The TÜV Rheinland Solution: US Certifications General

Testing and certification agencies providing a certification mark for the US must be accredited by OSHA as an NRTL (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory) for the products they certify and must be accepted by local authorities throughout the US. This accreditation and process is the same for all agencies and places the TÜV Rheinland US certification mark at the same level as other US NRTL's (UL, CSA, etc.).
TÜV Rheinland of North America is accredited to Certify and Test Products to American ANSI/UL Standards. TÜV Rheinlands scope of accreditation includes: office equipment, information technology, business machines, audio/video equipment, household electronics, laboratory equipment, medical equipment, testing and measuring devices, control equipment, and more.
Technical InformationFrequency: 60Hz
Voltage - 1 ø: 120V (Most commonly used in US and Canada, measured line to ground, provided on 15 or 20A protected branch circuits); 240V (measured line to line, commonly available)
Voltage - 3 ø: 208V/240V
Plug Configuration:NEMA 5-15P and 6-15P plug standards used in the United States and Canada. In the U.S., these straight-blade plugs are detailed in NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) publication WD6 and are incorporated into UL 498. Canadian plug and socket standards are outlined by CSA in publication C22.2, No. 42. Certification MarkLicensing
Products certified by TÜV Rheinland for the US market are identified by the TUVus certification mark. The TUVus certification mark provides clients a clear and direct method to gain US market access for their products from the world's most trusted name in product safety.
In addition, TÜV Rheinland of North America is already established as a Certification Organization in Canada. When the TUVus mark is coupled with the cTUV mark, clients are able to demonstrate compliance for both the US and Canadian markets through a single mark on the product - cTUVus. Documents Required1. Safety TestingThe process is very simple - products must be tested (the most common US/Canadian voltage is 120V, 60Hz, Single Phase) and evaluated to Canadian and/or US national standards. This can be accomplished at the same time products are submitted to TÜV for testing for the GS mark or CE marking assistance. In many cases the US and Canadian standards are now harmonized to the IEC standards with bi-National standards existing between Canada and the US. This means that with the exception of some national deviations, a single standard is basically used to evaluate the product. In other situations standards are not as similar, however, similar testing can still be grouped together during the investigation. After successful completion of the product evaluation authorization is provided to apply the certification mark. To start a project the following are needed:
Completed Application
Electrical Schematics
Component Details (Manufacturer, Model, existing Certifications to US/Canadian standards)
Instruction and Installation Manuals
CB Scheme - TUVRNA is a recognizing and issuing Certification Body, making it possible to obtain any of TUVRNA's North American certification marks via CB reports and certificates issued by other agencies. Lead time· Typical lead times are 3-5 weeks depending upon projects in process. However, we are here to serve you and we work with all of our clients, even those that need completion right away.
2. FCC (Federal Communications Commission) Testing Some products (such as those with a transmitter) require compliance to FCC Rules and Regulations (FCC Part 15 for example). Compliance to FCC requirements is mandatory to market products in the US but not required for TUVus certification. Compliance is typically done by testing through an accredited laboratory (NVLAP) and registering with the FCC.
Factory InspectionsFour per year are required for TUVus certification, two per year for cTUV certification. If both certifications are employed only a total of four inspections are required. Under especial circumstances, this number can be reduced.
Test SamplesTypically one - two test samples are required.
Choosing cTUVusBy using the cTUVUS certification, TUV Rheinland's clients are able to gain a significant competitive advantage through reduced time to market and reduced certification and follow-up costs, without sacrificing the integrity of the product evaluation.
IntegrityTÜV Rheinland employees have the highest level of experience in the Industry and know how to investigate your product. The engineer working on your project is not being trained at the same time.
Reduced time to market TÜV Rheinland will work with your timetable to ensure we meet your time to market requirements. We do not expect you to work around us.
SimpleWork with only one company for all of your testing and certification needs. No other testing and certification body can provide you with their own certification marks for Canada (cTUV), US (TUVus), Argentina (S Mark), Japan (TÜV S), and Germany (GS). In addition, through TUV Rheinlands Global Network Solution we can obtain many other National Certification Marks for your product.
Less Stress Reduced Factory inspections- some clients have seven or more factory inspections per year using three or more agencies. By using only TÜV Rheinland we can reduce the number of inspections to four or less depending upon the certifications requested.
Reduced Cost For clients maintaining a TÜV Rheinland certification mark, such as the TÜV-GS mark, there are no additional annual fees for cTUVus. Further cost savings are generated as: the frequency of factory inspections are reduced; only one set of tests are required; and TÜV product investigations are competitively priced.
The TÜV SolutionBeyond North America, TÜV Rheinland is the world leader of GS mark certifications and is a long time member of the CB Scheme. Now, with a single product assessment, and most importantly, a single point of contact, you can achieve all the certifications you need : US, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, CB and GS (EU). Whether it's telecom, field labeling, safety or EMC testing, by consolidating your approvals through one source you will simplify the process, reduce your cost and minimize the number of follow-up inspections at your manufacturing facilities.
All these certifications add up to the TÜV Worldwide Solution - A single resource for all your testing and certification needs. For more information about the cTUVus mark or for information on how TÜV Rheinland can be your world wide solution please contact your nearest TÜV office