At the conclusion of our webinar, Understanding UL Wire Options that Surpass Industry Standards, we had several questions submitted to our presenter, User Interface & Cable Assembly Product Manager, Steven J. Goodman. We compiled these into a readable format on our blog.
Q&A From Our Live Webinar
Quick Links:
- Does UL still cover multiconductor cables, but with different AWG sizes?
- Can we add our company name and logo to the wire jacket and still satisfy the UL requirements?
- Our company prefers to buy wire in 100-foot rolls. Do you sell wire in spool form?
- What is the lowest cost UL-rated wire you can offer?
- We need UL on our product. Can we use your wire in this build to satisfy the testing Intertek is doing?
Watch the Recording Below:
Question: Does UL still cover multiconductor cables, but with different AWG sizes?
Answer: Yes, absolutely. What I understand this question to be is a situation where you may have three or four data or communication lines, maybe those are 24 to 26-gauge, and then you have two power lines that are maybe 14- or 16-gauge. So, yes, the UL multi-conductor specs that we have would be fully compliant with a situation like this. And this is actually pretty common for customers who are looking to bundle power and data within one cable. This is actually very similar to a four-wire, traditional USB cable, where two of the legs are power and usually larger in size, and two of the other legs are usually just data or communication, and typically smaller or thinner.
Question: Can we add our company name and logo to the wire jacket and still satisfy the UL requirements?
Answer: One of the issues we run into here is when a customer wants to take and completely strip out all the part markings and only have their company logo or their brand. This would violate UL. Per UL, we must have the UL number itself, the flammability rating, temperature, voltage, etc. So, those must be there. If we can have those and a customer name or something, then we will be fully compliant with UL. However, if it needs to be an all-white jacket with just your company logo or your branding information printed along the wire, that is not something that would then comply with UL.
Question: Our company prefers to buy wire in 100-foot rolls. Do you sell wire in spool form?
Answer: Yes, absolutely. We can completely customize how this wire is made. Some of our customers will source this from us in 1,000-foot spools. Some customers will source this from us in 100-foot spools just like the way you buy it on Digi-Key or Mouser. So, it really depends, but that's something that we want to work with you on, because since we are a completely custom shop, everything we do is driven by your needs and your requirements.
Question: What is the lowest cost UL-rated wire you can offer?
Answer: That would be our standard PVC UL wire. Typically, those are the single conductors to the tune of UL1007 or UL1569. So, typically, anything that's going to be PVC-based is our best and lowest cost option for you to consider.
Question: We need UL on our product. Can we use your wire in this build to satisfy the testing Intertek is doing?
Answer: Absolutely. I think, actually, that employing UL wire in your build or in your kit is the preferred way and something that these third-party testing companies like Intertek are going to look for. So, submitting the paperwork, the bill of materials, and all the information for a company like Intertek, if we're using existing, UL-approved wire, that just makes things that much easier and decreases several types of testing and requirements that would need to be performed to bring a product like that to market. So, the answer to this one here would be, yes, you can use our wire. And actually, it's preferred to use UL wire if you are trying to send this through some third-party accreditation company.
Key Takeaways
- Membrane switches are versatile: Beyond traditional on-off functionality, they can be engineered as resistive pressure sensors for cost-effective sensing applications.
- Normally open circuits enable sensing: By eliminating the dome switch and using an air gap, the membrane switch can act as a normally open device that closes only when pressure is applied.
- Conductive carbon ink is essential: This specialized ink forms the circuit paths and can be tailored with different resistivity values to measure varying pressure levels and touch locations.
- Resistance values provide location data: By calibrating resistance across the switch, engineers can determine where pressure is applied, making these designs useful for low-cost proximity and position sensing.
- Ideal for multiple industries: From consumer electronics to industrial automation, resistive pressure membrane switches offer reliable, repeatable performance in compact, durable designs.
