UL 508A Certified Panel Shop

Typical UL 508A Labeling required for custom control panels

Typical UL 508A Labeling required for custom control panels

Joliet Technologies is a (Underwriters Laboratories) UL 508A Certified panel shop, Industrial Control Panels & Industrial Control Panels Certified for Canada (cUL).

There are several benefits to using a UL 508A certified electrical panel shop, such as Joliet Technologies, for your electrical panel needs. Here are some of the key benefits:

  1. Safety: UL 508A certification ensures that the electrical panels are designed and built to meet the highest safety standards. The panels are tested and evaluated to ensure that they can safely operate in a variety of conditions and environments.
  2. Compliance: Using a UL 508A certified electrical panel shop ensures that your panels comply with national and local electrical codes and regulations. This helps to avoid costly fines and potential legal liabilities.
  3. Quality: A UL 508A certified shop has undergone rigorous training and certification to ensure that they can design and build high-quality electrical panels that meet or exceed industry standards.
  4. Expertise: A certified electrical panel shop has the expertise to design and build custom panels to meet your specific needs. They have experience with a wide range of applications and can provide valuable insights into the best panel design for your particular situation.
  5. Efficiency: A UL 508A certified shop can design and build electrical panels more efficiently, which can save you time and money. They have the expertise and tools to optimize the design and build process, which can reduce lead times and improve overall productivity.

Overall, using a UL 508A certified electrical panel shop like Joliet Technologies can provide you with the assurance that your electrical panels are safe, compliant, high-quality, and designed to meet your specific needs.

Industrial Control Panels and the UL Panel Shop Program

(Underwriters Laboratories) UL maintains close relationships with authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), their program offers unique flexibility for control panel manufacturers, enabling Joliet Technologies to label either mass-produced or custom-built ICPs (Industrial Control Panels) without needing examination of each design.

Overview of industrial control panels

Industrial control panels (ICPs) are defined by the National Electrical Code (NEC) Section 409.2 as an assembly of two or more power circuit components, control circuit components, or any combination of power and control circuit components. These components are typically switches, terminal blocks, contactors, motor drives, transformers, overcurrent protective devices and the like.

Similar to other industrial equipment, ICPs can be evaluated as open type or enclosed. Open-type equipment is ultimately installed in an enclosure before being put into service. Enclosed ICPs can be rated for indoor use or any type rating, such as 3R, 4, or 12. In addition, these can be certified for use in classified areas, e.g., hazardous locations.

As a global leader in certifying ICPs, UL maintains close relationships with authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs). This partnership allows Joliet Technologies, a control panel manufacturer to label either mass-produced or custom-built ICPs without needing our examination of each design. Often called the Panel Shop Program, it offers unique flexibility for panel manufacturers. The program covers certification for U.S. and Canadian markets. Also unique to this program is the required training for panel shops that want to be a part of the program.

UL 508A Certified Lighting Panel

UL 508A Certified Lighting Panel

Industrial Control Panel Shop Program

UL’s Industrial Control Panel Shop Program (ICP Program) allows Joliet Technologies, a control panel manufacturer to custom-build or mass-produce ICPs to apply the UL Marks for the U.S. and Canada at our factory. UL’s ICP program makes it convenient for our customers to receive a UL certification while allowing maximum flexibility in panel design. When regulators, specifiers and end-product certifiers see the familiar UL Mark, they can be confident that the panel has met the certification requirements.

UL ICP Program benefits include:

  • Increases your competitive advantage — Offering our customers UL certified general use, industrial machinery, service equipment, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, fountain control, irrigation equipment, flame control, and marine use panels and bid on jobs that specify UL certified ICPs.
  • Cover all requirements — UL’s ICP Program covers proper component usage, enclosure environmental ratings, wiring and motor protection, safety markings, and conformance to the National Electrical Code (NEC) and Canadian Electrical Code (CEC).
  • Greater efficiency — help to minimize red-tagged panels at the job site, along with the resulting delays and extra cost.
  • Widespread acceptance — Benefit from the widespread acceptance of the UL Mark by regulatory authorities in every jurisdiction in the U.S. and Canada.
  • Increased component sourcing — UL and CSA International have a formal component acceptance agreement that permits acceptance of specific components for use in end products, including ICPs. This agreement gives our customers even more flexibility when sourcing components because covered CSA certified components can now be used in UL certified panels in addition to UL certified components already permitted under the scope of the ICP program.
  • Training and consulting — We share our expertise through technical training, workshops and advisory services focused on the needs of ICP builders. Attend one of our custom panel builder workshops and hear from the technical experts who can help you “build safety in” while meeting the requirements set for you by regulators and your customers.
UL 508A Certified labeling requirements for typical lighting panel

UL 508A Certified labeling requirements for typical lighting panel

The UL 508A Industrial Control Panel Shop Program is a part of UL’s General Coverage programs, which offer control panel manufacturers flexibility to apply UL Certification Marks to a wide range of industrial control panel designs. The control panel manufacturer’s level of knowledge and quality control measures are important elements of these programs. Control panel manufacturers initially entering the Industrial Control Panel Shop Program are required to complete mandatory training on the UL 508A industrial control panels Standard and then maintain qualified staff knowledgeable of the requirements of the Standard. Each manufacturing location must maintain at least one UL 508A qualified manufacturer technical representative (MTR) on staff who can effectively interpret and accurately apply the requirements of the UL 508A industrial control panels Standard. Details for qualifying an MTR can be found in the UL subscriber bulletin.

UL 508A

UL provides certification of industrial control panels to UL 508A, the Standard for Industrial Control Panels. The third edition of UL 508A becomes effective on July 1, 2020. So, understanding and applying current requirements is essential to meet our customer needs and market demands.

Information regarding (Underwriters Laboratories) UL 508A Certification Program provided by (Underwriters Laboratories) UL.