WHEN MACHINE BUILDERS sell equipment to customers that operate in hazardous areas, there are important electrical and electronic signal factors for both parties to consider. Designing systems for installation in hazardous areas requires an understanding of division and zone classifications, and whether off-the-shelf components are appropriate. In the article "Operator Interface in Hazardous Areas," Senior Technical Editor Dan Hebert covers some of the requirements for building industrial equipment for hazardous areas. Hebert's article explains how NEC standards classify hazardous areas differently - by zones, classes, divisions. He also makes suggestions how machine and robot builder OEMs can provide safety in these risky environments. Read this column at www.ControlDesign.com/danger to learn how designing systems for use in an environment where hazards are likely to exist under normal operating conditions differs from designing systems for use in standard environments.
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