Improving safety and performance in electrical assemblies
A guide to IEC 61439-2

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
New series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
New approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Fundamental changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Design verification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Ambiguities clarified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Specific issue addressed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Summary & conclusion . . . . . . . …ver más…

Users, purchasers, builders and specifiers of assemblies will need to familiarise themselves with the new approach. This guide provides an easy transition from the old to the new standards, identifying the fundamental changes and the parameters that need to be defined in an assembly specification.

Our own Prisma panels are certified compliant with
IEC61439

7

New series
The new series of low-voltage assembly standards will be numbered IEC 61439, a single digit change that belies fundamental changes in the structure and format of the standards. Historically IEC 60439-1 has been a complete standard that defined the requirements of assemblies not otherwise covered by product-specific assembly standards. In addition,
IEC 60439-1 was a reference for the product-specific assembly standards, IEC 60439
Part 2 to 5 inclusive, with all the requirements of IEC 60439-1 applying to the product-specific parts, unless specifically excluded.
This approach to the structure of a series of standards leads to difficulties when standards are revised. A change to IEC 60439-1 can inadvertently impose changes on specific products unless their part of the series of standards is revised at the same time.
The IEC 61439 series of standards will use the same structure as other series within IEC.
Part 1 is General Rules, detailing requirements that are