The Three-Step Method - Your key to safe and smart product design
Oct 9, 2025
Why is this important for you?
The three-step method is more than just a regulation – it is a strategic tool that helps you create products that are:
Safe from the ground up
Cost-effective over time
Competitive in the market
Future-proofed according to technical development
Security that sells
Built-in security signals quality and responsibility.
Increases customer trust and meets regulatory requirements.
Lower costs
Less need for protective equipment and training.
Lower operating and maintenance costs.
Design that thinks ahead
Leads to smarter solutions already in the design phase.
Improves ergonomics, maintenance, and usability.
Future-proof product development
Adapted to technical development.
Builts for long-term sustainability, not just CE marking.
Okay then, where can I find the three-step method?
The method is described in the Guide to the Machinery Directive. “Guidance on the application of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC - Second edition June 2010”
You can find the guide in its entirety here:
The excerpt from the guide that focuses solely on the three-step method can be found here:
