Find the standards that apply to what you're building
Each card below is a real engineering scenario with its standards stack already mapped — region, equipment class, and risk profile. Pick the one closest to your project and open the full walk-through. If nothing fits, the escape hatch at the bottom routes to the comparison crosswalks.
No scenarios match the current filter combination. Try removing a chip or use the comparison crosswalks below.
US-market machines & control panels
Built for sale or installation in the United States. NEC is the legal baseline; UL listing and NFPA 79 layer on top depending on whether you ship a panel, a machine, or both.
Stack: UL 508A + NEC Article 409 + NFPA 79
UL listing required. NEC is the legal baseline, UL 508A governs panel construction, NFPA 79 applies once the panel sits on a machine.
Open scenario →Stack: ISO 13849-1 / IEC 62061 — 10-step SIL/PL workflow
Safety-function design path applicable to US machines too. Pick PL (ISO 13849-1) or SIL (IEC 62061) depending on the safety lifecycle you're already inside.
Open scenario →Global / EU-market machines
CE-marked or sold into both US and EU markets. ISO 12100 is the risk-assessment foundation; design to the more restrictive rule between NFPA 79 and IEC 60204-1 where they disagree.
Stack: NFPA 79 (US) + IEC 60204-1 (EU) + ISO 12100
Same machine for both markets. EU machinery law requires a documented risk assessment and compliance with the applicable essential health and safety requirements. EN ISO 12100 is the harmonized methodology commonly used to perform and document it — voluntary, but conferring presumption of conformity for the requirements it covers.
Open scenario →Process safety — SIS / ESD
Continuous-process plants (refining, chemicals, oil & gas, water). IEC 61511 is the application standard; IEC 61508 is the lifecycle foundation.
Stack: IEC 61511 + IEC 61508 foundation
SIS / ESD for general process industry. Reviewed
Open scenario →Stack: IEC 61511 + IEC 60079 + NEC Art. 500–505
Hazardous-area onshore skid. Adds explosive-atmosphere classification and area marking on top of the SIS path.
Open scenario →Networked & cyber-physical safety
Safety functions over a network. The safety standard is unchanged (ISO 13849-1 or IEC 62061); the cybersecurity overlay is IEC 62443.
Stack: ISO 13849-1 or IEC 62061 + IEC 62443
Safety PLC with network connectivity. Pick the safety-function path you're already on; layer cybersecurity per IEC 62443 zones & conduits.
Open scenario →Industry-specific stacks
When the industry overlay is non-negotiable: semiconductor SEMI standards, offshore DNV, etc. These layer over the general control-panel and safety stacks.
Stack: 15-Standard Minimum Compliance Stack
SEMI S2/S8/S14 + the general machinery and electrical stacks. Use this when the buyer is a fab.
Open scenario →Stack: SEMI S2/S8/S14 + IEC 60204-1 + ISO 12100
Specific to etch and CVD process tools — narrower scope than the general SEMI compliance stack.
Open scenario →Stack: DNV-OS-D201 + IEC 61511 + IEC 60079
Offshore-specific control and safety. DNV is non-negotiable; IEC 61511 carries the SIS lifecycle; IEC 60079 covers hazardous-area equipment.
Open scenario →None of these fit?
If your project doesn't map cleanly to a scenario, jump straight into the comparison crosswalks or browse the full standards atlas.
Side-by-side comparison between US and IEC standards (NFPA 79 ↔ IEC 60204-1, UL 508A / NEC / NFPA 79, IEC 61511 ↔ IEC 61508, IEC 60079 ↔ NEC 500/505).
Open crosswalks →Every standards family in the reference library, organized by region and topic. Use this when you already know which standard you need.
Open the standards library →This site is an independent educational reference for industrial automation standards. It paraphrases and organizes guidance in original language; it is not a substitute for the official published standards, professional engineering judgment, or legal review, and content has not been independently verified against current published editions.
Items marked Review pending await technical review against the identified edition. Items marked Planned have no reviewed source material behind them. Do not rely on this site for compliance determinations, safety-critical design decisions, or legal interpretation.