Page 21 - Industrial Technology July 2021

MACHINE BUILDING

New Ecodesign Regulation

DRIVES, MOTORS & CONTROLS

DEREK COULSON OF HOLD TECH FILES OFFERS GUIDANCE ON THE NEW ECODESIGN REGUATION

new Ecodesign Regulation came into force in the minutiae of the new Regulation. If a machine is placed on motor/VSD; (b) the technical documentation for the
European Union (EU) on 1 July 2021 and there the market in the EU or GB from 1 July 2021 onwards, purposes of conformity assessment; (c) free access
are important implications for machine builders any motor or VSD incorporated within the machine must websites of the manufacturer of the motor, its authorised
Aplacing machines on the market in the EU. In be ecodesign-compliant if it falls within the scope of the representative or the importer, and; (d) the technical data
addition, the UK Government is legislating to align the new ecodesign Regulation. sheet supplied with products in which the motor/VSD is
rules in Great Britain with those in the EU. The Northern This is the case whether the machine is manufactured incorporated.
Ireland Protocol, which was agreed when the UK left the in the EU, UK or anywhere else in the world. If the It follows that if a motor or VSD is incorporated within
EU, means the rules in Northern Ireland are the same as machine is placed on the market, then any motors or a machine, a copy of the relevant data sheet or manual
those in the EU. VSDs within it are also deemed to be placed on the market should be supplied with the machine’s documentation.
The new EU Regulation on electric motors and variable or put into service at the same time.
speed drives (EU) 2019/1781 repeals and replaces the In the EU and GB, the supply of non-compliant motors Required actions
existing Regulation on ecodesign for electric motors (EC) and VSDs will soon dry up because it is no longer legal for As well as supplying the relevant motor and or VSD
No 640/2009. Machine builders should be familiar with them to be sold except as like-for-like replacements. paperwork with the machine’s documentation, machine
the old Regulation, which covered single-speed, three- However, in other regional markets there may be less builders should also retain a copy. While a copy of the
phase 50Hz or 60/60Hz induction motors with two to six stringent energy efficiency requirements and machine motor/VSD data sheet or manual should not be included
poles, a rated output of 0.75 to 375kW and a rated builders in those regions will have access to non- within the technical file, it is logical to store it with the
voltage of up to 1000V. Based on continuous duty compliant motors. Using these motors in machines sold to technical file.
operation, motors had to have energy efficiency classes of the EU or GB would be illegal. There is nothing in Regulation 2019/1781 that says
IE3 or IE2 if powered via a variable-speed for how long documentation should be retained but it
drive (VSD). Required documentation would make sense for a machine builder to retain it for the
In addition to the motors Machine builders will be familiar same period as for the technical file, which is usually ten
covered by the previous with the European Machinery years after the last product was placed on the market.
Regulation, the new Regulation Directive and the UK equivalent, Machine Builders in the EU can retain the technical
lays down efficiency the Supply of Machinery (Safety) file themselves but non-EU machine builders must name
requirements for smaller motors Regulations, but these only cover a person established in the EU on the Declaration of
of 0.12 to 0.75kW, larger machinery safety, not Conformity (DoC) or Declaration of Incorporation (DoI) as
motors of 375kW to 1000kW, environmental issues; ecodesign being authorised to compile the technical file.
60Hz motors and eight-pole has nothing to do with the Furthermore, from 16 July 2021 many non-EU machine
motors. From July 2023, the Machinery Dir- builders will need to appoint an Authorised Representative
rules also encompass single- ective. Although in order to comply with EU Regulation 2019/1020 on
phase motors rated at 0.12kW the technical file market surveillance. It would be simplest for non-EU
or above. might seem the machine builders to provide a copy of the motor/VSD
Furthermore, the new obvious place to documentation to the person authorised to compile the
Regulation introduces energy file the relevant technical file or the Authorised Representative as
efficiency requirements for paperwork dem- appropriate.
variable-speed drives rated at onstrating a Hold Tech Files Ltd is based in the Republic of Ireland
0.12kW to 1000kW. machine’s motors and can be named on a DoC or DoI as the person
There are various exceptions, and VSDs are authorised to compile the technical file for machinery,
such as motors that do not ecodesign-compliant, in fact the partly completed machines and safety components. The
operate continuously, motors technical file should only contain company has created a simple web-based portal where
integrated within other products the information required by the machine builders can sign a mandate, pay a fee and
such that their energy efficiency machinery safety regulations. upload relevant files to a secure server. The manufacturer
cannot be tested independently, According to ecodesign is then entitled to name Hold Tech Files on the DoC or DoI
motors with integrated VSDs and Regulation 2019/1781 Annex I for a period of up to ten years. This period can be
motors designed for use in (for motors) and Annex II (for extended, the files modified or updated, and more
extreme operating conditions. VSDs), the product information products added, all via the self-service portal. In addition,
However, this article seeks to must be visibly displayed on (a) Hold Tech Files can act as an Authorised
explain the implications for the technical data sheet or user Representative for non-EU machine builders.
machine builders, not the manual supplied with the MORE INFORMATION: www.holdtechfiles.eu

July 2021 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY 21