December 13, 2009 - exida certified the design and engineering processes for RGS Electro-Pneumatics Ltd. E*3 Series solenoid valves as suitable for applications up to and including SIL 3 per IEC 61508 Parts 1 and 2. RGS is a leading manufacturer of specialist solenoid valves and pneumatic products for the process control Industries.
RGS submitted its 3/2 Pilot Operated and Direct Acting Solenoid Valves to exida for certification. exida assessed RGS’s development process through an audit, created a detailed safety case and performed a detailed Failure Modes, Effects, and Diagnostic Analysis (FMEDA). exida found that the products met the requirements of SIL 2, single use and SIL 3 for redundant use. “RGS has clearly taken a great deal of care to ensure that the SIL ratings claimed for its solenoid valves are demonstrably valid,” says Iwan van Beurden, director of engineering for exida.
“Its claims are made based on a rigorous safety case, FMEDA and test data on more than 750 million valve operations.” “We understand that a component’s SIL rating should be taken simply as a guide to its potential,” says Stephen Lord, approvals and certification authority for RGS Electro-Pneumatics Ltd. “It is the probability of failure, the Safe Failure Fraction (SFF), and more particularly the data supporting those figures that is the real substance from which the SIL of a safety-related system can be known. We chose exida certification because its Open IEC 61508 method provides us and our customers with clear visibility into the certification process and results.”
About exida:
exida is a certification and research firm specializing in safety critical and high availability automation systems. exida has performed more process control safety certifications than any other company worldwide. exida's main offices are located in Sellersville, PA, USA and Munich, Germany. exida has worldwide operations with service centers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, and New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
About RGS Electro-Pneumatics Ltd.:
RGS is the leading British manufacturer of high quality solenoid valves. For over 45 years RGS has developed the technical expertise and market knowledge necessary to meet the demands of the process control industry. With design, production and assembly under one roof, RGS is both efficient and adaptable. Responding quickly to market needs and sometimes driving industry developments contribute to RGS’s unique position in the valve industry