When designing industrial equipment, machinery, or processing equipment it is very important to be aware of UL 508A standards. By law, industrial equipment and control panels are covered under the requirements of the National Electric Code (NEC NFPA 70) and must be suitable for use. UL 508A is the UL standard for the construction of industrial control panels.
Working UL 508A into your equipment design, right from the beginning, is a great idea since it allows you to be certain you are meeting conformity at the time of installation. It is also a good idea to have a third-party UL laboratory label or a field representative label on the new equipment being installed.
A UL label signifies that the panel builder has met the requirements of UL 508A, and that their panels are subject to inspection by UL field representatives. Not every panel is inspected by UL, but panels are subject to inspection by UL depending upon the quantity of UL labeled panels made in a given time period. A UL follow up services representative inspects the facility and reviews the panels to the UL 508A procedure for the panel shop being inspected. If the panels are found to comply, they are permitted to continue production and apply the UL Label.
UL 508A encompasses a broad range of requirements for industrial control panels, primarily the electrical requirements and how they are operated and installed. UL 508A standard includes enclosed control panels and control panels with environmental control devices.
UL 508A has a long list of related standards; For example, how and when to use various UL breaker types and how to manage power inlets, cords, or conduit, and wire sizes. It provides guidelines for proper component selection, wiring methods and calculation of short circuit current ratings. Also critical are the enclosure types and locations of use.
Production Systems is a member in good standing with the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL). All electrical controls are built in compliance with UL 508A Standard for Enclosed Electrical Control Panels. Contact us today to learn more.
