Comprehensive services for the electrical and electronics industry
A world without electricity has become unimaginable. Plastics provide endless possibilities for manufacturing reliable electronic components as well as safe electrical products for industry and end users.
Tests to determine the mechanical, physical and electrical characteristics ensure that plastics are safe to use in electrical equipment. UL collaborates extensively with the electrical and electronics industry from the outset in connection with the testing and certification of plastic materials and products.
Numerous UL standards for end product applications are based on the following test standards for plastic parts:
UL 94: Tests for Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances
UL 746A: Polymeric Materials – Short Term Property Evaluations
UL 746B: Polymeric Materials – Long Term Property Evaluations
UL 746C: Polymeric Materials – Use in Electrical Equipment Evaluations
These UL standards also take account of many other standards such as ISO, IEC, ASTM etc.
Required properties according UL 746C
These requirements do not cover the specific insulating systems that are covered by the requirements contained in the standard “Systems of Insulating Materials – General”, UL 1446.
| Figurative Examples (FE)
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| UL 94-HB / -V / -5V / -VTM / -HBF | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Volume resistivity and Dielectric strength | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – | ✔ |
| Comparative tracking index (CTI) | – | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – | – |
| Inclined-Plane Tracking (IPT) | – | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – | ✔ |
| Dimensional Change after water exposure (23°C) |
✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | ✔ | ✔ |
| Heat deflection temperature under load / Vicat softening point / Ball pressure temperature | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Resistance to Creep (evaluated in the specific application) |
✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| High current arc resistance to ignition (HAI) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | ✔ |
| Hot wire ignition (HWI) | – | ✔ | ✔ | – | – | – | ✔ |
| Tensile or flexural strength; tensile, Izod, or Charpy impact (judged in the application) |
– | ✔ | – | – | – | ✔ | ✔ |
| Relative thermal index (RTI) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
A “figurative example” (FE) is a schematic design feature of the end product. This design feature must comply with the minimum required properties for the material which is used. The required material properties are summarized in a list of up to 11 test methods.
What Requirements are relevant to your product?
| Business | Sub-Unit | UL Standard | UL 746A | UL 746B | UL 746C | UL 94 |
| Appliances | Fans | 507 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Heaters | 499 | – | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Cooking Appliances | 1026 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Food Preparation Household Machines | 982 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Vacuum / Blower Cleaners | 982 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Pumps |
778 | – | – | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Tools, Handheld, Portable | 60745-1 | – | – | – | ✔ | |
| Washing Machines Household | 2157 / 2158 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Consumer | Audio/Video Equipment | 6500 | – | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Audio/Video Equipment | 60065 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Amusement and Gaming Machines | 22 | – | – | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Information Technology Equipment | 60950-1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| ITE Power Supplies | 60950-2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Industrial Control | Industrial Control Equipment | 508 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Power Conversion Equipment | 508C | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Programmable Controllers | 61131-2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Switches Industrial Control | 60947-1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Industrial Control Panels | 508A | – | – | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Power Distribution | Power Units | 1310 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Connectors | 1977 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Terminal Blocks | 1059 | ✔ | – | ✔ | ✔ | |
| w, Uninterruptible | 1778 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Wire Connectors | 486A-C | – | – | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Attachment Plugs | 498 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Components | Temperature Regulating Equipment | 873, 60730-1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Overheating Protection for Motors | 2111 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | – | |
| Switches, Appliances | 61058-1 | – | ✔ | – | ✔ | |
| Switches, Special-Use | 1054 | – | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Controls | 60730-1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Motors / Rotating Electrical Machines | 1004-1 | – | – | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Lighting | LEDs | 875 | – | ✔ | ✔ | – |
| Luminaires | 1598 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Medical | Medical Equipment | 60601-1 | – | – | ✔ | ✔ |
| Laboratory Equipment | 61010-1 | – | – | ✔ | ✔ |
Extract of UL tests & standards for different E&E products. Please contact your UL Representative to discuss the details of your specific application.
