IEC 60204-1 Testing

Electrical Safety Testing for Machinery As Per IEC 60204-1

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What is IEC 60204-1 standard?

This standard is applicable to electrical, electronic and programmable electronic equipment and machine not portable by hand while working including a group of machine working together in a co-ordinate manner.

It implies to Electrical equipment which operate at supply:

  • Voltage <1000V for AC
  • Voltage <1500 V DC with nominal supply frequency <200 Hz

Power circuit where electrical energy is directly used as working tool are excluded from IEC 60204.

Scope of IEC/EN 60204-1

IEC/EN 60204 applies to the application of electrical, electronic and programmable electronic equipment and systems to machines not portable by hand while working, including a group of machines working together in a co-ordinated manner. The equipment covered by this part of IEC 60204 commences at the point of connection of the supply to the electrical equipment of the machine. IEC/EN 60204 is applicable to the electrical equipment or parts of the electrical equipment that operate with nominal supply voltages not exceeding 1000 V for alternating current (AC) and not exceeding 1500 V for direct current (DC), and with nominal supply frequencies not exceeding 200 Hz.

This standard defines Hazards and risk of any machinery.

Danger and Risk

Most people have a misunderstanding between danger/hazard and risk. A danger is ever present whereas risk is the possibility of that danger happening.

Consider the following two statements:

A hungry tiger is dangerous.

A hungry tiger is risky.

A hungry tiger is dangerous, but it is only a risk if it is in your vicinity. We can avoid or reduce risk by bounding danger.

(Tiger is locked in the ZOO, so the risk to be attacked is very low).

Protect People and Increase Productivity with IEC/EN 60204-1

  • Investing in machine safety
    • Health & safety for all personnel
  • Cut costs associated with:
    • Physical injuries
    • Insurance premiums
    • Lost production, penalties  
  • Increased productivity due to the prevention of accidents
    • Better failure detection
    • Worker confident at work
    • Improving maintenance efficiency
    • Safety Chain Principal
  • European legislation and the standards
    • The EU Machinery Directive (98/37/EC) 
    • As a European law, defines the targeted levels of Machine Safety.
    • Compliance with machinery directive is necessary to get the CE mark, and to allow the free circulation of machinery within the European Union.
    • A new version will be effective at the end of 2009.
  • The European harmonized standards
    • Established technical specifications which comply with the requirements of the related directives.
    • Compliance with European harmonized standard give compliance with the related directive.
  • Comply with the European harmonized Standards is the simplest way to comply with the Machinery Directive.

Below is the list of tests performed as per this:

S.noName of the clause
1Incoming supply conductor terminations and devices for disconnecting and switching off
2Terminal for connection to the external protective earthing system
3Supply disconnecting (isolating) device
4Devices for switching off for prevention of unexpected start-up
5Devices for disconnecting electrical equipment
6Protection against unauthorized, inadvertent and/or mistaken connection
7Protection by enclosures
8Protection by insulation of live parts
9Protection against residual voltages
10Protection by barriers
11Protection against indirect contact
12Protection by application of PELV circuit which have to fulfill following requirements:
13Over current protection
14Protection of motors against overheating
15EQUIPOTENTIAL BONDING
16CONTROL CIRCUITS AND CONTROL FUNCTONS
17OPERATOR INTERFACE AND MACHINE-MOUNTED CONTROL DEVICES
18Control gear: location mounting and enclosures
19conductors and cables
20wiring diagram
21Electric motors and associated equipment
22Accessories and lighting
23Marking, Warning signs and reference designations
24Technical documentation
25Verification of conditions for protection by automatic disconnection of supply
26Insulation Resistance test
27Voltage Test