United States Introduces Tender

UL the global safety science leader announced today that Schneider Electric is the first company to utilize ULs new Extended Manufacturing Assembly Process EMAP. EMAP brings the final assembly of products closer to the point of installation and promotes faster speed to market by enabling UL authorized assemblers to apply the UL certification mark to a compliant product at a location outside the walls of the original equipment manufacturers OEMs factories. Additionally EMAP is assisting in moving towards digitizing the issuance process of the UL Mark which also allows for digital traceability of the UL Mark on certified product. This digitization process will help streamline the surveillance aspect of the final assembly process and help facilitate a more flexible supply chain solution that permits more efficient installations.EMAP helped significantly reduce the time from order to delivery for Schneider Electrics FlexSeT switchboards. FlexSeT is a new generation of low-voltage switchboards that gives users the digital power to dramatically accelerate time to market and reduce lead time for manufactures and their customers.Amid todays demands and constantly changing landscape Schneider Electric is embracing the changes with all of our partners so that together we can meet our clients needs said Rohan Kelkar executive vice president of Schneider Electrics Power Products division. We could not find a better collaborator than UL to meet this challenge and we are thrilled to be its first customer for EMAP. This will allow us to continue providing the highest quality products streamlined services informing in real time digitizing solutions and saving time to improve productivity at all phases.EMAP adheres to the same rigor of ULs assessment compliance and inspection processes. EMAP-authorized assembly sites must meet the same qualifications as a UL authorized factory through three key steps in the overall processAuthorization of assembly sitesIssuance process of how UL authorizes and applies the UL Mark for product safetySurveillance by which ongoing inspections occurWilliam Colavecchio director of Strategy and Portfolio Innovation for ULs Engineered Materials group added In recent years the typical manufacturing process has become a complex mix of supply chain manufacturing and final assembly processes. OEMs are expanding their distributed manufacturing model and some stages of the process are performed at external sites beyond the walls of the OEM-owned factories which is why we worked with Schneider Electric to increase the speed to market for its FlexSeT switchboards through EMAP.To qualify for ULs EMAP OEMs will determine which of their assemblers are eligible to complete their final assembly. UL will then conduct an assessment and inspection of the static assemblers sites. This is the same assessment and inspection UL already conducts at OEM factories and will now complete at static assemblers fixed sites.A UL authorized assembler is a qualified company such as a distributor contractor or other OEM partner that is completing the products final assembly outside of the UL-authorized OEM factory. UL authorized assemblers are permitted to apply the UL Mark for product safety at the final assembly point in the same manner as a UL-authorized OEM factory.