Regulators
We talk about the quality of our products a lot here at Nelco Products because we are proud of the products we carry. One of the items we do not talk much about is standardization. There are many different organizations that define standards that manufacturing companies should follow such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL), NEMA, RoHS, and DOD to name a few. Because we have a great working relationship with our manufacturers, we know that these standards are followed. Two of the standards organizations are NEMA and the DOD.
NEMA
One of these bodies is the organization called NEMA, National Electrical Manufacturers Association. This association is also known as The Association of Electrical Equipment and Medical Imaging Manufacturers. Created in 1926, NEMA provides a forum for the standardization of electrical equipment.
Regulators – History
Regulation of electrical supplies can be traced back to the early 1900’s. The Electric Power Club was one of the first organizations to look at standardizing electrical manufacturing. The next organization was the Associated Manufacturers of Electrical Supplies (A.M.E.S.). This organization was more concerned with the development of uniform systems of performance.
When WWI came into being, the US Government had a hard time getting electrical components because of material shortages and electrical manufacturers had a problem meeting demand. After WWI, the two organizations, the Electric Power Club and A.M.E.S. merged and create NEMA. From there, NEMA continued to grow and expand its responsibilities.
In the 1940’s, NEMA started looking at standardization of the electrical manufacturers especially for the military. NEMA also looked into factory safety, lighting, and factory processes to help keep the military supplied with needed components during WWII.
Since then, NEMA has expanded internationally, was part of the discussion for the US to adopt the metric system, but their main focus is still on the standardization and creating standards of excellence, along with technical, regulatory, and economic issues.
DOD
The Department of Defense (DOD) also provides standardization for items we carry. You can see specifications for the military usually in our product descriptions or in a pop-up window. Military standards start with mil and continue from there with either numbers or letters. Some of these standards have to do with flammability others with strength, UV protection, or many different areas.
Electronic components are heavily standardized so that when you purchase products, you know that a connector for 600 V can really handle a 600 V current or that a 250 lb. tensile strength loop for a cable tie can really carry 250 lbs.
