Safety Standards govern modern off-road vehicle functional safety

While passenger vehicles bathe in the technology spotlight it’s easy to overlook the significant advances made in off-road vehicles. As early as the 1970’s equipment manufacturers began discussing autonomous off-road vehicles used in mining. But commercialization required numerous technology breakthroughs, along with developments that slashed hardware costs. Among these were GPS for navigation, high-speed wireless communication networks, and so-called "perception" technologies: laser, ultrasonic, radar, and other sensors to detect nearby stationary and moving objects. As in passenger vehicles, this complex technology requires stringent standards and regulations to ensure the safety of the operator and those around these behemoths. Standards such as SAE J1939 relating to vehicle network technology for off-highway machines and ISO 15998 which specifies performance criteria and tests for functional safety of safety-related machine-control systems (MCS) using electronic components in earth-moving machinery and related equipment, endeavor to define safety criteria for this equipment. [eventPDF] In order to apply ISO 15998, ISO 6165 defines the terms and definitions and an identification structure for classifying earth-moving machinery designed to perform the following operations: Excavation Loading Transportation Drilling, spreading, compacting or trenching of earth, rock and other materials, during work. For example, on roads and dams, in quarries and mines and on building sites. ISO 15998 aims to define functional safety of earth moving equipment Image Credit: www.aispro.com While ISO 15998:2008 specifies the performance criteria and tests for functional safety of safety-related electronic components in machine-control systems (MCS) when fitted to the earth-moving machinery defined in ISO 6165, ISO/TS 15998-2:2012 provides an interpretation for the application of performance criteria and testing for functional safety of the electronic machine control systems. ISO/TS 15998-2 is important in that it explains the definitions, requirements and applications as an alternative method of assessing hazards whilst also providing information and application examples to illustrate compliance with ISO 15998. This section also addresses the risks of hazardous machine movements initiated by MCS, and provides guidance on the use of the references quoted in the first part of ISO 15998. Notwithstanding these well thought out and rigidly implemented standards, failures are bound to occur, and when they do the failure mode needs to be assessed and defined. While ISO 15998 covers Electronic MCS it is also applicable to the mechanical failure of switches, sensors and other electronic devices, as well as the mechanical failure of solenoid valves. However, systems and ESAs (electrical/electronic subassemblies) that are ancillary to machine operation and which do not influence machine control (such as monitors, alarms, gauges, lights and wipers, as well as those portions of systems that supply system feedback to the operator) are outside the scope of ISO 15998; as are wholly hydraulic, pneumatic and/or mechanical MCS not using electronic/electric components. Mechanical failures such as broken axles, purely mechanical valves and tyres are also not contained in this standard. Despite the importance of personal safety, over the past 50 years sustainability has become a global concern for all products, including earth-moving machines. Customers buying these machines require information to optimize life-cycle management and sustainability of these expensive pieces of equipment. With the increased interest in the subject, many organizations are preparing sustainability guidelines and many manufacturers of earth-moving machinery are beginning to provide general information. One such project, Caterpillar’s Cat Connect makes smart use of technology and services to improve worksite efficiency and life-cycle management. Using the data from the technology integrated with the machines, operators can gather more information and insight into the performance of the equipment and operations than ever before. Working with Cat dealers, operators can find the right combination of Cat Connect technologies and services to maximize production, reduce costs or improve safety which all optimize life-cycle management of the equipment. This in turn improves performance through reduced fuel consumption, increased efficiency and lowered operating costs. Complex standards for Life-Cycle Management of earth-moving machinery ISO 14040 sets out general principles addressing the sustainability of the earth-moving machinery defined in ISO 6165. It establishes a sustainability terminology, identifies significant sustainability factors for earth-moving machines and provides an example of a reporting format for sustainability information. Image Credit: www.intechopen.com This International Standard describes the principles and framework for life-cycle assessment (LCA) including: The goal and scope definition of the LCA, The life cycle inventory analysis (LCI) phase, The life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) phase, The life cycle interpretation phase, Reporting and critical review of the LCA, Limitations of the LCA, Relationship between the LCA phases, Conditions for use of value choices and optional elements. The standard is applicable to the development and manufacturing processes and the useful life and end-of-life of earth-moving machines required for effective life-cycle management. However, sustainability covers a wide range of life cycle management areas related to the social, environmental and economic impacts related to the development, manufacturing, useful life and end-of-life phases for earth-moving machines. Another standard, ISO 10987, was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 127 to cover: General sustainability principles, Terminology, and Sustainability factors and formats for summarizing sustainability information. Combining safety, sustainability and life-cycle management ISO 14121-1:2007 establishes general principles intended to be used to meet the risk reduction objectives established in ISO 12100-1:2003, Clause 5. These principles of risk assessment bring together knowledge and experience of the design, use, incidents, accidents and harm related to machinery in order to assess the risks posed during the relevant phases of the life cycle of a machine. Risk analysis and assessment of failures These ISO standards explain the information required to enable risk assessment to be carried out. At the same time procedures are described for identifying hazards and estimating and evaluating risk. It also gives guidance on decision-making relating to the safety of machinery and on the type of documentation required to verify the risk assessment carried out. However in Oct 2010 ISO withdrew 3 long standing standards: ISO 1412-1, safety of machinery – risk assessment Part 1, and ISO 12100-1 Safety of machinery – basic concepts, general principles of design parts 1 and 2: Replacing these with "ISO 12100:2010 Safety of machinery – general principles for design – risk assessment and risk reduction." ISO 12100:2010 describes the basic terminology, principles and a methodology for achieving safety in the design of machinery. It specifies the principles of risk assessment and risk reduction to help designers minimize risk and improve safety. These principles are based on knowledge and experience of the design, use, incidents, accidents and risks associated with the specific machinery. Procedures are also defined for identifying hazards and estimating and evaluating risks during the various phases of the life cycle of the machine, and for the reduction or elimination of hazards. Conclusion While no one would question the need for standards and norms to govern off-road vehicle functional safety, the complex and at times confusing network of interconnected standards may be a problem. A single standard specific to Earth Moving equipment functional safety could be a solution, or possibly a completely new industry-specific standard would be more effective; a standard such as the European automotive industry’s VDA 6, perhaps. VDA 6 is a German quality management system standard initiated by the automotive industry, simply referred to as "VDA". Based on ISO 9001:1994, the quality management system includes all elements of QS-9000, with an additional four requirements specific to VDA 6.1, including: •Element 06.3 on "Recognition of Product Risk": This relates to the risk of the product, failing to fulfill its stipulated function, and its effect on the whole assembly. •Element 12.4 on "Quality History": This section covers the quality history of customer-supplied products and gives an overview of the situation during a particular period. Whatever the way forward, a practical review of ISO 15998 would seem appropriate; especially in light of the somewhat ambiguous and complex layout of some of the definitions and descriptions contained in the standard. Sources: ISO 15998, performance criteria and tests of functional safety for electronic machine control systems - International Standards Organization ISO 14040 Life cycle assessment - International Standards Organization ISO 12100:2010 Risk assessment basic terminology, principles and a methodology for achieving safety - International Standards Organization Cat Connect - www.cat.com Related Stories: Functional Safety Standards for Non-Road Vehicles

Safety Standards govern modern off-road vehicle functional safety

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