functional safety
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IECEE work benefits the environment, workplace and homes
Testing and certification can save energy and make life saferEvery day, whether at home, in the workplace, hospitals, airports or other public places, we come into contact with many devices and their operating systems, which we expect should function safely and reliably.
Baptism of fire
New Technical Report from IEC SC 121AHealth and safety have always been key drivers behind the publication of IEC Standards. Electricity can be dangerous and electrotechnical equipment and systems can cause different types of hazards if not used according to a set of pre-determined safety rules. A new Technical Report (TR) published by IEC Subcommittee (SC) 121A lists fire risk reduction measures as applied to low voltage switchgear and controlgear.
The importance of testing against International Standards
Everyone benefits from using efficient, safe products and servicesToday, many devices and services found in homes, hospitals, the workplace and industry run off electricity. Such machines and equipment can be dangerous if they malfunction, causing explosions, fires or electrocuting users or anyone who comes into contact with them, in addition to damaging property.
Improving safety and reliability in process industry plants
Development of safety and reliability programmes for crucial plantsAhmad Hosni, MSc, a Functional Safety Senior Engineer, Certified Functional Safety Expert/Professional and Certified Fire Protection Specialist, has just published a book on process safety and reliability programmes for process industry plants. e-tech publishes here a summary of the main findings of his book.
Watching the road ahead
Road transportation and machine visionMachine vision has a great future in transportation, particularly as we move towards autonomous vehicles. Dealing with standardization in this area will require joint work between different Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs).
When power fails
Microgrids limit the disruption caused by large-scale power outagesPower failure recovery is a key task for governments, hospitals and private businesses to get to grips with if they want to reduce the disruption caused by power outages resulting from natural disasters. Smart and microgrids are one of the solutions and the IEC is leading the way with the appropriate Standards.
The next generation of IEC leaders
Get to know the 2016 Young Professionals LeadersMeet the IEC 2016 Young Professional Leaders and learn more about how YPs are becoming involved in the technical work of the IEC.
Covering countless safety requirements for SMPS
The second edition of a Standard will improve the safety of a myriad of systemsLow-voltage switch mode power supplies (SMPS) can be found in innumerable applications in IT equipment, vehicles, battery chargers, etc. A second edition of IEC 61204-7, an International Standard addressing safety requirements for SMPS was recently published. This Standard is also available as an Extended version (EXV).
A year of brand building and increasing visibility
IEC General Secretary addresses CouncilDuring his address to Council, IEC General Secretary and CEO Frans Vreeswijk highlighted the main achievements since Minsk and talked about important ongoing projects.
Keeping our powered lives safe
IECEE offers an efficient system for testing the quality, performance and energy use of many electronic devicesFrom the smartphone alarm first thing in the morning to switching off the lights last thing at night, many products and systems in our daily lives run off electricity. We use the hairdryer, washing machine, stove, get on and off transport and walk through automated doors at the office, take the elevator, fire up the computer and purchase items online, expecting that everything will work reliably and safely.
Asset integrity and functional safety
Lessons from the Gudrun offshore platform leakThe February 2015 condensate leak on the Gudrun offshore platform, in the North Sea, highlighted many lessons learned from other incidents and the importance of functional safety. It also revealed some lessons for many practitioners in the functional safety and asset integrity fields. IEC-developed International Standards on functional safety play a central role in many industries and processes.
Safe and sound on the roads
Connected vehicles should improve road safety, but security issues need addressingRoads are becoming safer in industrialized countries, in spite of increased traffic volumes, thanks to improvements in vehicle electronics. The introduction of connectivity is likely to improve this record still further but raises concerns about security risks. Miscreants could hack into vehicles' networks, causing equipment to malfunction or accidents to occur, or resulting in vehicle theft. Existing and future International Standards are set to play an important role in addressing these security risks.
Avoiding accidents
Adding electrical equipment to industrial machines for safer operationEquipment such as machine tools and robots has been used extensively in a variety of manufacturing sectors for decades. Individuals working with or in close proximity to these machines are reliant on their safe operation for protection, as are nearby installations. IEC TC (Technical Committee) 44: Safety of machinery – Electrotechnical aspects, prepares International Standards to ensure this is the case.
Game changer for amusement machines
Gaming goes for the personal touchWhile the irresistible global rise of online entertainment is bringing rapid change to the market for commercial amusement machines, businesses are also readjusting to the combined pressures of economic recession and regulatory change. A number of IEC TCs (Technical Committees) and SCs (Subcommittees) prepare International Standards for the systems and devices used in amusement machines found in public places. These make a significant contribution to an industry with a global value projected to exceed USD 110 billion in 2016.
Safe and sound on the roads
Connected vehicles should improve road safety, but security issues need addressingRoads are becoming safer in industrialized countries, in spite of increased traffic volumes, thanks to improvements in vehicle electronics. The introduction of connectivity is likely to improve this record still further but raises concerns about security risks. Miscreants could hack into vehicles' networks, causing equipment to malfunction or accidents to occur, or resulting in vehicle theft. Existing and future International Standards are set to play an important role in addressing these security risks.
Sensors everywhere
Impulses that help us control our environmentA sensor is a device that responds to a physical stimulus such as heat, light, sound, pressure, magnetism or motion and transmits an impulse that is used to generate an action, such as on-off, close/open or start/stop.
From bomb disposal to waste disposal…
From bomb disposal to waste disposal…Recent events throughout the world have shown that robots are proving extremely valuable, even irreplaceable, in dealing with the consequences of industrial or natural disasters and other dangerous situations. They can help prevent problems or monitor risks, carry out tasks in hostile or polluted environments and support search and rescue operations.