Technical Rules & Standards - vdma.org

When CE marking machines, important instructions must be observed in order to fulfill the legal obligations. The VDMA has compiled these notes for practical use, which go beyond explanations in the official guide.

What are the implications for standardization of the proposal for revision of the Machinery Directive published by the European Commission?

Bureaucracy holds back innovation and investment in the machinery and plant engineering sector. 

The EU Cyber Resilience Act is one of the most important regulations for the mechanical engineering industry in the coming years. Find out about dates, obligations and possible opportunities and risks of the regulation that will soon come into force.

The last DAfA Thematic Committee took place on March 26, 2024 and the last DAfA meeting on April 9, 2024.

The official guide to the Machinery Directive has been revised and published in version 2.3 in English and German. The reason for the revision is the new legal interpretation of digital operating instructions.

Consultation on Regulation (EU) No. 1025/2012: VDMA advocates optimized standardization processes to ensure the efficiency and competitiveness of European industry and to meet modern market requirements

Update: now also available in English! The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) will be published soon and will then come into force. The VDMA has compiled a FAQ document to provide support and non-binding guidance to its members.

Mechanicus optimizes your work processes with straightforward calculations of machine elements. Test reliable calculations for gears, bearings, and more at www.mechanicus.app.

The Schlierbach presence experience exchange on machine safety took place for the sixth time on June 10 and 11, 2024. More than 60 participants attended the event on one or both days.

The EU Commission, member states and trade associations have agreed that manufacturers of machinery can now supply the operating instructions in digital form.

Between the current Machinery Directive and the new EU Regulation - those responsible for machinery safety are faced with some groundbreaking questions. An overview of obligations and deadlines.

A flashlight on essential requirements for the safe commissioning of machines and systems in the USA in contrast to Europe.

The draft version of the Cyber Resilience Act, which was voted on in the plenary of the European Parliament on 12.03.2024, is available for download.

In some cases, functions of a machine are tested and optimized on site. There is a desire to leave machines without CE marking to the customer for this purpose for a certain period of time.

The EU's interim climate target for 2040 is politically correct, but must not lead to even more regulation and hurdles for companies. Simplifying the Green Deal must therefore be a priority.

The NAM annual report is now available for download.

The provisional text of the Cyber Resilience Act is available for download.

The EU Regulation Machinery will apply from 20 January 2027. The Machinery Directive must be applied by 19 January 2027. How can the manufacturer manage the changeover of the EU Declaration of Conformity in just one day?

At the trilogue on November 30, 2023, an agreement was reached between the Council, the European Parliament and the EU Commission on the Cyber Resilience Act. The VDMA welcomes the agreement, which helps to meet the current challenges.

Manufacturers based outside the UK who wish to import products, such as machinery, into the UK must appoint an importer and provide details of this.

The EU's planned general ban on the PFAS group of substances would pose an enormous threat to high-tech industries such as medical or semiconductor technology. A survey by SPECTARIS and VDMA shows the shortcomings of the consultation process of the EU authority ECHA.

With a delay of two and a half years, the mandatory certification of low voltage switchgear and controlgear according to the Indian IS/IEC 60947 series of standards will come into force in May 2024.

A lawsuit at the ECJ could endanger the entire system of harmonized standards. The planned final proposals of the Advocate General at the ECJ does not bode well.

Following the announcement by the Department of Business and Trade, there is to be an indefinite extension of the use of CE marking in the United Kingdom (UK). Many questions remain.

Update: VDMA provides its members with a comparison of the provisions and technical requirements of the EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 with those of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC in English and German.

The text of the new EU Machinery Regulation, adopted in the Permanent Representatives Committee on January 25, 2023, is available for download.

The VDMA Quick Guide explains the manufacturer's obligations, in particular with regard to the conformity assessment procedure.

Current developments in the field of standardization and market access in China.

The database "Machinery safety standards" helps manufacturers and users of standards to find their way through the jungle of standards.

The Blue Guide is the central document explaining overarching provisions on CE marking. The version from 2016 has been updated.

Dr. Magnus Janicki Convenor for another three years

The complexity of legal requirements for all products in the field of application of mechanical and plant engineering is constantly increasing. For this reason, the VDMA supports its member companies in opening up foreign markets with comprehensive expertise on the locally applicable regulations.

The DIN Standards Committee Mechanical Engineering (NAM) supported by VDMA represents the interests of VDMA members in European and international standardization.

In June 2021, the EU presented a roadmap for a European standardization strategy. The VDMA fully supports the content of Orgalim's and BusinessEurope's comments on this.

Call for participation in the survey on the study by E&Y and Menon, which examines the European standardisation system and aims to improve innovation and competitiveness.

Second final DIS survey for the draft revision of ISO 13849-1:2015 "Safety of machinery - Safety-related parts of control systems - Part 1: General principles for design".

On May 20, 2021, the Industrial Printing Working Group met virtually to discuss "Anti-Counterfeiting, Brand Protection - Solutions for Packaging and Label Printing".

The Technical Report CEN/TR 22100-1 builds a bridge between the world of standardization and the European Single Market legislation for machinery.

ISO/TR 22100-5 describes whether and how AI applications can influence safety of machinery and how hazards can be taken into account in the context of risk assessment and subsequent risk reduction.

China is currently formulating a new standardization strategy. Increasingly, attempts are being made to introduce national Chinese standards as the basis for an international standardization project.

The Technical Report on "Cybersecurity and Machine Security" has been published with issue date 2020-12.

Type B standards on "Functional safety/design of safety-related parts of control systems" must be better adapted to the practical requirements/possibilities in mechanical engineering.

Is the New Approach (NLF) still salvageable? A contribution to ensuring a smooth EU internal market in overcoming the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The diversity of international regulations is a challenge for export-oriented SMEs. Roland Kerscher, Head of Laws, Standards, Guidelines in Central Engineering at Krones AG in Neutraubling, Germany, explains the effort involved - and possible solutions.

New technologies require standards. However, standards often resemble a theoretical construct that is not aligned with practical application in medium-sized mechanical engineering.

Listing of harmonized standards for the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC in the EU Official Journal after a waiting period of more than one year.

Safety markings, type plates, cable plates, labelling of components are of course part of mechanical and plant engineering. In spite of their undisputed importance, many engineers and designers continue to consider markings to be an annoying side issue.

At the 55th advisory board meeting of the DIN Standards Committee for Mechanical Engineering on 2018-11-14, Dipl.-Ing. Ralph Krogmann was re-elected as chairman of the NAM for a second term of office until November 2022.

Current developments in standardization and market access in China.