CE marking of a machine when no C-type standard exists - how machine manufacturers should proceed in practice.
All machines are subject to the CE marking requirements - including machines for which no applicable C-standard exists.
Custom-built machines are not exempt from CE requirements - quite the opposite. If no C-standard is available, higher requirements are placed on documentation, methodology, and technical competence.
This is where the Noex platform helps create the right structure and the right support.
At Noex, we often work with manufacturers developing customer-specific solutions where no machine-specific C-standard is available to follow. But CE marking is still mandatory.
What does this mean for you as a manufacturer?
You must demonstrate that the machine meets the requirements according to the best available technical solution.
The machine shall be designed and documented in accordance with the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC or, after 20 January 2027, in accordance with the Machinery Regulation EU 2023/1230.
Do not forget the risk assessment - it is a vital part of the technical documentation. If you want to read more about risk assessment, you can find our article "Risk assessment for machines in 5 steps".
You should document your design choices and use A & B standards, for example:
A standard:
ISO 12100 - General principles for design - Risk assessment and risk reduction.
B standards
ISO 13854 - Minimum gaps to avoid crushing of body parts
ISO 13855 - Positioning of protective devices with respect to the human body
ISO 13857 - Safety distances to prevent arms and legs from reaching hazardous areas
60204-1 (safety requirements for electrical equipment)
ISO 13849-1 - Safety-related parts of control systems - Part 1: General principles for design
ISO 13849-2 - Control systems - Safety-related parts of control systems - Part 2: Validation
Compile complete technical documentation - this includes, among other things:
General description of the machine
The risk assessment, including verified functional safety (PL/SIL)
The instruction manual (in the correct language).
Correctly prepared EC/EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC/Declaration of Conformity).
Do you want to know more precisely what the technical manufacturing documentation should contain? You can read more about it here
It is about documenting that the machine has been designed in accordance with current technical practice - not about guessing or simplifying.
This is exactly what Noex helps you with - hard to get wrong, easy to get right - no excuses!
