Plastics

UL's testing programs for plastics cover plastic materials and related products for use in components and parts of end-products and appliances. Whether it is basic UL Recognition or publication of specific thermal, mechanical and electrical characteristics, UL will provide the appropriate information and service effectively and efficiently.

The plastic material characteristics published on the UL Recognition card enable users of the UL-Recognized plastic to acquire UL Certification for the product or device with a reduced test program. UL Recognition for a plastic material is not limited to the plastic manufacturer. End users can acquire UL Recognition for a plastic material or have their end products subjected to alternative tests.

Material Testing and the UL Thermoplastics Testing Center

The UL Thermoplastics Testing Center (TTC) carries out tests for all major plastics applications, ranging from polyethylene to high-performance thermoplastics. The TTC works with companies involved in compounding, extrusion and injection molding, as well as raw materials producers and automotive manufacturers and their suppliers. The Center uses robots and state-of-the-art machinery to offer one-stop service for customers and can manage approximately 200 different tests for thermoplastics, as well as the production of granules and test pieces. The production of test pieces is carried out using fully automated injection molding machines. The center uses approximately 100 different injection molds for use in tests under UL, ISO and CAMPUS standards and also has complete production lines which enable the compounding of ABS and its blends, polycarbonates and industrial thermoplastics in quantities ranging from 1.3 to 100 kilograms. Learn more.

Material preselection

The preselection of materials is a valuable tool for helping product designers find materials that comply with safety standards. To reduce the risk of products being delayed to market, product designers need to select materials that mitigate the risks of fire, electric shock, personal injury and environmental hazards as well as comply with established North American and international safety standards. For additional information, download the material preselection free white paper or the presentation on thermal management & preselection for solder limits presented at the 2008 IPC/APEX designers summit.

UL iQ^TM for plastics database

Besides testing and certifying plastics, UL has developed UL iQ^TM for plastics, a powerful database free to users that allows the preselection of materials by providing searches of more than 60,000 grades of UL-Recognized plastics based on the requirements of a specific application. Search by product specifications, company name, file name, generic family, grade and description to get the appropriate plastic. It also facilitates the preselection of materials based on RoHS compliance.

Additional resources

Download an overview of UL's plastics services.