3rd March 2020
Of all the subjects we often discuss with clients, the one that still causes the most confusion is around that of design and build standards for the North American markets.
It would certainly appear that North America is becoming an increasingly inviting market for UK machinery builders, no doubt further heightened with Brexit and how trade with Europe may alter in the future.
So seizing on what is a massive opportunity in North America has become of increasing importance to current and future customers and hence we have decided to produce a series of videos and downloads as well as developing a Q&A forum and seminar to remove some of the misconceptions surrounding UL, as well as highlighting some of the critical points that machine builders need to be aware of.
We are delighted to be working on this with a number of our key partners, namely:
And at PP Control & Automation, we have over two decades of experience in the design and build of control & automation systems for the North American Markets and have held full UL508a Approval during this time.
Our main objective for the forthcoming information is to deliver the clear message that the importance of getting it right has never been greater and equally the cost of getting it wrong has never been higher.
Our plan is to release a weekly video and blog and thus creating a series that will cover:
This is not a marketing “sell” message – rather an educational piece that we hope will encourage UK machine builders to look closely at the North American export market and its opportunities – A market we hope to encourage machine builders to seize. These are important times for UK Manufacturing.
If you have a specific question about UL then the form below will be the most useful tool for you. With these questions, we can respond to your specific needs directly and also build on the communications planned over the next 6 weeks.
Come back next week to understand more about the wider business considerations concerning UL, including its many benefits.
To be notified of any updates in the campaign, navigate to the sign-up form below.
Stefano Muraro of Rockwell Automation explores specific evolutions of UL508A standards and the impact on industrial control panels, highlighting innovative, sustainable solutions.
In this guest contribution to the ongoing Sustainability in UL Standards campaign, Phil Murby, UK Commercial Manager at Lutze explores a different approach to the construction of a control panel.
In this guest contribution to the ongoing Sustainability in UL Standards campaign, Phil Murby’s insights provide practical guidance on aligning control panel wiring practices with sustainability and compliance, offering tangible solutions for both efficiency and environmental stewardship.
As the manufacturing community increasingly leans towards sustainable practices, machine builders and OEMs find themselves at the centre of impact and progress. But there are several caveats to ‘doing the right thing’, that will almost certainly emerge. The implications for standards and certifications like UL508A for one, could be significant.
European machine builders are increasingly eyeing the lucrative North American market. Ian Knight believes accessing the opportunity depends on your firm’s ability to strategically navigate standards and avoid the pitfalls of safety compliance.
PP Control & Automation has long been promoting the considerations to be mindful of when navigating UL 508A. When doing so, questions linking to NFPA often enter the discussion. This supplement offers some clarity on the relationship between the two.
PP C&A has signed a deal with Product Approvals to boost its product certification offer to global clients.
Having an understanding of the processes encompassing inspection and evaluation is a major facet to the right UL practice for OEMs and the often overlooked considerations and risks when converting European builds to US-ready machines or when looking to expand into North America with new machine builds altogether.
With the control panels built and the components selected, all under UL guidance, machine connectivity will bring the whole thing together but there’s a serious worry that all that hard work can be undone by not understanding the importance of cabling in relation to UL.
Many definitions used in systems implemented in North America have no equivalent in the design of industrial installations according to European regulations. The reason for this is not a simple problem of different terminology, but a different conceptual approach altogether.
With these questions, we can respond to your specific needs directly and also build on the communications planned over the next 6 weeks.
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