Overview
IEC TR 62513:2008 is an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Report offering essential guidelines for the use of communication systems in safety-related applications within machinery. The document focuses on the integration and use of closed serial digital communications systems, commonly referred to as fieldbuses, for transmitting safety-related data. It provides comprehensive recommendations for the specification, system design, installation, commissioning, modification, and maintenance of safety-related control systems (SRECS) that incorporate communication networks to achieve safety functions.
IEC TR 62513:2008 assumes that a safety requirements specification (SRS) for SRECS is already established, with the technical report intended for use alongside IEC 62061, which specifies functional safety requirements for machinery.
Key Topics
- Safety-Related Communication Systems: Guidance on selecting and integrating fieldbus communication systems to transfer safety data as part of a machinery’s protective functions.
- Functional Safety Management: Recommendations for documenting and managing functional safety procedures throughout the system lifecycle, including selection, installation, validation, and maintenance.
- System Design Considerations: Key design parameters such as Safety Integrity Level (SIL) allocation, response times, configuration, and fault monitoring requirements for communication systems in safety roles.
- Risk Assessment and Protective Measures: Identification of hazards and the implementation of risk reduction strategies through reliable communication and control.
- Selection Criteria: Considerations for choosing appropriate architectures, required response times, scalability (number of nodes), transmission distances and speeds, as well as environmental resilience (temperature, vibration, EMI).
- Installation and Configuration: Guidance on system set-up, verification of subsystem compatibility, correct wiring practices, and secure configuration.
- System Validation and Maintenance: Procedures for thorough validation before and after powering up, functional testing, maintenance planning, record-keeping, and staff training.
Applications
IEC TR 62513:2008 is valuable for:
- Machine Builders and Integrators: Ensuring digital communication systems used in safety-related control applications conform to best practices, supporting machinery safety compliance and reliability.
- Industrial Automation Engineers: Designing, configuring, and validating safety communication networks, particularly those utilizing fieldbus architectures, in new or modified machine installations.
- Safety Managers and Assessors: Overseeing the adherence to safety standards in the selection and use of communication systems in order to support overall functional safety objectives.
- Maintenance Personnel: Establishing maintenance procedures and periodic inspection routines tailored to the needs of safety-related networks and system modifications.
- Facility Operators and Trainers: Supporting the safe and effective use of advanced safety control systems through education and ongoing training.
Typical use cases include automated manufacturing lines, robotic workcells, process machinery, material handling systems, and any industrial machinery relying on networked safety functions.
Related Standards
- IEC 62061: Safety of machinery - Functional safety of safety-related electrical, electronic and programmable electronic control systems (companion reference).
- IEC 60204-1: Safety of machinery - Electrical equipment of machines - General requirements.
- IEC 61508: Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety-related systems.
- ISO 13849: Safety of machinery - Safety-related parts of control systems.
- IEC 61784-3: Industrial communication networks - Profiles - Functional safety fieldbuses.
- IEC 61131-2: Programmable controllers - Equipment requirements and tests.
These references provide the normative and supporting frameworks for the effective implementation of fieldbus and safety communication systems in industrial automation and safety control contexts.
By adhering to the guidelines in IEC TR 62513:2008, organizations can significantly enhance machinery safety, improve compliance with international safety standards, and achieve more robust integration of safety functions within digital industrial communication systems.