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need Product Design Specs (UL, EC, etc.) — Parallax Forums

need Product Design Specs (UL, EC, etc.)

ediedi Posts: 19
edited 2005-09-15 12:33 in General Discussion
Hi All,

I'm trying to locate the specifications below for product design.

Can anyone please help ?



Underwriters Laboratory (UL) Specifications

IEC Specifications (in english)

CE Specifications (in english)

Japan Specifications (in english)

Maylasian Specifications (in english)

Chinese (i.e. Hong Kong & Taiwan) specifications (in english)

South American Specifications (in english)



I've done a lot of searching w/ Google trying to locate these specs, but I couldn't
find anything. Perhaps the specifications are available only by purchase ......

Comments

  • StarManStarMan Posts: 306
    edited 2005-09-11 18:41
    You are asking a question that is very broad and for which there is no single answer.

    I can only speak from experience in getting UL approval for a product.· UL does not offer design specifications for free.· They have a listing of all their specs on their web site but you will pay a pretty penny for each one.· I have never bought one.· I have never even read one.

    My product is a lighting/architectural product and so I designed it as such while occaisionally referring to the UBC (uniform building code).· It also helped tremendously to be married to a licensed electrician that is familiar with local electrical codes (taken from the UBC).

    There is no law requiring UL approval so we sold our products for over a year before we approached UL.· Once we contacted them, they came in and made an assessment, did some testing,·outlined some minor design changes required for approval,· billed us for a few thousand dollars, and signed us off as approved.

    We now have stickers that say "cUL approved" with our product code that we put on our conforming products.· A UL field rep comes by·quarterly for a surprise inspection.· We are billed $160 for each inspection.

    Chris I.
  • John R.John R. Posts: 1,376
    edited 2005-09-11 18:54
    For the most part, I believe you'll either need to purchase these standards, or find them in a library. Most of the organizations see the "publishing arm" as a source of funding.

    You will first have to determine what standards you need. The best place to start would be the web site for the appropriate organization. For example, this is a good place to start for UL:

    http://www.ul.com/info/standard.htm

    There is a link there to the standards page: http://ulstandardsinfonet.ul.com/

    Other standards organizations should have similar pages.

    I have had mixed luck getting "advice" from these organizations. Generally, they will help steer you in the right direction, but don't provide much in the way of specifics. Determining what standards they will hold a given product to can be a whole lot of fun, if you're into recursive questions that is.

    ME: What standards will my widget be held to?

    UL: What is your widget?

    ME: It's a widget to level a trailer.

    UL: What does your widget do?

    ME: Levels a trailer using electric powered hydraulic systems.

    UL: Which electrical standards do you need?

    ME: That's what I want to find out...

    From here on, it gets a bit like Abbot and Costello...

    Once you get your hands on the first standard, that will inevetably direct you to numerous other standards, and they in turn will refer to others.

    It didn't take long for us to decide and find a consultant. That saved a lot of hair, time and energy. But then we had dollars coming in from other products, and an actual development budget.

    Once you have the first product approved, similar products or changes are not as bad.

    It's been too many years, so I can't (won't) remember too many details (selective memory is a wonderful thing).


    John R.
  • ediedi Posts: 19
    edited 2005-09-15 11:08
    Dear Chris I. and John R.

    Thanks for your valuable advice on dealing w/ these specs.

    My product (currently in design phase) will be very low production quantity. It's a controller for high-end consumer equipment. Gee w/ all the spec data + costs, I think I'll back away from that issue for now. However, three main objectives at this point are 1. that it will run off of AC from USA (120V/60Hz), Europe (220V/50Hz), Japan (?V/?Hz), Hong Kong (?V/?Hz), and Malaysia (?V/?Hz); 2. That safety grounds are observed & I don't fry anyone; & 3. I don't blow-up anyones equipment.

    Spec costs may be prohibitive for me so I will explore the library approach.

    Thank you both very much for your time.

    Sincere Regards,

    Richard
  • stamptrolstamptrol Posts: 1,731
    edited 2005-09-15 12:33
    Richard,

    The approach I've used to get CSA approval here in Canada, is to use the "approved component" method.

    In Canada, it is required that electrical products ( essentially anything over 24 volts) be CSA or cUL approved for sale.

    The approved component program lets you use parts that individually are already approved. For instance, I use an approved power supply from Omron in some of my projects. Likewise right down to wire, terminal blocks, relays etc. Finally, I take the unit to a CSA certified shop, have them test it, certify and put on the CSA label.

    I expect every regulating body has some form of this program. Other posts are right though, these guys don't do anything for free! When I checked out getting CSA status for my own shop, it was an on-going several thousand dollars per year to be certified and stay that way. For low production runs, just not worth it.

    Cheers,

    Tom Sisk
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