However, the standard also includes requirements for supporting documentation and for risk analysis.

The scope of NOM-019-SCFI is data processing equipment, and this standard should therefore not apply to machinery. However, Mexican authorities like to interpret the scope generously. The standard is often applied to machines that process data in the broadest sense, which applies to many new machines.