TOKYO, September 17, 2026 - Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) announced today that its MELSEC iQ-R Series safety programmable controller has obtained an EU type examination certificate from TÜV Rheinland, a world-leading independent certification body. The certificate confirms conformity with the EU Machinery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1230). This is the first certification of its kind for Mitsubishi Electric's factory automation (FA) business, establishing Mitsubishi Electric as one of the world's first companies to receive this certification. It is also the first EU type examination certificate to be audited by TÜV Rheinland Japan Ltd.

The concept of safety of machinery is gaining acceptance worldwide. Based on the fundamental assumptions that "people make mistakes" and "machines fail," it seeks to ensure the safety of manufacturing sites through design and control technologies. In Europe, the EU Machinery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1230) will become mandatory on January 20, 2027, replacing the current EU Machinery Directive (Directive 2006/42/EC). As the legal framework governing the safety of machinery and other related products placed on the European market, the EU Machinery Regulation requires manufacturers of machinery and components to ensure conformity with its requirements. In addition to existing requirements for physical functional safety, the EU regulation has introduced new mandatory cybersecurity requirements concerning software, network connectivity, and remote access.

Safety programmable controllers differ from standard programmable controllers in that they can detect failures and safely stop operations on their own. They are widely used in systems where failure could result in personal injury, such as emergency-stop systems for machinery and equipment. Mitsubishi Electric's MELSEC iQ-R Series safety programmable controller received the EU type examination certificate for its ability to perform both general control and safety control with a single controller, use CC-Link IE TSN¹ to connect with drive products such as servos and inverters, and strengthen safety based on its design as well as measures to prevent cyberattacks, including unauthorized access, software tampering and other malicious activities.

Mitsubishi Electric is promoting the adoption of its reliable safety programmable controllers and advancing the development of related technologies and products. Through these efforts, Mitsubishi Electric aims to promote collaborative safety,² in which people and machines coexist and work safely in the same space, thereby enabling the company's FA business to offer optimized maintenance and operations.³ Mitsubishi Electric is also striving to reduce workloads related to designing, verifying and ensuring that machinery and equipment using its programmable controllers for the European market comply with the EU Machinery Regulation.