UL certification in the United States

UL stands for Underwriter Laboratories Inc. in the United States. The UL Safety Testing Institute is the most authoritative institution in the United States and one of the largest private organizations in the world engaged in safety testing and certification. It is an independent, non-profit professional organization that conducts experiments for public safety. It adopts scientific testing methods to study and determine whether various materials, devices, products, equipment, buildings, etc. are harmful to life and property, and the degree of harm; Determine, write, and distribute corresponding standards and materials that help reduce and prevent damage to life and property, while conducting fact finding research.

UL Introduction

UL is mainly engaged in product safety certification and operating safety certification business, with the ultimate goal of providing the market with products with a considerable level of safety and contributing to the guarantee of personal health and property safety. In terms of product safety certification as an effective means of eliminating technical barriers to international trade, UL also plays a positive role in promoting the development of international trade.

UL was founded in 1894 and initially relied on funding from the fire insurance department to maintain its operations. It was not until 1916 that UL became fully independent. After nearly a century of development, UL has become a world-renowned certification body with a complete set of rigorous organizational management system, standard development, and product certification procedures. UL is managed by a board of directors consisting of representatives from safety experts, government officials, consumers, education, utilities, insurance, and standards departments, with daily work handled by the President and Vice President. At present, UL has five laboratories in the United States, headquartered in Northbrook, north of Chicago, and has also established corresponding laboratories in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the United States, UL is a symbol of safety labeling for consumers, and globally, UL is one of the most trusted qualified assessment providers for manufacturers.

Introduction to UL Mark

UL logo style

The UL mark is usually marked on products and/or product packaging to indicate that the product has been certified by UL and meets safety standards.

Composition

The most important component of these markings is the UL logo symbol, which is a registered trademark of UL.

UL Mark Usage Requirements

The minimum height for registering a trademark should be 3/64 inches.

When the outer diameter of the UL mark is less than 3/8 inch, the registered trademark symbol can be ignored if it is not clear and readable in naked view.

3. The marking can be directly and securely fixed on the unchanged product using stamping, molding, ink printing, screen printing, or similar methods.

4. Obtaining the logo: Manufacturers can reprint or obtain it from UL authorized distributors.

5. ULus logo (only us, no c): a safety symbol for products entering the US market; CUL (only c, no us): a safety mark for products entering the Canadian market; CULus logo: a safety symbol for products entering the US and Canadian markets

Service Items

The types of UL product certification and testing services can be mainly divided into listing, accreditation, and grading.

1. Column name (LISTED):

Generally speaking, listing only applies to complete products and various components and devices that qualified personnel replace or install on site. The various products that belong to UL listing services include household appliances, medical equipment, computers, commercial equipment, and various electrical products that function in buildings, such as distribution systems, fuses, wires, switches, and other electrical components. Products listed by UL can usually be labeled with the UL listing symbol on each product. The usage of column name flags.

2. Recognized:

Accreditation service is a project in UL services, and the products identified can only be used as components or raw materials on UL listed, graded, or other accredited products. The product is not structurally complete or has certain limitations in its use to ensure the expected safety performance. In most cases, tracking services that recognize products belong to the R category. The recognized products belonging to Class L include electronic wire (AVLV2), processed wire (ZKLU2), wire harness (ZPFW2), aluminum wire (DVVR2), and metal flexible tube (DXUZ2). Approved products require approval marks.

3. Classification:

Graded services only evaluate specific hazards of products, or evaluate products that comply with standards other than UL standards (including internationally recognized standards such as IEC and ISO standards). Generally speaking, most graded products are not products used by consumers, but rather products used in industry or commerce. The grading mark in the UL logo indicates that the product has certain restrictions and regulatory scope when certified by UL. For example, for chemicals such as solvents used in industry, only the range of potential fires that may occur when they reach their ignition temperature is evaluated. The grading service and listing service of certain products are the same, but generally only evaluate one or several aspects of the product. For example, in the United States, medical X-ray diagnostic equipment must comply with US laws and regulations on radiation emission and beam accuracy nationwide. However, because UL only classifies X-rays as grading products, it only evaluates their mechanical performance, electrical performance, and other non radiation performance aspects.

4. Multiple column names, multiple endorsements, or multiple rating services:

When an UL applicant obtains the aforementioned listing, accreditation, or grading services, and their products need to be produced under the name of another company to meet sales needs, they can apply for multiple listing, accreditation, or grading services. In this case, the manufacturer who obtains listing, accreditation, or grading is allowed to use the name of another company in the product catalog, but the product must be consistent with the original listing, accreditation, or grading product, except for the company code, product code, or other features that UL deems acceptable.

5. Listing, recognition, or grading services for "AL"

If the UL applicant does not wish to obtain listing, accreditation, or grading services in the name of their own company, they can apply for listing, accreditation, or grading services in the name of another business (usually a retailer or wholesaler), known as "AL" listing, accreditation, or grading services. The difference between it and multiple listing, multiple recognition, or multiple grading services 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. A total of 116 factories in China have obtained UL system certification; Among them, 21 are ISO9001 certified, 85 are ISO9002 certified, 1 is ISO14001 certified, and 9 are QS9000 certified.

7. Other services of UL:

Such as certification services, inspection services, fact finding services, research services, etc.

technological process

The process of applying for the UL mark for a product includes the following steps:

1. The applicant submits relevant company and product information

Written application: You should request UL to conduct testing on your company's products in writing.

Company Information: Provide detailed and accurate names, addresses, contact persons, postal codes, telephone numbers, and faxes of the following units in both Chinese and English.

(a) Application company: A company that submits a product testing application and is responsible for all engineering service fees

(b) Listed companies: Companies whose names are listed in various product catalogs published by UL

(c) Production factory: the manufacturer and producer of products.

Product information: Product information should be provided in English.

(a) Product Name: Provide the full name of the product.

(b) Product model: List in detail all product models, varieties, or classification numbers that require experimentation.

(c) The intended use of the product: for example: home, office, factory, coal mine, ship, etc.

(d) Parts List: Detailed listing of the components and models (classification numbers) that make up the product, rated values, and the name of the manufacturer. For insulation materials, please provide the name of the raw material, such as GE Polycarbonate, Lexan Type 104. When the component has obtained UL certification or recognition, please prove the specific model of the component and indicate its UL file number (e). Electrical performance: For electronic and electrical products. Provide electrical schematics (circuit diagrams) and electrical performance meters.

(f) Structural diagram: For most products, it is necessary to provide the product's structural diagram or explosion diagram, ingredient list, etc.

(g) Product photos, instructions for use, safety measures, installation instructions, etc.

2. Make a decision based on the provided product information

When the product information is complete, UL engineers will make the following decisions based on the information: UL standards to be used for the experiment, engineering costs for testing, testing time, sample quantity, etc. They will notify you in writing and send the formal application form and tracking service agreement to your company. The application form specifies the cost limit, which is the maximum engineering cost estimated by UL based on the testing project. Without written authorization from your company, this cost limit cannot be exceeded.