I have a problem that's come up at work.
We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
furnishings).
We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
One might find more information here :
http://www.ul.com/
Seems at a quick glance that unless there is a new process or material
involved, their testing is to compare a manufactured item to standards
already established for similar items along with the materials and other
listed manufactured items used in its construction. Researching it for safe
combinations and stability for its intended use. A rejection would mean
choosing other material/s or modified design or a simple warning label and
resubmitting. Also they reserve the right to do periodic paid for visits to
the manufacture to insure consistency to the original item listed. I feel
that this is more for items that require complicated production control like
special tolerances, x-rays etc. or special bonding procedures and the like.
Your item might only require an occasional sample of current production.
Perhaps the cost might not be as prohibitive as expressed here. You can
phone, write or email inquiries to them. At least that part seems to be
free.
The originator of this product is looking to reduce his liability insurance
premiums. Have you noticed the cost of ladders. Additionally the warning and
approval labels on them ? D--n Lawyers !
I would be interested as to what you find and decide.
--
Chipper Wood
useours, yours won't work
"RB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The only practical way to get UL approval is to hire one of the
> consultants who "knows his way around UL." Pay the price and he'll
> deliver the approval. If you try to do it by the book yourself I bet
> you'll still be looking for help a few years from now.
>
> I've come to feel that UL is another one of the guild like obstacles in
> the way of business. It does not provide assurance that the purchased
> product is safe.
>
> RB
>
> Tom Watson wrote:
> > I have a problem that's come up at work.
> >
> > We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
> > shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
> >
> > The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
> > product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
> > furnishings).
> >
> > We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
> > estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
> >
> > Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
> >
> >
>
Tom Watson asks:
>We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
>shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
>The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
>product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
>furnishings).
>
>We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
>estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
>Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
No, but...
http://www.ul.com/
I do recall hearing an inventor state some years ago that he couldn't afford to
get things UL approved because of the cost. Several units need to be supplied
for testing, according to him, and they are tested to destruction, which can
sometimes be a costly process.
Charlie Self
"Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable." Mark Twain
http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
Tom Watson wrote:
> I have a problem that's come up at work.
>
> We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
> shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
> The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
> product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
> furnishings).
>
> We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
> estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
> Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
Keep in mind that when most people see a UL sticker on the cord they
think the whole unit is approved rather than only the cord to which it is
attached. Perhaps you too can get away with buying a bunch of UL
approved cords.
--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
(Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)
Tom Watson wrote:
> I have a problem that's come up at work.
>
> We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
> shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
> The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
> product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
> furnishings).
>
> We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
> estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
> Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
>
>
As others have stated it's very complex. If your lucky, you can find a
manual from UL that states all the specifications required for your box.
By this I mean it's a product that already has a reputation like say a
new vacuum cleaner. Otherwise you will be on your own but they do
publish specs on the general stuff like cords, strain relief, heat, etc.
You will need many "samples" to provide them so they can destroy them.
Cost is also in the multi $K just to get them to test.
It would be easiest (and cheapest!) if you could equip the insides with
UL approved devices (like a complete lamp assembly versus individual
components) and make your box have the clearence/material requirements
stated for use by the maker of the lamp assembly. Your client wont get
the UL sticker on the outside but you will have made a product that
meets the UL "spirit".
-Bruce
-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----
The only thing worse is FAA approval.
"Tom Watson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a problem that's come up at work.
>
> We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
> shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
> The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
> product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
> furnishings).
>
> We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
> estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
> Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
>
>
----== Posted via Newsfeed.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeed.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! >100,000 Newsgroups
---= 19 East/West-Coast Specialized Servers - Total Privacy via Encryption =---
The only practical way to get UL approval is to hire one of the
consultants who "knows his way around UL." Pay the price and he'll
deliver the approval. If you try to do it by the book yourself I bet
you'll still be looking for help a few years from now.
I've come to feel that UL is another one of the guild like obstacles in
the way of business. It does not provide assurance that the purchased
product is safe.
RB
Tom Watson wrote:
> I have a problem that's come up at work.
>
> We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
> shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
> The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
> product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
> furnishings).
>
> We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
> estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
> Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
>
>
"Young_carpenter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I think they are crazy.
> However, Off the shelf parts can be UL approved (mentioned in another
post).
> and if the box meets certain temperature standards (like the bulb wont'
> cause spontaneous combustion of materials surrounding it) you should be
> safe. Honestly I think this is an odd request.
> --
> Young Carpenter
They may be crazy, but the have the check book. It is probably a case of CYA
in case of a lawsuit.
For the past 18 years I've been involved with meeting either UL or some
other third party certification. Hours of record keeping is required "just
in case' and there has never been a case. Marking, tracing of materials,
inspections, audits, are all part of the game. Spend a half day or more
with a twit that has no idea of your business, but is checking to see if you
are in compliance. And you are paying for him to bug you as part of the
service agreement.
After a year I just recently completed this with a third party company so we
can comply with our customer's request, but they are a million dollar a year
customer and hope to be for many years to come. You don't do that type of
thing on a one shot contract for a few hundred pieces. Want to see the
procedures we must follow? It is about 100 pages.
Ed
On Thu, 04 Mar 2004 18:17:53 -0700, Wes Stewart <n7ws@_arrl.net>
wrote:
>That said, don't be bamboozled by UL into thinking that UL is the only
>Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL). There are other
>certified labs; see:
>
>http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/
>
>Wes
True, there are others. But UL is the most widely recognized of them.
I say recognized in the sense of average Joe looking at the label.
On Thu, 04 Mar 2004 21:00:32 -0500, Nova <[email protected]>
wrote:
>Keep in mind that when most people see a UL sticker on the cord they
>think the whole unit is approved rather than only the cord to which it is
>attached. Perhaps you too can get away with buying a bunch of UL
>approved cords.
I don't think I'd want to defend myself in court if I'd used such a
deception if a product failed resulting in personal injury or property
damage.
"Tom Watson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a problem that's come up at work.
>
> We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
> shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
> The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
> product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
> furnishings).
>
> We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
> estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
> Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
>
Tom -
Contact your local Hydro authority - they may have the ability to inspect
(and approve) small run custom devices. They then put an approval sticker on
whatever it is... cost could be $5-10 per sticker...
Sort of like having the electrical inspector approve your home wiring...
Cheers -
Rob
"Mike Hide" wrote in message...
>
> "Tom Watson" wrote in message
> > I have a problem that's come up at work.
> The first problem, "the thing that comes up at work", is probably the
result
> of taking a weeks dose of viagra at one shot ,on Monday morning that is.
>
> Personally I find spacing it out a little at a time avoids the need to
> pretend to do up your shoelaces every time a female appears on the scene.
>
> The second problem getting UL approval is just out of my league, I never
> have trusted electricians .....mjh
Arrrrrggghhh! I am definitely going to quit drinking coffee, in front of a
new flat screen monitor, while reading the wREC.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 2/28/04
"Mike G" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> It's what I would do, but of course that depends on how much your company
> needs the work and are willing to push
>
> --
> Mike G.
> [email protected]
> Heirloom Woods
It is what you SAY you would do until you started the process. I've done it.
I'd turn the job down. It can run into tens of thousand of dollars on some
item and take up to a year to get it done. It will take hours of your time.
time that is better spent earning a living. If you are a multi-million
dollar company with employees that have the time, go for it. For a small
shop, forget it.
Ed
"Tom Watson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a problem that's come up at work.
>
> We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
> shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
> The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
> product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
> furnishings).
>
> We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
> estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
> Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
Yes, I do. It is not easy. You have to submit items for testing (that YOU
pay for) meet certain design criteria, use only approved materials, etc. It
may entail quarterly inspection of the manufacturing facility to assure
compliance (that YOU pay for), lots of record keeping. I'm not familiar
with the particular listing you are looking for, but I don't know of anyone
that gets away with less than 10 or 20 thousand.
I'd pass on it.
Ed
"CW" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I used to make adapters and mounting cabinets for high voltage breakers,
in
> addition to modification to the breaker themselves. They were always sent,
> assembled with breaker, to be UL tested. They only required one to be
sent.
> They do not destroy them. The only reason they would be destroyed during
> testing is if it would not do what it was meant to do. UL rating only
> certifies that the device will perform as the manufacturer says it will.
Correct. Depends on the standard. Just so happens everything I ever sent
to them had to comply with a flame spread standard and the only way to test
them was to burn them. Once that test was done, to maintain compliance you
had to certify that you used the appropriate material and be able to trace
back from finished product to the lot number of the material from our
supplier. This may or may not apply on the cases in question. Inspection
was every quarter. It could take five minutes, could take five hours.
Ed
"Tom Watson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a problem that's come up at work.
>
> We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
> shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
> The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
> product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
> furnishings).
>
> We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
> estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
> Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
>
The first problem, "the thing that comes up at work", is probably the result
of taking a weeks dose of viagra at one shot ,on Monday morning that is.
Personally I find spacing it out a little at a time avoids the need to
pretend to do up your shoelaces every time a female appears on the scene.
The second problem getting UL approval is just out of my league, I never
have trusted electricians .....mjh
>Is there a difference between a UL listing, and a UL approval?
First, UL doesn't approve anything. An item can be either UL recognized or UL
listed. Typically, UL listings are for complete assemblies (a lamp for
example) while UL recognitions are for components that go into a listed item
(the wires in the lamp). I never needed any special records for our UL Listed
inverter systems, the UL safety auditor would once in a while come in and check
to see that we had everything in the cabinet that we said we did. Depending on
the product and its application, the costs vary widely from a few hundred
dollars to thousands. If you use only UL recognized components in your
assembly, the listing process is much less expensive. If you're custom
building the item without UL recognized components, the process is much more
expensive and involved as every component will require safety testing at UL's
labs. I suggest you contact UL directly and talk to them first.
(I've only dealt with UL for the past 15 years or so).
E-mail me offline and I can give you some phone numbers and names to contact.
Kevin Daly
Mattatuck Astronomical Society
http://hometown.aol.com/kdaly10475/index.html
Buy a power cord with a UL sticker on it, connect to unit.....job done and
customer happy.
DAVe
"Robin Lee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Tom Watson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I have a problem that's come up at work.
> >
> > We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
> > shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
> >
> > The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
> > product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
> > furnishings).
> >
> > We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
> > estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
> >
> > Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
> >
>
>
> Tom -
>
> Contact your local Hydro authority - they may have the ability to inspect
> (and approve) small run custom devices. They then put an approval sticker
on
> whatever it is... cost could be $5-10 per sticker...
>
> Sort of like having the electrical inspector approve your home wiring...
>
> Cheers -
>
> Rob
>
>
I used to make adapters and mounting cabinets for high voltage breakers, in
addition to modification to the breaker themselves. They were always sent,
assembled with breaker, to be UL tested. They only required one to be sent.
They do not destroy them. The only reason they would be destroyed during
testing is if it would not do what it was meant to do. UL rating only
certifies that the device will perform as the manufacturer says it will. It
is only a certification that you are not making a false claim, not that it
will be safe. I have no idea how much it costs though. I just made them.
"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message >
> I do recall hearing an inventor state some years ago that he couldn't
afford to
> get things UL approved because of the cost. Several units need to be
supplied
> for testing, according to him, and they are tested to destruction, which
can
> sometimes be a costly process.
>
> Charlie Self
> "Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable." Mark Twain
>
> http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
"Edwin Pawlowski"
> I'd pass on it.
What about telling the customer to go get the design approved themselves?
You, the manufacturing house, build it to pass the spec - they own the
design and the cert burden. I think this is a more typical way of doing
business. Guess it depends on what they are looking for that sticker for,
if they even know themselves. These certs are usually pretty trivial to
understand and pass, especially when you are using standard componants and
materials, but not trivial to get the piece of paper proving you passed.
Not too familiar with UL, just CE.
- Nate
"Nate B" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
|
| Not too familiar with UL, just CE.
UL certification is considerably more difficult to obtain than CE
certification.
It is a lengthy, complicated, time-consuming, and expensive process. If
your customer demands UL certification as part of the contract, make sure
you pass those expenses on to him. To require it as part of a fab run of
only a few hundred units is fairly inefficient. Perhaps if your customer
sees all the expenses he'll have to foot, and that they are beyond your
control, he'll relent.
--Jay
On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 01:21:25 GMT, patriarch
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Is there a difference between a UL listing, and a UL approval?
I was going to comment somewhere about this and you've provided the
perfect place.
It's long been my understanding that there is no such thing as "UL
approval." Items submitted for testing are run through a rigorous
series of examinations (destructive testing, too, as someone pointed
out), and if they pass the tests, they are added to a list of products
that meet the requirements; thus becoming "UL Listed."
This is way out of my field of expertise; I just remember reading
about it years ago, and I may not have it all right, but that's the
gist of it. I also seem to recall that the standards are set by a
consortium of insurance companies.
Anyway, I always bristle when I hear (see) someone talk about UL
approval.
- -
LRod
Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite
Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999
http://www.woodbutcher.net
On Thu, 04 Mar 2004 21:18:59 GMT, Tom Watson <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I have a problem that's come up at work.
>
>We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
>shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
>The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
>product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
>furnishings).
>
>We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
>estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
>Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
>
I don't post here much, but read a lot. What Edwin P. has been saying
is dead on straight. Unless you plan on marketing the "assembly" for
mass production, pass on getting the special unit UL listed. I deal
with it a lot as well and I wouldn't even agree to consider listing
the assembly.
Just my 2 cents
Allyn Vaughn
I think they are crazy.
However, Off the shelf parts can be UL approved (mentioned in another post).
and if the box meets certain temperature standards (like the bulb wont'
cause spontaneous combustion of materials surrounding it) you should be
safe. Honestly I think this is an odd request.
--
Young Carpenter
"Violin playing and Woodworking are similar, it takes plenty of money,
plenty of practice, and you usually make way more noise than intended"
{Put the fiddler back "on" the roof to reply}
--
"Tom Watson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a problem that's come up at work.
>
> We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
> shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
> The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
> product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
> furnishings).
>
> We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
> estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
> Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
>
>
"Tom Watson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
> Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
>
Was associated with it (albeit on the periphery) about 15 years ago when I
was an 'njuneer on a blood analyzer. Saw the $$ and paperwork involved and
wondered (out loud) if it was so 'spensive because we were a medical device?
The response was "Nope - UL is a PITA!"
My nickel says the requestor either foots the bill or you build enough of
them to amortize the expense.
Tom Watson asks:
>We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
>shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
>The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
>product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
>furnishings).
>
>We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
>estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
>Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
A little.
Getting "the bull" AKA: UL Label is a real PITA.
Not much in direct fees but ungodly amounts of documentation need to be
researched and submitted.
The time involved can be a great expense.
I'd tell the customer that a UL listing will add $1,500.00 per unit, with
payment of the UL premium due at time of order placement.
Might find the customers UL need magically goes away or at least is
seriously modified.
Good luck.
--
Lew
S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: <http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett> for Pictures
On Thu, 04 Mar 2004 21:18:59 GMT, Tom Watson <[email protected]>
wrote:
|I have a problem that's come up at work.
|
|We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
|shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
|
|The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
|product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
|furnishings).
|
|We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
|estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
|
|Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
As several others have stated, this is a real can of worms. Too many
worms to corral for only a few hundred piece parts.
That said, don't be bamboozled by UL into thinking that UL is the only
Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL). There are other
certified labs; see:
http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/
Wes
You could point out that the fixtures you use will be UL approved and that
any cost incurred in getting the whole assembly UL approved will fall on
him. Also the delay in providing him with his units until the process is
finished.
I'd also make a point to inform him that the approval goes with the units
so, unless you have some sort of exclusive agreement with him, you will be
free to use the approval on like units you may make for someone else.
It's what I would do, but of course that depends on how much your company
needs the work and are willing to push
--
Mike G.
[email protected]
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Tom Watson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I have a problem that's come up at work.
> >
> > We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
> > shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
> >
> > The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
> > product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
> > furnishings).
> >
> > We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
> > estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
> >
> > Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
>
> Yes, I do. It is not easy. You have to submit items for testing (that YOU
> pay for) meet certain design criteria, use only approved materials, etc.
It
> may entail quarterly inspection of the manufacturing facility to assure
> compliance (that YOU pay for), lots of record keeping. I'm not familiar
> with the particular listing you are looking for, but I don't know of
anyone
> that gets away with less than 10 or 20 thousand.
>
> I'd pass on it.
> Ed
>
>
I speak from my perspective. I don't work for UL.
UL listing essentially means that the item listed is safe for it's
intended use. UL, as others have noted, doesn't approve anything. In
my employers case, all the stuff we have is put on our listing. It's
UL listed. I must further note that the amount of testing our
products endure is considerably less that starting from scratch since
most of the componentry is UL recognized. Switches, wires, the
plastics inside, transformers and so on. The manufacturer of each
item has already done their part of the UL testing process. I shudder
to think of the rigorous testing one my designs would endure were I to
need to test each and every component exhaustively. The listing
process is made considerably easier by the plastic having a yellow
card. By the switch itself being recognized. And so on.
What my design has to do is be safe (won't cause harm) to the user.
UL is not concerned if my device actually does the function I intend
it to do. Just be safe. That's it.
Again, I urge the OP to contact UL directly to determine what would
actually have to happen if he really want's to get his project listed.
IMHO it may not be worth the effort for a few hundred units. But what
do I know? I'm not in the OPs business.
On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 01:21:25 GMT, patriarch
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Is there a difference between a UL listing, and a UL approval?
>
>In the (north american) telecomm world, there are several differing levels
>of certification for equipment. Does an analogous situation exist here?
>
>Patriarch
We did all the time. Yes, it was a large organization. There were three of
us.
"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Mike G" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >
> > It's what I would do, but of course that depends on how much your
company
> > needs the work and are willing to push
> >
> > --
> > Mike G.
> > [email protected]
> > Heirloom Woods
>
> It is what you SAY you would do until you started the process. I've done
it.
> I'd turn the job down. It can run into tens of thousand of dollars on
some
> item and take up to a year to get it done. It will take hours of your
time.
> time that is better spent earning a living. If you are a multi-million
> dollar company with employees that have the time, go for it. For a small
> shop, forget it.
> Ed
>
>
Getting a UL listing can be complicated and expensive, but doesn't
have to be. My employer routinely gets this for the product we build.
We wouldn't be in business without it.
That said, have UL listed componentry inside has already gone a long
way. For that enclosure, you'll need the yellow card for the material
it's made of and have to follow required clearances and the like for
the kind of product it is. Some products get a lot more testing done
to them than others.
To name a particular amount this will cost is speculation, but it's
surely in the thousands. Maybe a lot of thousands. Only UL will be
able to say after they look at what you have and what it's going to be
used/sold for.
IMHO, a couple of hundred units doesn't seem to make much sense to go
through that expense. Does your customer plan on reselling them? The
portion of the product price attributed to UL listing could make it
unsellable.
Maybe you could get a clue on making a safe product by just talking to
the UL guy. Check with your customer if they really want to go all
the way and make them pay for it if they do.
On Thu, 04 Mar 2004 21:18:59 GMT, Tom Watson <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I have a problem that's come up at work.
>
>We are being asked to build a custom display light that uses off the
>shelf electrical components that will be enclosed by a melamine box.
>
>The customer wants the unit to have a UL approval sticker on it (This
>product meets the UL962 standard for household and commercial
>furnishings).
>
>We'd be making several hundred of these and I have no clue of how to
>estimate the time or cost of getting the UL approval.
>
>Any of you guys have experience with this sort of thing?
>