Engineering Resources for Motion Control Systems

Regulatory Information for BEI Encoders

Look for reliable, high quality, environmentally sealed products that conform to recognized industrial standards. Some of the qualifying agencies include: NEMA, UL, C-UL, CSA, CENELEC, CE . The tables on this page list the standards approved for the safe use of industrial encoders.

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Protection to Environmental Standards	Operation in Hazardous Environments
National Electric Manufacturers Association (NEMA) This organization provides a set of standards for environmental (dust and moisture) protection of components - largely associated with the motor industry. We generally conform to the highest standards - NEMA Classes 4 and 13. see Table 1.	Underwriters Laboratories (UL) This group provides testing services to NEMA standards as well as for Intrinsically Safe and Explosion Proof components. Tables 2.1 - 2.3 detail the level of hazardous environment operation available for various encoder models .
The IEC organization provides a similar classification of environmental protection for the European equivalent of NEMA. Our encoders generally conform to the standards of IP (Ingress Protection), standard IP65 or IP66.	Underwriters Laboratories (UL) This is the UL certification mark for products for the Canadian market. These products have been evaluated to Canadian safety requirements which may be somewhat different from U.S. standards. see Table 2.1
	Canadian Standards Association The Canadian Standards Association provides, among other things, approvals for intrinsically safe systems. A number of our encoder models are available with CSA approvals. see Table 2.2
	CENELEC/ATEX This is the European Certifying Organization that sets the standard for explosion proof and instrinsically safe components. Each country has its own agency that applies and certifies to the CENELEC standards. The Danish agency is known as DEMKO, the United Kingdom agency is called BASEEFA, etc. see Tables 2.1 - 2.3 ATEX is a directive from the European CENELEC group of countries. The purpose of the directive is to ensure that manufacturing companies comply with recognized international standards of performance for manufacturing quality as well as performance in electrical and hazardous area environments. Compliance is required for any CENELEC product delivered after July 31, 2003.
	Communauté Europeenè (CE) The Communauté Europeenè requirements are a European electronic standard for Electromagnetic Compatibility. As of January 1, 1996 all electrical or electronic components supplied to Europe must have the CE mark. Our encoders have been tested to the "Heavy Industrial" standards of CE. This is a self-certification process which is performed by a registered laboratory. see Table 4.

Regulatory Information Tables

The following tables list the approvals that are available for the safe use of encoders in hazardous locations:

Table 1.     NEMA Status of BEI Industrial Encoder Division Encoders
Table 2.1   European and North American Intrinsic Safety Approvals
Table 2.2   Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Intrinsic Safety Approvals
Table 2.3   European and North American "Explosion Proof" Approvals
Table 3.     Hazardous Environment Groups
Table 4.     CE Certification

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Table 1. - NEMA Status of BEI Industrial Encoders
NEMA Design Class	1	2	3	3R	3S	4	4X	6	12	13
Encoder Model			Minimum Requirement: Shaft Seal, Diecast Cover and MS Connector or Cable Seal
H40			X	X	X	X	UL	UL	X	X
H38			X	X	X	X	UL	UL	X	X
H25			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
H20			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
HS25			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
HS35			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
L25	X	X
E25	X	X
UL indicates that the encoders have been tested by Underwriters Laboratories for a specific enclosure type. X indicates that the encoder is designed to meet UL requirements, but has not been submitted for testing. Encoders used in a Type 12 environment should be ordered with the hard anodize finish to meet 200 Hour Spray Test. All H38's are hard anodized.

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Table 2.1 - European and North American Intrinsic Safety Approvals
Encoder Type	Output Driver	Input VDC	CENELEC/ATEX	U.S. Standards Class I, Div I, Group	U.S. Standards Class II, Div I, Group	Canadian Standards Class 1, Div I, Zone 0	System Diagram
H25, L25, E25, H35, H37, H38, H40, HS35, or HS25¹	4469	5	EEx ia IIB T4	A, B, C, D	E, F, G	Group IIC	924-08062-001 or 002 or 003
	3904R	5	EEx ia IIC T4	A, B, C, D	E, F, G	Group IIC	924-08063-001 or 002
	3904	5	EEx ia IIC T4	A, B, C, D	E, F, G	Group IIC	924-08064-001 or 002
	3904	9	EEx ia IIB T4	C, D	E, F, G	Group IIB	924-08064-001 or 002
H20⁴ H25 HS20⁴ HS25⁴ HS35^2,3 HS45²	5V/V	5	EEx ia IIC T4	A, B, C, D	E, F, G	Group IIC	924-08172-001 or 002
	5V/OCR	5	EEx ia IIC T4	A, B, C, D	E, F, G	Group IIC	924-08173-001 or 002
	5V/OC	5	EEx ia IIC T4	A, B, C, D	E, F, G	Group IIC	924-08174-001 or 002
	9V/OC	9	EEx ia IIB T4	C, D	E, F, G	Group IIB	924-08174-001 or 002

¹Rating only available with 4469 output driver.
²Single and dual output versions available.
³Line driver version available with interpolation T2, T3, T4, T5, T8, T12, T16
⁴Rating only available with 5V/V

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Table 2.2 - Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Intrinsic Safety Approvals
Encoder Type	Output Driver	Input VDC	Class I, Group	System Diagram
H25 Incremental	7406(R)	5	C, D	924-08035
H25 Incremental	8830	5	C, D	924-08035
H20 Incremental	3904(R)	5	A, B, C, D	924-08035
H25 Absolute	7406(R)	5	D	924-08035

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Table 2.3 - European and North American "Explosion Proof" Approvals
Encoder Type	CENELEC/ATEX	NEMA 7 U.S. Standards Class I, Div I, Group:	NEMA 7 U.S. Standards Class II, Div I, Group:
H38 (Standard)		D
H38 (with Labyrinth Seal)	EExdIIB, T4	C, D	E, F, G
H40		D

Explosion Proof encoders can also be furnished with Intrinsic Safety Ratings

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Table 3. - Hazardous Environment Groups
Gas Groups		Dust Groups
Class I		Class II
Division 1 & 2	Zone 0, 1 & 2	Division 1 & 2
A (acetylene)	IIC (acetylene & hydrogen)	E (metals)
B (hydrogen)	IIC (acetylene & hydrogen)	F (coal)
C (ethylene)	IIB (ethylene)	G (grain)
D (propane)	IIA (propane)	G (grain)

Table 4. - CE Certification
	Encoders with metal connector or conduit terminations are rated to EN 55011 and EN 61000-6-2. For plastic connector, pigtail or shielded/jacketed cable terminations, consult factory.