2020 has been a peculiar year, which has brought the main economies - and the manufacturing world in particular - to confront with a global emergency situation, sudden and unforeseen, caused by COVID-19 virus.
During such market circumstances, having an impact on both real and financial economies, European Commission has considered it appropriate to assess the impact of an update regarding Machinery Directive 2006/42/CE, by carrying out surveys aimed at relevant stakeholders, including Faentia Consulting.
The Commission has rightly wondered about how the current Machinery Directive was in line with the technological evolution which has been rapidly spreading in the Machinery world, better known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The assets under review has been as it follows:
- IoT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Machine Learning
- Robotics
- Machinery remote management, in terms of reliability meaning without signal delays, such as stop signal, in compliance with Cyber Security subject to cyber attacks
- Use of softwares which can be updated even by users, via World Wide Web, in compliance with the essential safety requirements.
Based on feedbacks from the respondents, on April 21st 2021 the European Commission has published a proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Machinery Products, to replace the Directive currently in force.
The new proposal aims to guide Machinery Manufacturers through designing, building and placing on the European Union market safe machineries, able to take into account the new Technological Evolution, in order to constantly support the proposal for new solutions aiming to satisfy more and more the operator’s Safety and Wellbeing.
FAENTIA CONSULTING SRL
Eng. Claudio Barone
Product Safety Eng.B.U.