Danfoss has introduced a Functional Safety Solution, a complete functional safety package that greatly simplifies safety certification efforts for off-highway OEMs. The solution will save them time, cost and engineering effort throughout the process of building functional-safety certified equipment.
The Danfoss Functional Safety Solution represents all Danfoss components, software, processes and training that help customers comply with safety standards, such as the European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and other harmonized standards.
“Meeting functional safety standards can be a complex, time-consuming and costly process that strains OEM resources,” said Torben Juul, functional safety manager at Danfoss Power Solutions.
“With the Danfoss Functional Safety Solution, our customers can focus on their core competencies while relying on Danfoss for functional-safety solutions, expertise and experience.”
Complying with the European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and other harmonized standards demands intricate knowledge of legislation, components, software, design processes, applications and documentation. The Danfoss Functional Safety Solution therefore offers customers support on topics ranging from risk assessment to system validation, with the company sharing its extensive knowledge and application experience through the customizable Functional Safety Fundamental Training and Risk Assessment Training modules. These introductions to functional safety concepts and risk assessment help OEMs approach functional safety and risk assessment more efficiently and intelligently.
Most component choices on the market today are not functional safety-certified, and some are not even certifiable. The Functional Safety Solution offers high-quality controllers, PVG proportional valves and piston pumps that are already safety-certified by third-party company Exida. The integration of certified components available with the solution reduces design time and speeds time to market by eliminating the need for OEMs to have components or subsystems independently certified.
The solution also simplifies the functional safety aspects of software development with the software Product Development and Launch Process (PDLP), functional safety certified by TÜV-Nord up to Safety Integrity Level 3 according to IEC 61508:2010. This dramatically reduces programming time and cost associated with creating certifiable software, enabling customers to focus on their technical solution.
As for system validation, the solution provides transparent documentation related to certified and non-certified components, saving significant validation time and making clear exactly what customers need.
“At Danfoss, we have a robust functional safety team to support OEMs through the entire process of developing safety-certified machines,” Juul added. “As OEMs grow and their functional safety needs evolve, so will our support.”
May 29, 2015
