PREVENT AND PROTECT AGAINST MALICIOUS CORRUPTION OF SAFETY FUNCTIONS
From January 20, 2027, the EU Machinery Regulation redefines machine safety by bringing functional safety, cybersecurity, and digital documentation together as essential requirements for CE marking. For machine builders, this means addressing new risks introduced by digitalization, connected machines, and emerging technologies such as AI-based functions, while ensuring machines remain safe, compliant, and ready for the market.
While responsibility for CE conformity remains with the machine builder, the regulation also places new requirements on safety components and digital elements used in machines.
ABB works alongside machine builders throughout their conformity journey, providing secure products, clear documentation, and proven engineering practices aligned with the EU Machinery Regulation.
ABB supports OEMs with secure-by-design drives, PLCs, and automation solutions, developed in line with international standards and proven engineering practices. By integrating safety and cybersecurity from the start, ABB helps machine builders reduce compliance effort, manage regulatory complexity, and focus on building high-performance machines with confidence.
ABB DELIVERS SAFETY, SECURITY, AND COMPLIANCE BY DESIGN
Safety and cybersecurity
<p>Integrated approach to functional safety and cybersecurity – ensuring machines remain safe even in connected environments.</p>Engineering and products
<p>Secure-by-design drives and PLCs developed to support Machinery Regulation requirements – from risk assessments to CE marking.</p>Documentation and CE marking
<p>Clear, digital-ready documentation to support CE marking and simplify conformity assessment.</p>ABB IS READY FOR THE MACHINERY REGULATION
Meeting the EU Machinery Regulation is no longer only about mechanical safety. From January 20, 2027, machine builders must address functional safety, cybersecurity, and digital documentation together as part of CE marking.
ABB supports this shift with secure-by-design drives, PLCs, and engineering practices that help customers reduce compliance effort, manage risk, and stay market-ready.
In line with the EU Cyber Resilience Act, secure-by-design means integrating cybersecurity into product design and development from the outset — including secure default configurations, access control mechanisms, and protection against unauthorized changes that could affect safety functions.
How ABB supports compliance in practice:
Protection against corruption (EN50742)
ABB offers built-in security features for a machine to easily comply with the new regulation.
Functional Safety of Control Systems (IEC 62061, ISO 13849, IEC 61800-5-2)
Safety functions in drives and PLCs are designed, validated, and documented to support functional safety requirements under the new regulation.
Industrial Cybersecurity (IEC 62443 series)
Cybersecurity is addressed as part of machine safety, covering secure product development, configuration, and operation for connected systems.
Q&A FOR MACHINERY REGULATION
<p>Here you can find answers to the most important questions about the new Machinery Regulation.</p>
The Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 is the new European legal framework governing machinery safety. The new regulation applies from 20 January 2027. It replaces the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and establishes harmonized requirements for machinery, related products, and partly completed machinery placed on the EU market.
The Regulation updates the previous framework to address modern technologies and applies directly across EU Member States without requiring national transposition.
The Regulation introduces requirements to ensure that machinery safety functions cannot be compromised by accidental or intentional cyber incidents. Manufacturers must consider cybersecurity risks that may affect safety throughout the machine's intended use.
Key changes include:
- Added requirements to prevent and protect against malicious corruption of safety functions on a machine.
- Explicit consideration of software and digital safety-related systems.
- Recognition of AI-based safety functions.
- Possibility to provide instructions and certain technical documentation in digital format.
- Updated conformity assessment requirements for specific high-risk machinery categories.
- Clarification of responsibilities when machinery is substantially modified.
For example, if a machine's safety PLC communicates over a network, the design must ensure that unauthorized access or data manipulation cannot create hazardous situations. Especially, consider remote access and/or cloud connectivity with extra care in case affecting safety of the machine.
Machines placed on the market from 20 January 2027 onward must comply with the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, because the Directive is repealed from that date.
Any machine first placed on the market from 20 January 2027 onward must be assessed and documented according to the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230. With help of the security features of ABB drives and PLCs you are already one step ahead. After assessing the machine against new Machinery regulation requirements, remember to update Declaration of Conformity to refer the new Regulation.
However, particular attention should be paid to the Regulation’s new cybersecurity requirements. Manufacturers must assess whether safety-related functions could be affected by unauthorized access, malicious attacks, data corruption, or other cybersecurity threats. Network-connected machinery may require additional measures to ensure cybersecurity vulnerabilities cannot lead to hazardous situations.
The Regulation explicitly addresses machinery incorporating AI where AI influences safety functions or safety-related decisions. Manufacturers must assess risks arising from self-learning, adaptive, or autonomous behavior that could affect safety.
The Regulation allows manufacturers to provide instructions and certain documentation in digital form. However, users can request paper documentation when required.
Machines lawfully placed on the EU market under the Machinery Directive before 20 January 2027 will continue to be under the Machinery Directive rules.
However, a substantial modification that creates a new hazard or significantly changes an existing risk may trigger new compliance obligations. The organization making the modification may assume the responsibilities of a manufacturer and may need to conduct a new conformity assessment. Examples include major changes to safety functions, significant software modifications affecting safety, or changes to operating modes or intended use.
Machine builders should therefore review their risk assessment processes, safety-related control systems, cybersecurity considerations, software lifecycle management, technical documentation, and conformity assessment procedures before the Regulation becomes applicable in January 2027.
ABB is ready with our relevant products and solutions for the requirements of the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 and supports machine builders in their transition towards the new regulatory framework. ABB offers built-in security features for a machine to easily comply with the new regulation.
However, compliance with the Machinery Regulation is assessed at the level of the complete machine. The machine manufacturer remains responsible for the machine risk assessment, conformity assessment, technical documentation, and CE marking.