Ensure machine safety and maximum safety for your operators

In industrial environments, machine safety describes a structured approach to reducing risks associated with the use of automated equipment. In automation systems, this involves identifying potential hazards throughout the entire machine lifecycle and applying technical and organisational measures to prevent accidents.

Robust safety concepts are based on dependable machine safety components and automation safety solutions that ensure controlled and predictable machine behaviour during normal operation, maintenance activities, and fault situations, while also supporting compliance with European safety regulations.

By embedding machine safety automation principles into machine design, manufacturers can substantially lower the risk of unplanned downtime and safety-related disruptions. Automated safety functions continuously monitor operating conditions and take action when irregular situations are detected.

The use of certified safety automation products and reliable machine safety components supports stable and consistent production processes, while ensuring a high level of protection for operators and maintenance staff.

SMC supplies a wide portfolio of machinery safety components for industrial automation, such as safety-rated pneumatic valves, air preparation equipment, flow control solutions, and check valves.

These safety automation products are designed to support risk reduction within machine safety automation, enabling machine builders to develop compliant systems that align with international safety standards.

EN ISO 13849-1 is a key standard in machine safety because it defines how safety-related control systems should be designed and assessed. It introduces the concept of Performance Levels (PL), which are used to evaluate the reliability of safety functions under specific operating conditions.

Applying this framework within machine safety automation helps ensure that chosen safety components deliver measurable and consistent risk reduction. This supports CE conformity and contributes to long-term operational safety and system reliability.

Contemporary automation safety products support a broad set of safety functions, including Safe Venting, Prevention of Unexpected Start-up, Safe Brake Control, and Safe Torque Off.

When these functions are implemented using certified machine safety components, they form the basis of robust machine safety automation concepts. This ensures controlled and predictable machine behaviour during emergency situations as well as during maintenance and servicing activities.

PneuSAFE is a web-based engineering tool designed to streamline the implementation of machine safety automation solutions in pneumatic systems. It assists engineers in selecting validated safety architectures and automatically generates technical documentation, including pneumatic schematics, bills of materials, and data compatible with SISTEMA.

By using this approach, engineering processes are faster and more consistent, while ensuring that machine safety requirements are correctly applied through approved automation safety products.

Machine safety in Finland is regulated under the European legal framework that applies across all EU member states. This includes the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and its transition to the EU Machinery Regulation, which define essential health and safety requirements for machinery placed on the market.

Harmonised standards such as EN ISO 12100 for risk assessment and EN ISO 13849 for the design and validation of safety-related control systems provide practical guidance for implementation. Together, these regulations and standards create a consistent basis for machine safety automation in Finland, ensuring that machinery safety components are designed, assessed, and validated according to common European safety principles.

Yes, professional technical support is available to support machine safety initiatives, including on-site consultancy, training sessions, and system validation. These services commonly include risk assessments, the development of safety concepts, and the preparation of documentation required for CE marking.

Specialist guidance helps ensure that automation safety products are properly selected and effectively integrated into dependable machine safety automation systems.

To obtain advice specific to your project, you can reach out to a local machine safety expert to review your application in detail. This personalised support helps determine the most appropriate safety components and automation safety products, while ensuring compliance, efficient implementation, and lasting operational safety.