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Glossary · Safety standards

IEC 60204-1

Also known as: EN 60204-1, IEC 60204-1, Electrical equipment of machines

German: IEC 60204-1

IEC 60204-1 is the international standard for the electrical equipment of machines. It sets general requirements for electrical, electronic and programmable electronic equipment and systems of machines, including protection against electric shock, control functions, stop categories, emergency operations and documentation.

  • Standards
  • Technical documentation

In one sentence

IEC 60204-1 sets general requirements for the electrical equipment of machines, from shock protection to stop categories and circuit documentation.

Example

The electrical design of a CNC machining center follows IEC 60204-1 for the supply disconnecting device, protective bonding, control circuit voltages and the stop category of each stop function.

How it applies

  • Machine safety: Defines stop categories 0, 1 and 2, and the electrical requirements for emergency operations: the emergency stop and emergency switching off. Design principles for the emergency stop function itself are in ISO 13850.
  • Electrical safety: Supply disconnection, protection against electric shock, protective bonding, and prevention of electrical hazards during maintenance.
  • Technical documentation: The standard lists the technical documentation for the electrical equipment, such as circuit diagrams, installation and operation information, and maintenance information. Much of it feeds the manual and the technical file.
  • Integrated systems: When machines are combined, check how stop functions of the individual machines interact and whether their stop categories fit the overall risk assessment.

Emergency stop vs. emergency switching off

An emergency stop stops hazardous motion or processes; it is usually stop category 0 or 1. Emergency switching off disconnects electrical energy to avert electrical hazards such as electric shock. IEC 60204-1 treats them as different emergency operations, and they must not be confused in design or documentation.

By knowledge.aitechdoc.world · Published September 25, 2026 · Last reviewed

Source: IEC 60204-1, Safety of machinery — Electrical equipment of machines — Part 1: General requirements

Definitions follow the cited standards and specifications. Where a source is a copyrighted publication, such as an ISO, IEC or EN standard, the definition is a close paraphrase, not a verbatim quotation, so as not to infringe copyright. We recommend reading the original publication. The sections “How it applies” are editorial commentary by AI TechDoc Blog and are not part of any standard.

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