Solenoid valves fall under the scope of the EU’s CE certification under the Machinery Directive. Effective January 1, 1995, the Machinery Directive officially became mandatory European legislation, and all EU member states were required to incorporate its basic provisions into their respective national laws. The EU Machinery Directive does not address technical details, but rather focuses on
Solenoid valves fall under the Machinery Directive in the EU CE certification. Effective January 1, 1995, the Machinery Directive officially became mandatory European legislation, and all EU member states were required to incorporate its basic provisions into their respective laws. The EU Machinery Directive does not address technical details but focuses on health and safety requirements related to the design and construction of machinery. The new EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC took effect on December 29, 2009.
On June 9, 2006, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union published the new Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC in the Official Journal. Compared to the previous Machinery Directive 98/37/EC, the new directive introduced significant changes in terms of scope, essential health and safety requirements, conformity assessment procedures, and market aspects. In accordance with the requirements of the new directive, it officially entered into force 20 days after its publication, on June 29, 2006. Overall, the new directive organizes similar provisions from the previous directive into chapters, resulting in a clearer structure and more accessible content, which helps manufacturers, certification bodies, Member States, and other relevant parties understand and apply the directive’s provisions.
The previous Machinery Directive 98/37/EC was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on July 23, 1998, replacing Directive 89/392/EEC, issued in 1989, and its subsequent amendments, Directives 91/368/EEC, 93/44/EEC, and 93/63/EEC.
Definition of Machinery:
Machinery as defined in the Machinery Directive includes machinery, interchangeable equipment, components, accessories, chains, ropes, and webbing, removable transmission devices, and semi-finished machinery.
1. Machinery means any equipment driven by a power source other than human or animal power, equipped with or designed to be equipped with a drive, consisting of several components, at least one of which is capable of movement, and designed to perform a specific function; (99% of production and processing equipment used in factories falls under this definition of machinery)
2. Interchangeable equipment refers to devices that can be mounted on machinery to alter its function. However, such devices do not fall under the definition of interchangeable equipment provided here.
3. Components refer to parts used solely to perform a specific function. They do not affect the machinery’s function, but their failure could pose a significant threat to the operator; they can be sold separately on the market.
4. Equipment accessories refer to devices installed between the equipment and the load; common examples include lifting slings and their components.
5. Chains, ropes, and belts refer to components primarily used in equipment or its accessories;
6. A removable mechanical transmission device refers to a transmission device installed between a power source and the driven equipment. If the equipment is equipped with a guard, the guard and the device shall be considered a single unit and may be separated.
7. “Semi-finished machinery” refers to equipment that is about to be assembled into a complete machine but cannot perform any function on its own. Such equipment is considered semi-finished machinery.
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