Flame Rated Plastic Electronic Enclosures for Your Safety, Part Two

Last time we talked about what the flame rating is and how that rating is determined. A quick recap: The flame rating is the measure of flammability of the plastic material.

For this post, I’d like to talk about what that means for you, the consumer.

UL’s flame rating scale tells us how long the component will withstand a flame without deforming. Will the enclosure maintain its integrity while exposed to open flame? In other words, these tests determine how well the plastic enclosure will contain the spread of flames. Does the material have the ability to self-extinguish? Or will it continue to burn after the flame has been removed?

Let’s say you’re building a device that plugs into a wall socket. You’ve plugged the device into a socket and have no problems. However, unbeknownst to you, there is a short which creates a spark. One day this spark causes the electrical components within the enclosure to catch fire.

A strong UL flame rating, coupled with the appropriate enclosure design, determines if the spread of the flames will be contained. Because UL tests to ensure the plastic will not drip flaming particles, even when exposed to direct flame, you know the likelihood of this electrical fire causing greater damage is minimized.

UL states that certain product categories need to have a specified UL flame rating in order for the finished product to be UL rated. So, for your product to become UL certified you need to start with an enclosure that will meet UL requirements and pass UL testing. Polycase is a UL certified molder, using UL certified materials. Start with Polycase because we specialize in enclosures molded with UL approved flame retardant material.