UL certification introduction
UL is the English Underwriter Laboratories (Underwriter Laboratories Inc.) abbreviation. UL safety testing institute is the United States is the most authoritative, but also engaged in the world of security testing and accreditation of the larger civil institutions. It is an independent, non-profit, for the public **** safety test professional organizations. It uses scientific testing methods to study and determine a variety of materials, devices, products, equipment, buildings, etc. on life, property and the degree of harm; to determine, write, issue the corresponding standards and help reduce and prevent the loss of life and property caused by the information, while carrying out factual research business. In short, it is mainly engaged in product safety certification and business safety certificate business, and its ultimate goal is to contribute to the market to get the goods with a considerable level of safety and to ensure the safety of human health and property. Product safety certification as an effective means of eliminating technical barriers to international trade, UL to promote the development of international trade also plays a positive role.
UL was founded in 1894, the initial stage of UL main fire insurance department to provide funds to maintain the action, until 1916, UL is completely self-supporting. After nearly a century of development, UL has become a world-renowned certification body, its own has a set of strict organizational management system, standards development and product certification procedures. UL by a security experts, government officials, consumers, education, utilities, insurance and standards department representatives of the Council of Management, the day-to-day work by the president, vice president of the handling. Currently, UL has five laboratories on U.S. soil, headquartered in the town of Northbrook, north of Chicago, as well as corresponding laboratories in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
UL certification tracking inspection
As an integral part of UL certification, in order to ensure that UL's listed, recognized products continue to meet the UL standards and requirements, UL has developed a "tracking inspection" system."" Tracking inspection" is sent by the UL field representatives around the world to the local production site of the factory UL products for tracking inspection. Its purpose is through the factory's production process, inspection process and products, against the UL standards and tracking inspection rules for verification, to ensure that the manufacturer's production process, inspection process and products always meet the requirements of UL.
Tracking inspection of the basis
In order to ensure that UL's "tracking inspection" system of implementation, UL and manufacturers have signed a "tracking inspection agreement", according to "tracking inspection agreement" of the provisions of the field representative will be regular, unannounced inspections of the factory, the factory shall not be unreasonably rejected on-site representative of the inspection.
The field representative's visit to the factory is based on the "Tracking and Inspection Rules". Follow-up inspection details" is by the UL Engineering Department, in the samples submitted for inspection after the preparation of the test, this document includes a comprehensive description of the product, including photographs,] manuals, etc. It also specifies the manufacturing plant during the production period. It also specifies the various tests that the manufacturing plant is required to perform on a regular basis during production, some of which are required to be performed on 100% of the product, such as the withstand voltage test. Certain tests may be carried out on a sample basis, and it also specifies the tests that must be sampled by the site representative during on-site inspections at the factory. The field representative will determine whether the test results are acceptable or not based on the details and provisions of such tests.
Tracking test product classification
UL tracking test is divided into R and L. L service is mainly used and life safety related products, such as fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, fire doors and some production of considerable products, such as electrical equipment, wires and circuit breakers. For products belonging to Class L, manufacturers must order labels directly from UL to be affixed to the product.Class R service is mainly used for electrical equipment, such as fans, televisions, hair dryers, ovens and other products that are usually produced on the appropriate assembly line.
UL certification factory review
UL certified products in the first batch of shipments before the UL authorized by the local province provincial China Import and Export Commodity Inspection Bureau (CCIB) to send people to the factory review. There is also an annual follow-up inspection.
UL certification inspection details
UL inspector inspection is basically mechanical operations. Depending on the product, the inspector's inspection is based on the bulletin (Bulletin), rules (Procedure), FUII (if any, included in the rules) and UL standards (if required in FUII).
If the factory is producing UL products or has UL products in stock when the inspector visits the factory, the inspector will take samples in one of the following ways:
1. Individual components from the production line plus one complete product from the warehouse.
2. Parts from the warehouse plus a complete product from the production line.
3. draws complete products from the warehouse for splitting.
The exact number of samples taken is determined by rule, FUII (Follow-Up Inspection Instruction), SAP (Standard Attachment Sheet), or direct order from UL Laboratories. Inspectors do not necessarily inspect all products at each inspection, but they do try to inspect all product categories or models within a year or at least two years.
Generally speaking, UL's requirements for the factory production system are not too high, and only require the instrumentation to be measured once a year, to keep the factory's own inspection records, as well as to have some means of control over nonconforming products.
Inspection, the field representative (UL inspector) will focus on the product itself, they will be based on the above test basis for each check the structure of the product, components and assembly. For parts and components related to product safety, the general rules will specify the requirements for UL certified products, and will indicate the manufacturer and model; for the shell, shroud and other injection molded parts, in general, the rules will specify the raw materials and size requirements. The field representative will check the above items as well as the UL marking specified in the rules.
Additionally, if the rules or FUII or the standard requires on-site testing of the product, the field representative will ask the factory inspector to do the appropriate tests, and the field representative will be witnessed. If the rules also require that samples be sent to UL for follow-up testing, the factory should cooperate with the inspector to produce the appropriate samples, written by the inspector of the sample label, provide the address and seal the samples, sent by the factory to the appropriate UL laboratory.
If the factory produces products in full compliance with the requirements of the corresponding UL inspection standards, there is no other violation of the tracking service agreement, the inspector will issue a tracking inspection report (Inspection Report); factory representatives in the confirmation of the accuracy of its content should be signed on the report; an inspection is completed. If the inspection process does not meet the inspection standards, the inspector will issue a change notice (Variation Notice), and take appropriate measures according to the specific circumstances.
For unauthorized use of UL marking of the product, the inspector will require the removal of UL marking; for products that do not meet the UL requirements, the inspector will be required to remove the UL marking of the factory or rework to make it comply with the requirements; if the factory does not agree with the above views on the handling, it can be retained UL marking, but must stop shipments, the inspector will notify the appropriate laboratory by the UL to respond to the situation Decide whether the UL mark can be retained; if there are only minor problems that do not affect the safety of the product, the inspector will make a temporary acceptance of the decision and report to the appropriate laboratory; if it is some obvious standard errors, such as typing errors or unit errors, it does not affect the factory's product qualification, but as a UL document processing, the inspector will also issue a notice of change. In general, unless UL's responsibility, the inspector will require the factory to non-conformity of the explanation to the appropriate laboratory, UL will be based on your interpretation of the appropriate response.
Of course, the inspector's judgment is only provisional, the final decision is, of course, in the UL laboratories. If the factory does not agree with the test practice, it is entirely possible to reflect to the appropriate laboratory, at this time, the inspector is obliged to provide the appropriate contact person and contact method. In the confirmation of the content of the notice of change recorded in the correct, factory representatives should sign the notice.
UL certification services
UL's product certification, testing services can be divided into the main types of listing, recognition and classification.
1) Listing (LISTED): Generally speaking, the listing applies only to complete products and qualified personnel on-site replacement or installation of a variety of devices and installations, belonging to the UL listing services for a variety of products, including: household electrical appliances, medical equipment, computers, commercial equipment, as well as in the role of the building of the various types of electrical products such as power distribution systems, fuses, wires, switches and other electrical components. other electrical components. UL-listed products can usually be marked with the UL Listing Mark on each product. Usage of the Listing Mark.
2) Recognition (Recognized): Recognition service is UL services in a project, the identification of products can only be UL listed, graded or other recognized products as components, raw materials. Recognized products in the structure is not complete, or in the use of certain restrictions to ensure that the expected safety performance. In most cases, the tracking of Recognized Products falls into Category R. Approved products that fall into category L are electronic wire (AVLV2), processed wire (ZKLU2), wire harnesses (ZPFW2), aluminum wire (DVVR2), and metal flex tubing (DXUZ2). Approved products are required to bear the approval mark.
3) Classification: Classification services evaluate products for specific hazards only, or for products that implement standards other than UL standards, including internationally recognized standards such as IEC and ISO standards. Generally speaking, most of the graded products are not consumer products, but industrial or commercial use of the product. UL mark in the graded mark indicates that the product in the UL identification by certain limitations and regulations of the scope. For example, chemicals such as solvents used in industry are evaluated only in terms of the range of fires that may occur when they reach their ignition temperatures. Certain product classification services and listing services, but generally only a certain aspect of the product or a number of aspects of the evaluation, such as in the United States, medical X-ray diagnostic equipment to comply with U.S. laws and regulations relating to radiation emission and beam accuracy, but because UL only X-ray as a classification of products, so only the evaluation of its mechanical properties, electrical properties, and other non-radiation properties of these aspects.
4) Multiple Listing, Multiple Recognition or Multiple Classification Service: When a UL applicant, after obtaining the listing, recognition or classification service mentioned above, has a product to be manufactured under the name of another company to satisfy the need for sales, it may apply for Multiple Listing, Multiple Recognition or Multiple Classification Service, in which case the manufacturer who receives the listing, recognition or classification is permitted to use the name of the other company in the product directory, but the product is classified under the name of the other company. In such cases, the listed, recognized or classified manufacturer is permitted to use the name of another company on the product list, provided that the product is identical to the original listed, recognized or classified product except for the company designator, product designator, or other characteristics deemed acceptable by UL.
5) "AL" listing, recognition or classification services: If the UL applicant does not want to use his own company's name to obtain listing, recognition or classification services, he can apply for another trade name (usually retailers or wholesalers) in the name of the application for listing, recognition or classification, which is called "AL" listing, recognition or classification services. The difference between this and a multiple listing, multiple endorsement or multiple grading service is that the applicant is not a listed person.
6) system certification services: as a member of the International Accreditation Committee, UL is widely involved in ISO9000 quality system certification, ISO14000 environmental protection certification, QS9000 automotive industry quality system certification and AS9000 aircraft industry quality system certification services. So far, 116 factories in China*** have obtained UL's system certification; 21 of them are ISO9001 certified, 85 are ISO9002 certified, 1 is ISO14001 certified and 9 are QS9000 certified.
7) UL's other services: such as certification services, inspection services, factual judgment services, research services. Not to be introduced here.
UL certification process
Product application for UL Mark includes five steps:
1. Applicant to submit information about the company and the product
Written application: you should be in writing to request the UL company on your company's products for testing.
Company information: in English and Chinese to provide the following units detailed and accurate name, address, contact person, postal code, telephone and fax.
(a). Applicant Company: The company that submits the application for product testing and is responsible for the full cost of engineering services
(b). Listed Company: A company whose name is listed in the various catalogs published by UL
(c). Manufacturing Plant: The manufacturer and producer of the product.
Product Information: Information about the product should be provided in English. First determine whether your product falls within the scope of UL testing, which can be obtained from UL's offices in Guangzhou and Shanghai.
(a). Name of the product: Provide the full name of the product.
(b). Model number of the product: detail all the product models, varieties or classification numbers, etc. that need to be experimented on.
(c). Intended use of the product: e.g. home, office, factory, coal mine, ship, etc.
(d). Parts list: detail the parts and components that make up the product along with the model number (classification number), rating, and name of the manufacturer. For insulation materials, please provide the name of the raw material, e.g., GE Polycarbonate, Lexan Type 104. When the parts have been certified or recognized by UL, please certify the specific model number of the part and indicate its UL file number.
(e). Electrical Performance: For electronic and electrical products. Provide electrical schematic diagram (wiring diagram), electrical performance table.
(f). Structural drawings: For most products, provide the product's structural drawings or exploded diagrams, ingredient lists, and so on.
(g). Photographs of the product, instructions for use, safety, etc. or installation instructions, etc.
2. People make a decision based on the product information provided
When the product information is complete, UL's engineers based on the information to make the following decisions: experiments based on the UL standards, the engineering cost of the test, the time of the test, the number of samples, etc., to notify you in writing, and will be the official application form and tracking service agreement sent to your company. The application form indicates the cost limit, which is the maximum engineering cost estimated by UL based on the test item, and the cost limit cannot be exceeded without your company's written authorization.
3. Remittance by the applicant company, sending back the application form and samples
The applicant signs the application form and the tracking service agreement and sends the form back to UL. At the same time, the applicant remits the money through the bank and sends the samples at the post office or by express mail, with appropriate descriptions of samples sent for testing (e.g., name, model number). Please send the application form and samples separately. For each application, UL will assign a unique project number (Project No.) Please indicate the project number and the name of the applying company when you remit the money, send the samples and the application form, so as to facilitate the checking and receiving by UL.
4. Product Testing
Upon receipt of your signed application form, remittance, and test samples, UL will notify you of the completion date of the test program. Product testing is generally conducted at UL laboratories in the U.S. UL may also accept audited data from participating third parties. Test samples will be returned or destroyed at your request.
If the product test results meet the requirements of the UL standard, UL will issue a test compliance report and FollowUp Service Proccdure (FollowUp Service Proccdure) The test report will detail the test conditions, the samples to meet the indicators, the structure of the product, and the product is suitable for the use of the product safety markings and so on. The FollowUp Service Proccdure includes a description of the product and instructions for UL Regional Inspectors. A copy of the test report is sent to the applicant company and a copy of the tracking service specifications is sent to each manufacturing plant.
5, the applicant is authorized to use the UL Mark
UL Regional Inspectors in China contact the production plant for the first factory inspection (Initial Production Inspection . IPI), the inspector to check your product and its components in the production line and warehouse warehouse to confirm that product structure The inspector checks your product and its components on the production line and in the warehouse to confirm whether the product structure and parts are consistent with the tracking service specifications, and if required by the specifications, the regional inspector will also carry out the witnessing experiment, and the applicant will be authorized to use the UL Mark when the inspection result meets the requirements.
Following the IPI, inspectors will visit the factory from time to time to inspect the product structure and conduct visual experiments, the frequency of inspection is determined by the type of product and production volume, most types of products are inspected at least four times a year, the inspector's inspections to ensure that the product continues to be consistent with the UL requirements, before you plan to change the structure of the product or components, please notify UL, for changes in the smaller changes, do not need to repeat any experiments For minor changes, there is no need to repeat any experiments, and UL can quickly modify the tracking service rules so that the inspector can accept such changes. When UL believes that the changes affect the safety performance of the product, the applicant company needs to resubmit samples for the necessary testing.
The cost of the follow-up service is not included in the test fee, and UL will send you a separate invoice for the follow-up inspection service.
If the product test results can not meet the requirements of the UL standard, UL will notify the applicant, explaining the existence of the problem, the applicant to improve the product design, you can re-transfer the product, you should tell UL engineers, the product to do what to improve, so that it decides to apply for UL certification of the above steps.
UL CERTIFICATION TERMINOLOGY
"AL" LISTING (Multiple Listing or Recognition)
AGENT (Agent)
APPEALS PROCEDURE (Complaints Procedure)
APPENDIX (Attachment)
APPLICANT ( APPLICANT)
AUTHORIZATION PAGE
CATEGORY CONTROL NUMBER
COMPONENT(Parts)
CONDITION OF ACCEPTABILITY
CONTROL NUMBER
FACTORY IDENTIFICATION
FACTORY INSPECTION
"AL" LISTING, CLASSIFICATION OR RECOGNITION (Multiple Listing or Recognition)
Listing or Recognition service established in the name of another party different from the applicant (the listing person), requested and authorized by the applicant
AGENT
An individual or business entrusted by the applicant to engage in an activity with UL on the applicant's behalf
APPEALS PROCEDURE
If a customer has a disagreement with the results of an engineering test or follow-up inspection, he or she can discuss the matter with the appropriate engineer or field representative without fear of jeopardizing future conclusions. If a satisfactory response is not obtained at this level, the customer may appeal to a higher level, up to the president.
APPENDIX (attached sheet)
A part of the bylaws that includes the responsibilities of the factory and field representatives and the requirements for associated testing. May also describe tests performed on samples sent to UL.
APPLICANT (Applicant)
A business or person who applies to UL for testing of their components, products or systems. Legally, this party will be responsible for the cost of the testing and tracking services and will have rights to all information related to the results of the testing. See also agent.
AUTHORIZATION PAGE
A page filed at the top of the Tracking Service Factory Inspection Specification to authorize the appropriate Tracking Service (Class L or Class R) and allowable certification marks
CATEGORY CONTROL NUMBER (CCN)
UL listing, recognition, classification services in different product categories in the form of character representation. Such as AVLV2 indicates electronic wire; QOWZ indicates portable lamps. In general, XXXX for listed products, XXXX2 for recognized products, XXXX7 for listed products in accordance with Canadian standards, XXXX8 for recognized products in accordance with Canadian standards.
COMPONENT
A part of a product that is individually tested for performance and/or construction in addition to participating in the testing of the entire product as part of a complete product. A component can be a listed, recognized or non-listed part.
CONDITION OF ACCEPTABILITY
These items are listed in the report for Approved or Non-Listed Parts, but are not used as the basis for inspection by the field representative. These items are based on the results of testing and indicate the limitations and conditions under which the part can be used with a complete product. For example, a report on a switch may indicate in the "applicable conditions" that the product is only suitable for currents below 1A or temperatures below 125C.
CONTROL NUMBER
One of the four possible components of the UL Recognition Mark, as assigned by UL. Depending on the product category and the type of tracking service, the control number may change periodically.
FACTORY IDENTIFICATION
An identification mark used by manufacturers who produce the same product in different factories to distinguish in which factory a product was produced.
FACTORY INSPECTION (Factory Inspection)
The information to be submitted for UL certification
The product application for the UL mark consists of five steps:
1. The applicant submits information about the company and the product
Written application: you should be in writing to request that the UL company test your company's products. You should request in writing that UL test your company's products.
Company information: In English and Chinese to provide the following units detailed and accurate name, address, contact person, postal code, telephone and fax.
(a). Applicant Company: The company that submits the application for product testing and is responsible for the full cost of engineering services
(b). Listed Company: A company whose name is listed in the various catalogs published by UL
(c). Manufacturing Plant: The manufacturer and producer of the product.
Product Information: Information about the product should be provided in English. First determine whether your product falls within the scope of UL testing, which can be obtained from UL's offices in Guangzhou and Shanghai.
(a). Name of the product: Provide the full name of the product.
(b). Model number of the product: detail all the product models, varieties or classification numbers, etc., that need to be experimented with.
(c). Intended use of the product: e.g. home, office, factory, coal mine, ship, etc.
(d). Parts list: detail the parts and components that make up the product along with the model number (classification number), rating, and name of the manufacturer. For insulation materials, please provide the name of the raw material, e.g., GE Polycarbonate, Lexan Type 104. When the parts have been certified or recognized by UL, please certify the specific model number of the part and indicate its UL file number.
(e). Electrical Performance: For electronic and electrical products. Provide electrical schematic diagram (wiring diagram), electrical performance table.
(f). Structural drawings: For most products, provide the product's structural drawings or exploded diagrams, ingredient lists, and so on.
(g). Photographs of the product, instructions for use, safety etc. or installation instructions etc.