InfoPower

During product development and prior to shipment, it is essential to know if that product will function properly in the country it is intended to be used in—which makes product development testing crucial. With numerous plug patterns used around the world, engineers and designers need to verify that equipment and consumer electrical products will run safely and reliably on specific voltages and frequencies—before exporting.

Advantages of IEC 60320 components: they can be used globally, plus they can be included in many different electrical products.

For those manufacturers who are unfamiliar with North American NFPA 79 requirements, simply finding out they need to meet these requirements for a product they are building or preparing to install can cause a considerable state of confusion. This is especially true for foreign manufacturers importing products into North America and for manufacturers venturing into this product field for the first time or who are installing new equipment from abroad.

User safety is a huge benefit of incorporating a Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter (GFCI) into an electrical product, such as a socket.

Dirt, dust, water—all “adversaries” of electrical products due to the potential damage they can cause. To help protect products from these elements, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) have created classification systems designating different degrees of protection, depending on the application, for enclosures of electrical equipment.