Modern life would not exist as we know it without standards. Consumer-appliance power cords would vary by manufacturer, cars would be relatively unsafe, and even the newest light bulbs would chew through electricity. Within the ever-changing world of industrial standards, three broad categories emerge: Safety-related standards that keep workers and machines out of harm's way, platform norms that make parts connect more seamlessly, and green legislation to make products more environmental. Following are several new developments within each of these important areas.

Safety first

Safety-related standards are arguably the most important category. ANSI/ISA 84, IEC 61508, and IEC 61511 are three established standards that ensure risk reduction in industrial settings and address both process and functional safety. (See "Standards resources" box on Page 3 of this article for links to more information on these and other important standards.) Another term with which to be familiar is SIL, or Safety Integrity Level. A SIL measures safety system performance according to four integrity levels: The higher the SIL level, the lower the chance of failure for the safety system. As SIL levels increase, system complexity (and cost) also tends to increase. Two notes: SIL levels apply to entire systems rather than individual components, and few systems are rated to SIL 4.

In recent safety news, IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) has approved openSAFETY as a worldwide standard. The fieldbus-independent protocol was tested according to IEC 61784-3 FSCP 13 and approved by national IEC committees representing 27 countries including the U.S., China, and Germany, and is now released for international standardization. Because openSAFETY is bus independent, it can be used with all fieldbus or industrial Ethernet systems. At the HMI 2010 trade show in Hanover, Germany, openSAFETY was presented in applications using popular industrial Ethernet protocols, such as SERCOS III, Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP, and POWERLINK. openSAFETY has been certified by TÜV Rheinland and TÜV Süd for SIL 3 applications. For more information, visit open-safety.org.

Another growing area of safety concern — and related standards — involves arc flash hazards. To shed some light on the topic, a new white paper from Rockwell Automation, Milwaukee, discusses the dangers of arc flash along with the standards guiding arc-flash safety, and details the role that arc-resistant motor control centers (MCCs) can play in helping to contain arc energy and reduce these hazards.

"Advances in Low Voltage MCC Technology Help Reduce Arc-Flash Hazards and Minimize Risks" outlines how changing industry standards are putting more focus on arc-flash risks, and highlights the key features and components of an effective arc-resistant MCC design. The paper also underscores the performance criteria that must be met before an MCC can be classified as an arc-resistant design. According to the paper, an arc-resistant MCC is designed and built to provide a complete structural solution in accordance with defined industry standards, such as NFPA 70E (Electrical Standard for Safety in the Workplace). Arc-resistant equipment is designed to minimize arc-flash exposure by extinguishing the arc, controlling the arc's spread, or channeling the arc pressure and energy away from personnel.

"As new codes and standards continue to raise the awareness of arc-flash hazards, users are looking for products capable of delivering higher safety levels," says John Kuroski, MCC product manager. For more information, visit literature.rockwellautomation.com and search "arc flash."

Seamless operation, productivity gains

Beyond the safety of workers and equipment, standards also aim to boost throughput and productivity. These gains often result from compatible components that are developed when different manufacturers adhere to the same rigorous standards. To that end, ISO recently published a CD-ROM compilation of 202 standards and related documents addressing the field of mechanical vibration, shock, and machine condition monitoring. Documents include the entire portfolio of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 108 (Mechanical vibration, shock and condition monitoring), as well as a selection of other related ISO standards.