Safety is of utmost importance when utilizing industrial instrumentation. Some of the more common concerns are: contamination due to faulty equipment; protection from electromagnetic interference; meeting strict safety requirements in potentially explosive environments. Winters' customers rely on certifying agencies such as Factory Mutual, Canadian Standards Association and Underwriters Laboratories to ensure that these products are safe. These agencies examine, test and certify that each product has been designed to meet specific standards for certain applications, hazardous locations or specific electrical situations.

Certifying agencies enable Winters to mark approved products with the corresponding standard committee's label, ensuring that these particular products have been tested and meet those specific standards.

3A

The objective of the 3A Sanitary Standards Committee is to formulate standards and accepted practices for equipment and systems used to process milk and milk products. Such standards are developed through all levels of sanitarians, equipment manufacturers and equipment users so those standards are acceptable to those involved in the sanitary aspects of dairy and related industries.   The 3A Symbol Administrative Council authorizes manufacturers to display the 3A symbol on processing equipment that is in compliance with 3A Sanitary Standards.

CSA

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) includes Canadian consumers, manufacturers, labour, government, and other regulatory agencies among its actively participating influences. The various groups work together to generate standard requirements (CSA standards) that demonstrate product quality, enhance market acceptability and improve quality and safety control procedures in manufacturing and construction for the Canadian marketplace. The standards generated by CSA are the cornerstones for determining a product’s eligibility for certification in hazardous locations in Canada. CSA also performs product evaluation, testing and ongoing inspection to these standards and also to American and European standards through new inter-laboratory agreements.

CE

Having a CE marking is a declaration that Winters’ product conforms to a specific Directive adopted by the EEA (European Economic Area), and is a requirement if  the product is to be sold into any of the countries in this 18 member group.  CE is an abbreviation for the “Conformite Europeene”, meaning European Conformance. Unlike dangerous location approvals, CE markings are granted to products that conform to Directives which were developed using IEC and Cenelec standards. The Directives that affect transmitters are the EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) and LVD (Low Voltage) Directives. These state that the products must meet specific electromagnetic emission and immunity, as well as electrostatic discharge standards.

NEMA

Certain Winters products (i.e. pressure transmitters and pressure switches) can be classified per the National Electrical Manufacturer’s Association Enclosure (NEMA) classifications. NEMA is a non-profit trade organization composed of manufacturers of electrical power apparatus. NEMA created voluntary standards for electrical enclosures. These classifications describe the environment in which the product can be used due to the protection the enclosure provides. (“Enclosure” includes electrical and mechanical connections and external adjustments). Among others, NEMA classifies enclosures based on the effects of external icing, corrosion and rusting, or contamination from oil and coolants.

Pressure switches, transmitters and other electronic products may also be classified according to the voluntary standards set by NEMA for electrical enclosures.

Type 1  General Purpose, Indoor

Accidental contact will not rust

Type 2   Drip-proof, Indoor

Limited amounts of falling water and dirt will not rust

Type 3   Dust-tight, rain-tight, Outdoor

Windblown dust, rain, sleet, and undamaged by external ice formation

Type3R   Dust-tight, rain-tight, Outdoor

Same as type 3 above, plus diverts water from live parts, provision for drainage, will not rust

Type 3S   Dust-tight, rain-tight, Outdoor

Same as type 3 above, operation of external mechanism when ice laden, will not rust

Type 4   Water-tight, dust-tight, Indoor/Outdoor

Windblown dust and rain, splashing water, and hose directed water, undamaged by ice formation, will not rust

Type 4X   Water-tight, dust-tight, Indoor/Outdoor

Same as type 4 above, plus corrosion resistant, will not rust

Type 5   Dust-tight, Indoor

Dust and falling dirt, will not rust

Type 6   Water-tight/dust-tight, Indoor/Outdoor

Temporary entry of water during limited submersion (6ft for 30 Min), undamaged by formation of ice, will not rust

Type 6P   Water-tight/dust-tight, Indoor/Outdoor

Same as type 6 above plus prolonged submersion at 6 psig, will not rust

Type 7   Explosion proof/Class I Groups A, B, C, D, Indoor

Hazardous Locations: Protection against corrosive effects of liquids and gases

Type 8   Explosion proof/Class I, Indoor/Outdoor

Hazardous Locations: protection against corrosive effects of liquids and gases; contacts or connections immersed in oil

Type 9   Explosion Proof/Class II Groups E or G, Indoor

Hazardous Locations: dust-tight, hazardous dust

Type 10   Hazardous Locations, Indoor

MSHA Mine Safety and Health Adm. per 30 C.F.R., Part 18

Type 11   Oil-tight/Corrosion, Indoor

Protection from corrosive effects of gases and liquid dripping, seepage and external condensation or corrosives, oil immersion

Type 12   Oil-tight/Dust-tight, Indoor

Fibers, lint, dust and light splashing, seepage and dripping condensation or non-corrosive liquids

Type 12K   Oil-tight/Dust-tight, Indoor

Same as type 12 above, enclosure has knockouts

Type 13   Oil-tight/Dust-tight, Indoor

Dust, spraying of water, oil and corrosive coolant, oil resistant gaskets

Ingress Protection (IP) Rating

The IP Code indicates the degree of protection provided by enclosures for
electrical equipment (i.e. IP65 = No dust entry and protected against low pressure jet of water).

The first numeral indicates protection of persons against access to dangerous parts and protection of internal equipment against the ingress of solid foreign objects.

X   Protection unspecified (untested)
O   No special protection provided
1   Protection of hand against accidental access to dangerous parts, and protection of equipment against objects larger than 50mm
2   Protection of fingers against access to dangerous parts, and protection of equipment against objects larger than 12mm
3   Protection against objects larger than 2.5mm (e.g. tools, wires)
4   Protection against objects larger than 1mm (e.g. line tools, wires)
5   Protection against entry of dust in sufficient quantity to interfere with satisfactory operation of equipment
6   Complete protection against entry of dust

The second numeral indicates protection of internal equipment against harmful ingress of water.

X   Protection unspecified (untested)
O   No special protection provided
1   Protection against drops of water falling vertically
2   Protection against drops of water falling vertically when the object is tilted by up to 15 degrees from its normal position (in any direction)
3   Protection against spraying water at up to 60 degrees from the vertical
4   Protection against splashing and spraying water from all practicable directions
5   Protection against a low pressure jet of water from all practicable directions
6   Protection against heavy seas or a strong jet of water from all practicable directions
6D   Protection against driving rain at angles down to horizontal
7   Protection against immersion
8   Protection against submersion (tests subject to agreement, but no less severe than numeral 7)

CRN (Canadian Registration Number)

The Canadian Registration Number (CRN)  is a number issued by each province/territory in Canada
to the design of boilers, pressure vessels or fittings. Industrial instrumentation such as pressure gauges, thermometers and related accessories all fall under this jurisdiction. The CRN identifies that the design has been accepted and registered for use in that province/territory.

ISO 9001: 2000

Winters is an ISO 9001:2000 Corporation. The definition of quality is the “totality of features, characteristics or services that bear on the ability to satisfy the stated or implied needs”. Winters’ facilities offer ISO 9001, engineering design and manufacturing. ISO 9001 is a quality model for quality assurance in production and installation.  The elements of ISO 9001 consist of Leadership and System Improvement, Quality in the Line Functions, and Infrastructure or Supporting
systems.

UL/ULC

Underwriters Laboratories and Underwriters Laboratories of Canada maintain a high commitment to public safety and dedication to exceed customer expectations through continual improvement in the delivery of quality services. The organizations develop and publish standards, classifications and specifications for products having a bearing on fire, accident or property hazards. If a product carries the UL mark, it means that UL found the product meeting UL’s safety requirements. These requirements are based primarily on UL’s own published Standards for Safety.

NACE

The National Association of Corrosion Engineers recommends practices such as methods of selection, design, installation, maintenance or operation of material or systems where corrosion is a factor. Some recommended practices focus on details of construction of a corrosion control system, methods of treating the surface of materials to reduce corrosion, requirements for using devices to reduce corrosion, and procedures for increasing the effectiveness, safety and economic benefits of an installation or system.