UL requirements for a simulator
UL requirements for a simulator
(OP)
Hi - first post - wow this is a large forum.
Wonder if anyone can help. We are manufacturing a racing car simulator with some motion.
All hardware that go into the simulator will have been CE and UL marked, so my question is what do we now need to do to get certification.
We are doing a self certification for CE marking is this possible for UL marking?
I always had the impression that a UL mark was less stringent than a CE mark - am i wrong?
We are making a product similar to this
http:
Would this product as a whole have to go through UL certification or is it just acceptable to say that all components used in it meet UL requirements?
I would appreciate any advice of what we need to do next and how we keep these unknown costs to a minimum?
Thanks
Bigape
Wonder if anyone can help. We are manufacturing a racing car simulator with some motion.
All hardware that go into the simulator will have been CE and UL marked, so my question is what do we now need to do to get certification.
We are doing a self certification for CE marking is this possible for UL marking?
I always had the impression that a UL mark was less stringent than a CE mark - am i wrong?
We are making a product similar to this
http:
Would this product as a whole have to go through UL certification or is it just acceptable to say that all components used in it meet UL requirements?
I would appreciate any advice of what we need to do next and how we keep these unknown costs to a minimum?
Thanks
Bigape
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RE: UL requirements for a simulator
UL is really tougher because you cannot self-certify and the testing is very stringent. Have you also gotten your FCC? You'll need that too. FCC is required by law (I'm assuming you're in the US)
Step one: Contact UL for a quote. Your whole machine needs testing, and you'll have to ask them to help you decide which standard applies (probably just a general safety standard). It's good that you used all listed/recognized components. Here's the place to go:
h
Prepare yourself for sticker shock, but don't despair.
Step two: Contact UL's competitors. ETL, TUV, CSA, and METLabs are ones I've used. There are others. There's an entire list of NRTLs (Nationally Recognized Testing Labs) available from OSHA:
http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/nrtllist.html
Get quotes on testing to the equivalent standards. They can test to UL standards, and you can then sticker your product with (for example) ETL certified to UL Standard XXXX, with a nice looking logo. My refrigerator has CSA in it, not UL. My washer and dryer have ETL. Lots of people aren't using UL anymore because of cost and speed.
Step three: Choose the lab that gives you the best combination of price and turnaround time. Then negotiate the FCC testing with them as an add-on before you sign up, maybe you can get some money knocked off the package.
That's how I'd go at it. Good luck!
Good on ya,
Goober Dave
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RE: UL requirements for a simulator
Many thanks for the above, very helpful
We are based in the UK so do we need an FCC too (whatever that is )?
Is it OK to start selling product into the US stating "awaiting UL certification" or "UL certification applied for" - we should have CE self certification by then anyway?
The link i attached above is of a company based in the US. The only information i can see about CE or UL on their web site is "all motors, drives and amplifiers are CE and UL marked". I am pretty sure they are not CE or UL certified as a whole machine and yet their focus on sales for home use.
How can this be and what are the implications to them of doing this as they have been selling for years?
What are the implications to us as an importer not having UL initially
Happy to cover the machine in stickers but as with all businesses we need to start generating income without getting too consumed on certifcation restrictions. Our intention is CE and UL cert and any other requirements
RE: UL requirements for a simulator
"UL applied for" doesn't work, and would probably get you some nasty correspondence from UL if they found out.
However, your second post raises a question in my mind. I'm now imagining (pardon the gross guess) a custom box you've made that contains a computer or two, a display, a hydraulic system or some other mechanicals, and a custom control panel to interface the hydraulics with the computers. If your computers, displays, and mechanicals(s) are all unmodified-out-of-the-box UL-listed products that simply plug in to an appropriate outlet, then they are not subject to further investigation by UL. If you've modified them, the UL is void.
If your custom control panel and controls are all operating below 40V, they are not subject to investigation by UL either, as long as the power supply feeding them is listed.
The items subject to FCC are the things that may radiate (computers, displays). They will already have FCC logos on them.
If your custom control panel has processors in it, that might be the only thing in need of FCC evaluation.
In other words, if you could ship this simulator to a customer in pieces and have him plug each item in individually, would they all be listed items? And would all of the potential radiators already have FCC certification? If so, and all you're doing electrically is gathering the power supply cords into a single point, you may not need anything done as a whole. I think that you could then employ the "all parts listed" marketing thing.
Anything you've done custom with higher voltages inside may need attention, though.
I'd wait to hear from others on the forum. I know my way around UL and FCC, but not so much with consumer goods.
Interesting!
Good on ya,
Goober Dave
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