Guidelines for application to Electrical Power Drive Systems

CE Marking and Technical Standardisation Edition 4

Electrical Power Drive Systems (PDSs), including Complete Drive Modules (CDMs) and Basic Drive Modules (BDMs), are inherently complex items of power electronic equipment.

They can exist in different classes, which range from components, sold either to the general public or to professional assemblers, through to products fully incorporated into an apparatus or an installation. For the benefit of manufacturers, integrators, installers and users alike, this document describes each class of PDS and provides clear guidelines as to the application of three relevant European Directives:
- Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2006/95/EC
- Machinery Directive (MD) 2006/42/EC
- Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMCD) - 2004/108/EC

This document is therefore a “Drive Specific” extension to the European Commission’s guidance on the application of each of these Directives. This edition of the guide addresses the currently applicable provisions of the above Directives.

Editions 1 and 3 of the guide cover previous corresponding directives.
Other European Directives (specifically the ATEX Directives) are not addressed in this document.

For each Directive and, where appropriate, for each class of PDS, these guidelines define:

- Application of the Directive
- Responsibilities
- Harmonised Standards to be used
- Requirements for Declarations of Conformity and CE marking
- Recommendations for the system integrator responsible for the installation. While the focus of this document is low voltage (LV) equipment, the requirements for the EMC Directive and the Machinery Directive are also relevant for high voltage (HV) equipment.

GAMBICA 2015