Explosion protection

Explosion protected products

Our gear units, motors and gearmotors are ready to face any danger.
Directive 94/9/EC or as of April 20, 2016 EU Directive 2014/34/EU

governs explosion protection for all types of devices on the European market.
The IECEx certification agreement

ensures mutual recognition of testing for explosion protected equipment.
Hazardous Location - North America

certifies products for the North American market with the CSA C/US mark.

Explosion protected products available worldwide

You need to install explosion protected products or your system is in a potentially explosive atmosphere? Our products comply with the most important directives and standards worldwide.

Special measures are required for use of systems and machinery in areas with potentially explosive air/gas or air/dust mixtures. Applicable standards and regulations govern the use of equipment within existing hazard zones. The complex, internationally applicable requirements for use of gearmotors, motors or drive electronics in applications in potentially explosive atmospheres are defined for the global market in the most important directives and standards:

94/9/EG (ATEX)
IECEx
HazLoc-NA^® (NEC500 and C22)

Our gearmotors meet the defined requirements for equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres. Unlike the internationally recognized IECEx regulations or the North American regulations (HazLoc-NA^®), the EU directive 94/9/EC (ATEX) also includes non-electrical equipment in explosion protection. We will gladly support you in selecting the appropriate device features – a checklist and inquiry form are available for download:

To the inquiry form with checklist for explosion protected gearmotors according to 94/9/EG (ATEX) and IECEx (PDF, 2.5 MB)

But which standards and directives do you need to comply with for worldwide use of your system? All the details, the precise worldwide assignment, and an overview of the zones and assignment to equipment categories or EPL (Equipment Protection Levels) are shown here.

Your benefits

Safe use
Due to compliance with worldwide directives and standards for explosion protected products.
Outstanding versatility
Because our modular system offers numerous explosion protected motors, gear units and gearmotors.
Worldwide availability
Because our explosion protected products comply with 94/9/EC (ATEX), IECEx and/or HazLoc-NA®.
Certified quality
Thanks to involvement in the creation of standards, continuous quality control, and innovative research and development.

The directives and standards in detail:

EU directive (ATEX)

Directive for the European market

In the European Union, directive 94/9/EC (on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres) describes equipment and protective systems. The ATEX product directive is primarily geared towards manufacturers and/or distributors of products that will be used in potentially explosive atmospheres.

This directive applies to gearmotors and motors, and has been in effect without limitations since July 1, 2003. Other European countries, such as Switzerland, have now fallen in with this regulation.

As of April 20, 2016, it will be replaced by the new 2014/34/EU directive. The EU Parliament passed the directive on February 26, 2014, and published it in late March. There are no fundamental changes or new requirements for design-based explosion protection. The major changes are in the terminology. The EC type examination is now known as the EU type examination, and the EC declaration of conformity has become the EU declaration of conformity. Existing EC type examination certificates will remain valid.

We were one of the first manufacturers to offer appropriate gear units and motors when this directive was introduced, and our products meet the necessary requirements:

The 1999/92/EC directive primarily targets employers and system operators. It stipulates minimum regulations for safety requirements intended to prevent explosion-related accidents. In Germany, for example, this directive was converted to national law with the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (BetrSichV).

Identification of the products:

Manufacturer's name and address
CE marking
Designation of the series and type
The serial number, if applicable
The year of manufacture
The special "Ex" marking for preventing explosions in connection with the identification that indicates the category
For equipment group II, the letter "G" (for areas with potentially explosive gas, vapor or mist mixtures)
and/or the letter "D" (for areas in which dust could produce potentially explosive atmospheres)

The IECEx certification agreement

Worldwide platform for mutual recognition of certifications

The IECEx certification agreement is seen as a worldwide platform for the mutual recognition of test results for obtaining certification or approval for explosion protected electrical equipment. It is based on the "IECEx 01 IEC Scheme for the Certification to Standards for Electrical Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres (IECEx Scheme) – Basic Rules" and "ECEx 02 IEC Scheme for the Certification to Standards for Electrical Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres (IECEx Scheme) – Rules of Procedure." These two documents and other IECEx working documents are available free of charge in the IEC online shop at www.iecex.com.

Objectives of the IECEx agreement

The agreement is intended to promote international trade in explosion protected electrical equipment by eliminating the need for duplicate testing and certifications. The fundamental purpose of the agreement is to verify compliance with the IEC standards for electrical equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres in an internationally recognized form. It must be ensured that these standards are applied by test laboratories (ExTL, Ex-Testing Laboratories) and certification bodies (ExCB, Ex-Certification Bodies) so that assessment of a product's compliance with the standards provides the same results in every country. Our products are certified by the PTB as ExCB in accordance with IECEx, and are available in EPL .b or .c.

Australia and New Zealand:

Australia and New Zealand recognize the IECEx certification directly. In addition, the motors must meet the efficiency requirements defined in MEPS 2006. The motors of the EDR. series meet all these requirements and are registered according to MEPS.

South Korea:

In South Korea, additional KOSHA certifications are also required. Motors of the EDR.. series are certified for gas or dust in EPL b and c. Motors of type EDRE are also registered and certified according to REELS.

Identification of the products:

IECEx mark of conformity for motors of the EDR.. series with IECEx certificate of the PTB
The name and address of the manufacturer
The manufacturer's type designation
A serial number
The name or ID of the authority that issues the certificate, and the certificate ID in the following form: the last two numbers of the year it was issued, followed by a period, followed by a unique four-digit series of characters for the certificate in that year (e.g. IECEx PTB 11.0041/01)
The relevant Ex marking for potentially explosive gas atmospheres or for potentially explosive dust atmospheres
All additional information for the relevant protection types

HazLoc-NA® certification

Fundamental information about explosion protection

Assignment of products

Zones and assignment of the equipment categories or EPL

Explosion protected products are assigned according to:

The distinction between gas and dust
Zones
Equipment categories
EPL (Equipment Protection Levels)

The motors are divided into different "protection types."

Protection types and IP degrees of protection

Equipment groups, equipment categories and zones

Gas (G)	Dust (D)
EPL IEC/EN 60079-0	Category 94/9/EC	Use in zone 1999/92/EC	EPL IEC/EN 60079-0	Category 94/9/EC	Use in zone 1999/92/EC
Ga	1G	0	Da	1D	20
Gb	2G	1	Db	2D	21
Gc	3G	2	Dc	3D	22

Gas groups, dust groups and use of equipment

Protection level	Equipment in the group
IIIC Conductive dusts	IIIB Non-conductive dusts	IIIA Flammable lint
ta	IP6X	IP6X	IP6X
tb	IP6X	IP6X	IP5X
tc	IP6X	IP5X	IP5X

	Equipment group II With potentially explosive atmospheres due to gas or dust
Category	1	2	3
Potentially explosive atmosphere¹⁾	G	D	G	D	G	D
Zone	0	20	1	21	2	22
Protection type: Motor Gear unit	-	-	d, e, i, p c, k	t c, k	nA c, k	t c, k
^{1) G = gas atmosphere, D = dust atmosphere}

Ex markings for motors

Old identification	Identification according to
	Directive	Standard
II2G Ex e II T3	II2G	Ex e IIC T3 Gb
II3G Ex nA II T3	II3G	Ex nA IIC T3 Gc
II2D Ex tD A21 IP65 T120°C	II2D	Ex tb IIIC T120°C Db
II3D Ex tD A22 IP54 T120°C	II3D	Ex tc IIIB T120°C Dc
II3D Ex tD A22 IP65 T120°C	II3D	Ex tc IIIC T120°C Dc

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Explosion protection

Explosion protected products

Directive 94/9/EC or as of April 20, 2016 EU Directive 2014/34/EU

The IECEx certification agreement

Hazardous Location - North America