Safety, Protection & Standards
PL / Performance Level
A functional-safety measure commonly used for machinery safety functions under ISO 13849.
IN ONE SENTENCE
Performance Levels run from PL a to PL e, with higher levels representing greater risk reduction capability.
In normal English
The achieved PL depends on architecture, component reliability, diagnostics and common-cause measures, not just one device label.
Why would I use it?
Use it when designing machinery safety functions under ISO 13849.
THINK OF IT LIKE…
A machinery-safety scale for how reliably a safety function must work.
Related terms
safety relay, Category, ISO 13849
STILL NOT SURE?
Tell us what you're trying to do.
You don't need to choose the technology first. Tell us what needs connecting, measuring or monitoring and we'll help work backwards from the job.
Help me find the right technology