In modern manufacturing, machine safety is no longer a box to tick—it’s a business differentiator. Companies that get it right don’t just meet regulations; they reduce downtime, protect their workforce, and build long-term operational resilience. Yet many organisations still struggle with one key challenge: How do you turn complex safety standards like EN ISO 14119 into practical, reliable and safe solutions? That’s where the right technology, and the right partner makes all the difference. EN ISO 14119: The Foundation of Safe Machine Access EN ISO 14119 defines how interlocking devices should be designed and applied to ensure that hazardous machine functions stop when guards are opened and cannot restart unintentionally. But beyond the standard, the design needs to take into consideration other aspects: • Considering access is possible during clean down operation e.g. when the power is off • Restricting access to only authorised operators, maintenance personnel and commissioning engineers • Designing safety logic for more complex systems that fulfils the needs of the relevant standards e.g. ensuring safety overrides meet the required Performance Levels (PL) under ISO 13849-1 This is where safety moves from theory into realworld engineering. Performance Levels: Where Safety Meets System Reliability Achieving the required Performance Level (PL) a-e is critical in modern machine safety design. It ensures that your safety function performs reliably under defined conditions. With advanced safety components, you can: • Achieve higher PL ratings with fewer components, saving installation time • Reduce wiring complexity through series connection capabilities, while still achieving high levels of performance (up to PLe). Up to 20 devices can be wired in series using standard cables with BR Technology from EUCHNER. • Gain real-time diagnostic data giving insights into equipment operation, increased productivity and ensuring downtime is minimised. Information such as number of operations, door position, lock status is easily obtainable from the communication outputs of selected EUCHNER devices such as the extremely robust CTA interlock with up to 8000N of locking force. • Connect safety devices directly onto standard safety fieldbus networks including PROFISAFE, Safety Over ETHERCAT and CIP safety via Ethernet/IP. The EUCHNER MGB2 range of interlocks allow up to 6 door locking stations per bus module. EUCHNER safety switch and guard locking solutions are engineered with this in mind, helping you reach high performance levels while simplifying your architecture. The result? A system that is not only compliant, but leaner, smarter, and easier to implement. Seamless Integration: Designed for Modern Automation One of the biggest challenges engineers face is integrating safety into increasingly complex control systems. Our solutions are built to integrate seamlessly into your existing environment and are compatible with leading control architectures, including Siemens, Beckhoff and Rockwell Automation. For medium complexity systems IO-Link and IOLink Safety solutions are available from EUCHNER, including non-contact and Locking Safety Interlocks. Instead of adding complexity, safety becomes a natural extension of your control system. Smarter Interlocking: Preventing Tampering by Design EN ISO 14119 places strong emphasis on minimising the risk of bypassing safety devices—a common but dangerous issue in industrial environments. Bypassing safety devices comes in two common forms – 1. where the operator or maintenance personnel overrides the guarding interlock to make life easier/faster. 2. Where there is a formal process to override the guards Machine Safety Isn’t Just Compliance– It’s a Competitive Edge COVER STORY
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