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MikeValencia
Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Posts: 238
Location: Chicago
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| OT: UL testing microcontroller-based boards |
 Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 10:51 am |
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For those of you familiar with the UL testing process...
I just did a small production run of 25 boards, and realized now that I had to change cut two traces and re-connect them via jumper wires to another pad not far away.
These are innocuous changes in the digital 5V domain. If I were to get the layout modified, and show the final layout to the UL test house, will they accept the modified test units with the minor re-work for testing?
I don't want to spend $2000 all over again if I can help it. So if someone has submitted units for UL testing that have hand soldered modifications, please chime in.
Thanks,
Mike |
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newguy
Joined: 24 Jun 2004
Posts: 1909
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 11:29 am |
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All I can offer is my $.02 since I've never been directly involved with UL certification.
Way back when I was with Nortel, we had production boards with barnacles (hand soldered jumpers, etc) all over them. These were the actual boards shipped to customers. I really don't know if they were recertified with the barnacles in place, but I do know that they were UL certified.
Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will chime in. |
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jds-pic
Joined: 17 Sep 2003
Posts: 205
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| Re: OT: UL testing microcontroller-based boards |
| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 10:04 am |
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| MikeValencia wrote: | For those of you familiar with the UL testing process...
I just did a small production run of 25 boards, and realized now that I had to change cut two traces and re-connect them via jumper wires to another pad not far away.
These are innocuous changes in the digital 5V domain. If I were to get the layout modified, and show the final layout to the UL test house, will they accept the modified test units with the minor re-work for testing?
I don't want to spend $2000 all over again if I can help it. So if someone has submitted units for UL testing that have hand soldered modifications, please chime in.
Thanks,
Mike |
mike,
i have listed/recognized about 30 products with UL. the changes you describe will not impact your listing. document the changes and their impact to any safety-related issues (e.g. creepage, clearance, SELV, etc) and send the document to your liaison at UL. if needed, he can update you listing report for a minor nominal fee (~US$200). but generally, for the type of revisions you describe, no such change to the UL Listing Report is needed.
HOWEVER...
your product may be covered by UL FUS (follow-up services), wherein UL inspect a sample of the product at the manufacturing facility quarterly or bi-annually. if this is the case, ensure the UL examiner is aware of the changes that you have made. the only way that can happen is if you document the changes you have made, per the paragraph above. if the FUS inspector finds a deviation between what you submitted to UL (documented by the UL listing report) and what you are manufacturing, he/she will stop your production with a UL Deviation Notice. this will prevent you from affixing the UL mark to your product and potentially require you to fetch product from the field. not good, and could be very expensive. for this reason, it is essential that you notify your UL liaisonwhen making even non-critical changes. that US$200 that you spend will probably save thousands later.
jds-pic |
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MikeValencia
Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Posts: 238
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:53 pm |
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| Okay thanks. Nice to know that "minor" changes just need be documented and submitted, usually w/o the need to re-test all over again! |
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