NFPA 79

NFPA 79 is an Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery used in the United States and developed by the National Fire Protection Association. It is, according to the NFPA, "intended to minimize the potential hazard of electrical shock and electrical fire hazards of industrial metalworking machine tools, woodworking machinery, plastics machinery, and mass-produced equipment, not portable by hand." The standard provides detailed requirements for the design, construction, wiring, component selection, and safeguarding of electrical systems used within these machines.

Many customers will be familiar with NFPA 70, also known as the National Electrical Code (NEC), which governs electrical installations in a broad range of structures and focuses primarily on the connection of power to the equipment. NFPA 79 goes beyond NFPA 70 and specifically covers the internal wiring, components, and control systems of industrial machinery.

NFPA 79 for Heat and Vacuum Sealing Machinery

Heat and vacuum sealers contain electrical components that are directly affected by NFPA 79 requirements. These systems typically include:

Heating elements, temperature controllers, and thermocouple circuits
Vacuum pumps, motors, and solenoid valves
PLC-based or relay-based control systems
Air-assisted mechanisms, which often rely on electrically actuated pneumatic components
Operator control panels, HMI screens, and safety interlocks
Internal wiring bundles that can be exposed to elevated temperatures or moving assemblies

Examples of NFPA 79 requirements for sealer subsystems:

Heating circuits must use properly rated conductors, insulation, and overcurrent protection to mitigate fire risk near sealing bars and thermal assemblies.
Vacuum pump motors must include compliant overload protection, disconnecting means, and grounding to prevent shock hazards.
Control circuits must meet standards for safety integrity, ensuring that failures do not result in unintended heat activation, vacuum cycling, or sealing-bar movement.
Cable routing and strain relief are specified to prevent wire fatigue, damage from vibration, or exposure to heat.
Emergency-stop and lockout provisions must be installed so that operators can safely service sealing elements and vacuum systems.

NFPA 79 Validation

Sealers built to NFPA 79 safety standards are fully prepared for validation. This is the process of ensuring that industrial equipment complies with the electrical safety requirements in the NFPA 79 standard before being put to use. The purpose of the validation process is to verify that the equipment is free from electrical hazards such as shock, fire, and control system failure by thorough examination of its wiring practices, components, and overall electrical architecture. The validation process for heat and vacuum sealing machinery typically includes:

Design Review - Verification of electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and component specifications, and assessment of heating-element circuits, vacuum system wiring, PLC logic, and emergency controls
Compliance Checks - Inspection of conductor types, ampacities, bundling, temperature ratings, and grounding; evaluation of enclosure ratings (NEMA), cable protection, and safety-circuit design; confirmation that power supplies, circuit breakers, fuses, and disconnects meet NFPA 79 requirements
On-Site Field Evaluation - Testing performed by qualified third-party certification bodies (NRTLs); verification of safe operation of sealing bars, heaters, vacuum cycles, and emergency-stop circuits; examination of labeling, warnings, and documentation

All Gramatech heat and vacuum sealing machines are built to order in the U.S.A. and can be manufactured to fully meet NFPA 79 standards, as well as all associated validation protocols. Please contact IMPAK's machinery specialists for more detailed information, and to discuss implementing NFPA 79 compliance in a Gramatech sealer for your application.