How to Choose the Best UL 508 Control Panel Manufacturer

Control panels play a crucial role in the operation of industrial machinery and processes. They are designed to ensure the efficient, safe, and reliable operation of machinery and equipment. When it comes to choosing a control panel shop, it is important to select a manufacturer that is reliable, professional, and trustworthy. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the key factors to consider when selecting a 508A UL control panel shop. Below are some of the key points to look for when selecting a panel shop. At the end of this, we will provide you a list of questions to ask the panel builder to help ensure your getting a safe and quality product. Going with the cheapest price doesn’t always mean the best quality product, the following pre-qualifications do cost panel shops time and money to implement.

Certified ISO 9001 Manufacturer

One of the most important factors to consider when selecting a 508A UL control panel shop is to make sure they are an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer. The ISO 9001 standard is a globally recognized quality management system (QMS) that ensures a company’s products and services meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders, while also meeting regulatory requirements related to the products and services offered. The standard also requires companies to continually improve their processes and products.

Being an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer ensures that the control panel shop has implemented a robust quality management system, which ensures that all of their products meet high-quality standards. By selecting an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer, customers can be confident that the control panels they receive will be reliable, safe, and efficient. You should ask for their ISO 9001 Certificate and ensure they have a Quality Systems Manager on staff working in their building daily ensuring the quality processes are being followed. Note: A Quality Control manager and a Quality Systems  Manager are two separate people and should not be within the same role. In addition, you should ask for the company’s organization chart that shows they have a quality systems manager over the entire company.

Proper Manufacturing Liability Insurance

Another important factor to consider when selecting a 508A UL control panel shop is to make sure they have proper manufacturing liability insurance. Standard Liability insurance will not cover the panel builder’s defects within their assembly process. Control panel manufacturing requires a high degree of expertise, and mistakes can be costly. In the event that something goes wrong, it is important that the manufacturer has the necessary liability insurance to cover any damages or losses.

Before selecting a control panel shop, customers should ask about their liability insurance coverage. They should have general Liability covering at least 5 Million Dollars and in addition Errors and Omissions Insurance that covers their defects from assembling products. They should also ensure that the manufacturer is fully insured and that the insurance policy covers all aspects of the manufacturing process.

Proper Warranties for their Craftsmanship

Warranties are an important consideration when selecting a control panel shop. A warranty is a promise made by the manufacturer to the customer that their product will meet certain standards and will be free from defects. The warranty provides customers with the assurance that they can rely on the control panels to function correctly.

When selecting a control panel shop, customers should ask about their warranty policy. Some companies solely rely upon the warranties of the companies they use in the control panels and do not properly warranty the craftsmanship of the panels themselves.  The manufacturer should be able to provide a warranty that covers both the workmanship and the materials used in the manufacture of the control panels. A warranty should be clearly stated and should include the duration of the warranty, any exclusions, and the procedure for making a claim.

Qualified Engineers on Staff

Another factor to consider when selecting a 508A UL control panel shop is to make sure they have qualified engineers on staff. Control panel manufacturing requires a high level of technical expertise, and having qualified engineers on staff ensures that the control panels are designed and built to meet the highest standards. It’s important they have an in-house engineer with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and not just outsource their engineering. Outsourcing is a cheap way for a company to get engineering services but this can cause a lack of ownership should something go wrong. In-house engineering means the engineer is working full-time within the organization and takes full ownership of the product’s design and any possible errors associated with the design. This person should also be able to long term help troubleshoot any issues that may arise in the field.

Before selecting a control panel shop, customers should ask about the qualifications of the engineers on staff. The manufacturer should be able to provide details of the qualifications and experience of their engineers, as well as any relevant certifications.

Ensuring they are UL 508A Listed and are Current with their certificate.

The final factor to consider when selecting a 508A UL control panel shop is to make sure they have passed the UL 508A training course and are current on their certificate. This is the easiest portion out of all of the qualifications list we have suggested, just because someone has a 508A UL listing doesn’t mean they have the rest of the qualifications to build a safe and reliable control panel. You can get this information directly from the UL database here: https://iq2.ulprospector.com/en/login

Conclusion

In conclusion, selecting a 508A UL control panel shop requires careful consideration. Customers should look for a manufacturer that is an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer, has proper manufacturing liability insurance, provides proper warranties for their craftsmanship, and has qualified engineers on staff. By selecting a manufacturer that meets these criteria, customers can be confident that they will receive control panels that are safe, reliable, and efficient.

Qualifying Questions to Select a Control Panels Shop

1. Legal company name, organization chart, and the company BIO brochure.
2. Latest Company Safety Metrics such as TRIR, DART and EMR.
3. Company industry certification such as UL, ISO etc.
4. Copy of Liability Insurance – ensure it has errors and omissions liability insurance as well as general liability insurance
5. Ask to speak to the EE on staff and ask the technical questions you need to feel comfortable with them building your product
6. Warranty on the control panel