Customer report: Magnetic Autocontrol GmbH

Introduction of Safexpert at Magnetic Autocontrol GmbH

As a leading machine manufacturer of barriers and turnstiles, Magnetic Autocontrol GmbH was faced with the challenge of ensuring efficient and up-to-date risk assessment in 2011. Before the introduction of Safexpert, risk assessment was recorded in Excel spreadsheets – a laborious, error-prone process, since changes in standards had to be incorporated manually and all risk factors had to be checked manually. Particularly in the field of mechanical engineering, where the safety of people and machines has the highest priority, the need for a reliable tool like Safexpert became obvious. 

In a targeted training phase, future users were trained and educated in how to use the tool. This meant that the programme and all its functions were internalised and the extensive possibilities were presented. IBF always provided us with professional and practical advice and deepened our team's knowledge of all aspects of risk assessment and machine safety.
During the selection phase, other tools from market competitors were still in the running, but ultimately the complete package of consulting/training by IBF and, above all, the integrated Standards Manager were the deciding factors for Safexpert.

Efficiency and standards compliance for mechanical engineering

With Safexpert, Magnetic Autocontrol was able to implement a user-friendly, automated risk assessment that significantly accelerates the mechanical engineering process and documents it in a standards-compliant manner. The graphic shows a typical risk assessment: the temperature of a component has been measured and the risk has been downgraded to ‘slight’ as a result. Thanks to Safexpert, all decisions are documented in a traceable manner, including all data and responsible persons.

These functions are particularly valuable in mechanical engineering, since safety-critical components often have to meet recurring requirements. Safexpert offers a decisive advantage here with its standards manager: if relevant standards change, the tool automatically informs the user so that all risk minimisation measures are always up to date and compliant.

Benefits for series production and customisation

As a manufacturer of series products with a wide range of variants, Magnetic Autocontrol benefits significantly from the template projects in Safexpert that can be adapted for similar products such as barriers and gates. This not only saves the company time, but also ensures that safety-related aspects are consistently checked and documented.

‘What I really like is the link to the standards manager. When I take a measure to minimise a risk, I always have the associated standard that describes this measure linked as a link destination.’

The linking of risk measures with the respective standards also provides a clear and verifiable basis for supervisory authorities.

Sustainable integration in mechanical engineering

For machine builders, Magnetic Autocontrol recommends implementing Safexpert in a team-oriented manner from the outset and offering training. This ensures that risk assessment is accompanied from design to production and that everyone in the team understands and implements the safety requirements. Thanks to Safexpert, Magnetic Autocontrol has not only increased efficiency and safety in machine development, but also ensured that each machine meets the highest safety standards – an indispensable competitive advantage in mechanical engineering.