Ensure machine safety and maximum safety for your operators

In industrial settings, machine safety refers to a systematic approach to minimising risks linked to the operation of automated equipment. Within automation systems, this includes identifying hazards across the full machine lifecycle and implementing technical and organisational measures to prevent accidents.

Effective safety concepts rely on reliable machine safety components and automation safety solutions that ensure controlled and predictable machine behaviour during normal operation, maintenance, and fault conditions, while also supporting compliance with European safety regulations.

When machine safety automation principles are incorporated into the design of equipment, manufacturers can greatly reduce the occurrence of unexpected downtime and safety-related interruptions. Automated safety functions constantly oversee operating conditions and intervene whenever abnormal situations are identified.

The implementation of certified safety automation products together with robust machine safety components helps maintain stable and consistent production, while at the same time providing strong protection for operators and maintenance personnel.

SMC provides a comprehensive range of machinery safety components for industrial automation, including safety-rated pneumatic valves, air preparation units, flow control devices, and check valves.

These automation safety products are designed to support effective risk reduction within machine safety automation, helping machine builders create compliant systems that meet international safety standards.

EN ISO 13849-1 is fundamental to machine safety as it sets out the requirements for designing and evaluating safety-related control systems. The standard introduces Performance Levels (PL) as a way to measure how reliably safety functions operate under defined conditions.

Using this approach within machine safety automation helps ensure that selected safety components provide consistent and verifiable risk reduction. As a result, it supports CE compliance and contributes to long-term operational safety and overall system reliability.

Modern automation safety products enable a wide range of safety functions, such as Safe Venting, Prevention of Unexpected Start-up, Safe Brake Control, and Safe Torque Off.

When these functions are realised with certified machine safety components, they form the foundation of effective machine safety automation concepts, ensuring controlled and predictable machine behaviour during emergency situations and maintenance operations.

PneuSAFE is a web-based engineering tool created to simplify the implementation of machine safety automation solutions in pneumatic applications. It supports engineers by guiding the selection of validated safety architectures and by automatically producing technical documentation, such as pneumatic diagrams, bills of materials, and SISTEMA-compatible data.

This approach makes engineering workflows more efficient and consistent, while ensuring that machine safety requirements are correctly implemented using approved automation safety products.

Machine safety requirements in Norway are based on the European regulatory framework adopted through the EEA Agreement. This includes the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, which is implemented in Norwegian law and is being replaced at EU level by the new EU Machinery Regulation.

Harmonised standards such as EN ISO 12100 (risk assessment and risk reduction) and EN ISO 13849 (design and validation of safety-related control systems) provide practical guidance for compliance. Together, these regulations and standards establish a consistent framework for machine safety automation in Norway, ensuring that machinery and safety components meet common European safety requirements.

Yes, expert technical assistance is available for machine safety projects, including on-site consulting, training, and system validation. These services typically cover risk assessments, the definition of safety concepts, and the preparation of documentation needed for CE marking.

Professional guidance helps ensure that automation safety products are correctly selected and successfully integrated into reliable machine safety automation systems.

For guidance tailored to your specific project, you can contact a local machine safety specialist to discuss your application in detail. This personalised support helps identify the most suitable safety components and automation safety products, while ensuring compliance, efficient implementation, and long-term operational safety.