On June 29, 2023, the European Machinery Regulation was published in the Official Journal of the EU. The Machinery Ordinance received the identification number EU 2023/1230 which repeals Directive 2006/42/EC is published in Journal L 165. After 20 days, this ordinance will enter into force and be binding from January 20, 2027 This will imply changes to take into account when designing a machine.
The new EU Machinery Regulation takes into account current developments, such as artificial intelligence, IIoT or cybersecurity, and takes into account practical knowledge gained in recent years.
What is new is that there is an EU Machinery Directive and not a “new” EC Machinery Directive associated with common language practice. This is due to EU law. There will no longer be a national implementation, as with the LMR 2006/42/EG in the 9th ProdSV. EU regulations are approved by the EU and are directly applicable after a certain transition period.
The reason why a new EU Machinery Regulation is simply because things evolve rapidly and more in the industry in times of digitization. The current MD 2006/42/EC corresponds to the early 2000s. Rapid technological developments, functional safety and digitization, cyber security requirements, and adjustments to legal provisions, such as the NFL or the “Blue Guide “, which had been long overdue, were the central points of the review.
What are the novelties of the new EU 2023/1230?
These are some of the improvements and novelties of the new EU 2023/1230
Appendix I
The less “popular” Annex IV of the current MRL 2006/42/EG, which will be included in the list of “high risk machines” in the future, will be divided into parts A and B for conformity assessment of the EU:
- In part A, CE marking is only possible through the type examination bodies (NB).-
- In the larger part B, CE marking can also be achieved through EU standards, such as is usual, through internal production control.
Annex III
- Requirement for cybersecurity against external influences, so that dangerous situations cannot arise
- Details about the reliability of the controllers in silos or narrow containers, the “manhole” for the person to be rescued and the rescue aids must be large enough,
- Security improvements on mobile devices,
- Operating instructions can be created on paper and in digital format,
- Elimination of the “original operating instructions” in the manufacturer’s language.
Appendix V
- EU Declarations of Conformity and EU Declarations of Incorporation have been specified so that they can be created not only on paper but also in digital form with photos of machines or incomplete machines.
Appendix XI
- The assembly instructions are much more extensive and have been significantly improved in terms of safety.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
New categories within the list of high-risk machines: Safety components and machines that incorporate artificial intelligence systems that guarantee safety functions.
HIGH VOLTAGE
Machine design requirement is incorporated to avoid risk of contact with high voltage lines.
AUTONOMOUS MOBILE MACHINES
Monitoring function and conditions of the displacement function. New figure of driver of a machine by remote control or remote control.
3D PRINT
3D printers are included within the scope of the Regulation.
PERSONAL MOBILITY VEHICLES
It includes in its scope of application personal mobility vehicles, such as electric scooters, electric bicycles or others.
CYBER SECURITY
New requirements to protect machines against accidental or intentional corruption.
SOFTWARE
Requirements regarding source code or security-related programming logic
The EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 will become mandatory after a transition period of 42 months from January 20, 2027