Verification of requirements for the construction of electrical panels and equipment At A.C.&E., our North American branch works with exporter companies, providing technical support in the design and issuance phase in compliance with UL and CSA standards. A.C.&E. North America Inc. provides the following services, with the issuance of preliminary investigations:

1. Electrical panels for automation (UL 508A/CSA C22.2 no. 14/CSA C22.2 no. 286), power centers (UL891/CSA C22.2 no. 244), and motor control centers (UL845/CSA C22.2 no. 254). Verification of requirements related to the construction of electrical panels according to US and Canadian standards:

– choice of UL/CSA materials used according to their electrical rating; – sizing of protection systems; – sizing of cable cross sections and colors; – component wiring techniques; – sizing of busbars for power centers and MCCs; – short-circuit current calculations (SCCR); – electrical arc calculations (arc flash) according to NFPA70E/CSAZ462 2. Machinery electrical equipment: NFPA 79, UL 2011, NFPA 70 (NEC)/SPE-1000, CSA C22.1 (Canadian Electrical Code). Verification of requirements for the production of machinery electrical equipment: – choice of UL/CSA materials used according to their electrical rating; – sizing of protection systems; – sizing of cable cross sections and colors; – component wiring techniques; – cable installation methods; – motors, sensors, valves, field loads.

Verification of US and Canadian standard requirements For systems in areas classified as hazardous locations (Art. 500-506 NEC; NFPA 496, NFPA 497, NFPA 499, UL 698A), it is necessary to verify the requirements for machinery and systems according to current regulations:

• Classification of areas
• Ignition report
• Ventilation calculations
• Choice of UL/CSA materials for hazardous locations
• Cabling methods in hazardous locations
• Coordination calculations and choice of intrinsic safety (IS) barriers
• Purge time calculations with the pressurization method
• LEL tests and verification
• Characterization of dusts

OSHA (29 CFR 1910) and CCOSHA standards
Evaluation of machine safety requirements according to OSHA/ANSI/CSA standards:

• Preparation of risk analysis for machinery according to ANSI/CSA
• PL calculation
• Software validation
• Evaluation of reference standards ANSI B11.19 and CSA Z432 for machine safeguarding
• Evaluation of ANSI and CSA product standards applicable to machinery
• Support for Pre-Start Health and Safety Reviews, mandatory in the Province of Ontario, Canada
• Verification of staircase and parapet dimensions according to OSHA/CSA standards
• Technical documentation

Technical support in preparing technical documentation accompanying the machine:

• instructions and warnings for use (ANSI Z535.6)
• LOTO (Lockout/Tagout) procedures (ANSI Z244.1/CSA)

Since 2018, A.C.&E. North America Inc. is FEB-112 (Field Evaluation Body) accredited to perform field evaluations of electrical panels, power centers, MCCs, machines and industrial plants installed both in ordinary environment and in classified environment (Hazardous Location). Starting from the National Electrical Code 2017 edition, the Field Evaluation Body is added as an alternative inspection body to the NRTL body.

Field Evaluation indicates with a mark that an equipment or material has been evaluated and it has been found in compliance with requirements provided by US standards. The local authority (AHJ) carrying out the inspection of the machinery or electrical equipment at the installation site does not need to repeat the inspection in the event that the machinery or industrial plant has already been evaluated and labelled by FEB. The FEB issues the report.

The Field Evaluation procedure also allows to include the components “un-listed”, or special components of which there is no commercial version UL/CSA, but which cannot be replaced. For example: Special motors, custom electro spindles (coils), special resistors, electronic control boards, rotating manifolds (slip rings), armored bars.

Our qualified technicians at North America Inc. perform the following tests for the US and Canadian markets with calibrated instruments in compliance with the reference standards.

1. Tests on machinery and components:

• Low voltage electrical tests (continuity of protection circuit, dielectric, insulation, etc.)
• Temperature tests
• Noise tests
• Test and validation of clearing time in case of electrical arcing (arc flash)
• Tests on unlisted components

2. In 2013 A.C.&E. was certified as an Intertek Global Recognized Test Laboratory (RTL no. 2013-RTL-L3-22) to follow the certification of electrical panels according to standards:

• UL 508A, Standard for Safety of Industrial Control Panels
• CSA C22.2-14, Industrial Control Equipment (General Instruction nos. 1 and 2)