Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has introduced two new functional safety marks: the UL Functional Safety Listing Mark and the UL Functional Safety Recognized Component Mark.
In its Functional Safety Listing Mark, UL puts a product’s safety rating directly on the mark. This makes it simple for users to understand exactly what has been certified according to functional safety standards. UL’s Functional Safety Recognized Component Mark covers components or materials intended for use in an end product functional safety certification, whose safety cannot be certified by looking at the material or component alone, but has to be used in a specific context to satisfy functional safety requirements. Although additional considerations need to be looked at when integrating the component, the recognized component mark shows that UL has already evaluated the fundamental functional safety characteristics, which makes it easier for end users to integrate the component into their system.
The new marks can be added for those qualifying companies in the process of getting a traditional listing from UL.
In essence, the Functional Safety Listing Mark replaces the traditional UL listing mark on products certified for functional safety. Manufacturers are not obliged to put both marks on their products; the Functional Safety Listing Mark is sufficient. However, those manufacturers wishing to put both marks on their product are welcome to do so.
“Once an integrator or manufacturer sees the UL Functional Safety Listing Mark and identifies a product as a component in their system, they can then look at the listing card for that product on UL’s Internet-based online certification directory to find more specific information such as hardware fault tolerance,” says Thomas Maier, principal engineer, functional safety, at UL. “This allows proper integration of the component into a larger system and maintains the safety level of the overall system. Knowing that this component is recognized for use in, say, up to SIL 3 systems, can streamline the process appreciably for the end user."
Manufacturers using these two new UL Marks will see immediate benefits, as both end users and systems integrators immediately have a higher level of confidence when using the marked product.
For more information on UL’s new functional safety marks, please contact:
Kevin Connelly
631-546-2691
[email protected]
Or go to the web: www.ul.com/functionalsafety
