What Screen Socket Specifications Do Buyers Need?

Quick Answer

A screen socket specification has to fix six lines in writing: the outlet standards the destination market uses, the module set inside each unit, the interface to the screen or partition panel, the housing material and its flame behaviour, the finish against a named colour standard, and the carton quantity and marking. Buyers who leave any of those six open receive quotations that cannot be compared, because each supplier prices a different product. In the published range, the NTL01-1 train-head screen socket carries British, USB+Type-C and China 5-hole outlets in one embedded module packed 20 pcs per carton — a combination that has to be stated on the sheet, not assumed at the sample stage.

Key Takeaways

• A screen socket is specified as an electrical component, not as a furniture accessory: outlet standard, module set, panel interface, material, finish and packing all belong on the sheet.
• The outlet set follows the destination market and the workstation plan, not the buyer's personal preference for one plug type.
• The panel interface has to come from the screen drawing: the cut-out, fixing method and cable route decide whether the socket sits flush or stands proud.
• Material and finish need named references — flame-retardant housing, scratch-proof acrylic panel, sprayed BMR gray — because words such as grey are interpreted differently by every factory.
• Packing quantity is part of the specification: the published Natlo screen sockets ship 20 pcs per carton, which sets the order multiple and the warehouse slot size.

Which Specifications Belong on a Screen Socket Sheet?

A line that reads white screen socket with a UK plug is a description, not a specification. Six to eight lines carry every decision that changes cost, fit or compliance, and each line needs a value plus an acceptance method so that a sample can be judged against it.

• Outlet standard: British type G, USB plus Type-C, China 5-hole (New National Standard), or a defined mix. State which outlet appears in which position on the faceplate.
• Module set: how many socket positions, how many USB ports and how many Type-C ports per unit, and whether the module is fixed or replaceable.
• Panel interface: cut-out dimensions from the screen drawing, panel thickness range, fixing method and cable entry direction.
• Housing material and flame behaviour: the polymer or alloy used, and whether the housing is specified as flame-retardant.
• Finish: colour reference matched to the panel chip, surface treatment (sprayed, anodised, acrylic face) and gloss level.
• Packing and marking: pieces per carton, carton dimensions and weight, inner protection and the label content the warehouse will scan.

Which Outlet Configuration Do Buyers Need for Each Market?

The outlet set is a market decision. A distributor supplying British type G projects cannot substitute a China 5-hole module, and a project that standardises on type G across a building will reject a mixed faceplate at handover. Write the destination market on the sheet first, then the outlet set, then the position of each outlet.

USB and Type-C are a separate decision from mains outlets. A workstation with a laptop dock needs one charging pair per desk, not one per socket, so the buyer should count desks and devices before fixing the module set. Over-specifying charging ports raises unit cost on every socket in the building; under-specifying them produces a second-order request in the middle of fit-out.

Furniture socket-outlets are also covered by a dedicated standard rather than by wall-socket rules. IEC 60884-2-8:2025, Plugs and socket-outlets for household and similar purposes — Part 2-8: Particular requirements for socket-outlets for furniture, applies to socket-outlets intended to be built into or fixed into furniture, for AC only, with rated voltage above 50 V but not exceeding 440 V and rated current not exceeding 32 A, according to the IEC publication page. That scope statement is the reason a buyer should ask for the standard the module is designed and tested against, instead of assuming that a socket approved for a wall box is acceptable inside a partition.

How Does the Panel Interface Change the Specification?

A screen socket is only as good as the hole it sits in. The cut-out comes from the screen drawing, not from the socket catalogue, and the buyer has to decide which party cuts it: the panel manufacturer during lamination, or the furniture factory during assembly. Cutting after the panel is finished is the most common cause of chipped edges and rejected panels.

The fixing method belongs on the same line as the cut-out. An embedded module that clips into a panel needs a clean, consistent cut and a defined panel thickness; a module fixed with screws needs access from the rear, which changes how the screen is assembled and how it can be serviced later. Ask the supplier for the fixing method in writing and check that it matches the screen construction the furniture factory is building.

Which Material and Finish Should Be Specified?

Material decisions split into structural and cosmetic. On the structural side, the published NTL01-2 diamond screen socket is specified in flame-retardant material, which is the line a project buyer should look for when a partition module sits inside a combustible panel. On the cosmetic side, the NTL01-3 diamond double-sided plug box uses a scratch-proof acrylic panel — relevant wherever bags and chair arms rub against the socket face every day.

Colour is where specifications quietly fail. White, grey and sprayed BMR gray are three different finishes, and grey on a laminate sample is not grey on an anodised aluminium screen. Match the socket to the panel chip, record the reference on the sheet, and ask the supplier to keep that reference on file for repeat orders so the second batch does not arrive a shade away from the first.

How Do You Compare Screen Socket Options for the Same Project?

Comparison only works when the options are placed on the same panel. The three published screen sockets share a packing quantity of 20 pcs per carton and a colour family of white, grey and sprayed BMR gray for the two single-sided models, so the differences sit in profile, outlets and panel treatment rather than in logistics.

• NTL01-1 train-head screen socket: train-head profile, embedded installation, British plus USB+Type-C plus China 5-hole outlets, white / grey / BMR gray. Choose it when the project wants a recognisable profile and a full outlet set on one faceplate.
• NTL01-2 diamond screen socket: diamond profile in flame-retardant material, white / grey / BMR gray. Choose it where the housing material is the deciding factor and the outlet set is supplied elsewhere on the workstation.
• NTL01-3 diamond double-sided plug box: diamond double-sided module with British, USB+Type-C and China 5-hole outlets, scratch-proof acrylic panel, BMR gray or silver gray. Choose it for shared desks and meeting tables where both sides need access.

For desks that need a continuous rail rather than a point module, the comparison moves to a different family altogether — the CH-022 oblong elliptical screen wiring channel is rated 2500 W with USB and Type-C charging in an aluminium alloy and fire-retardant PC construction, and the desk power track module overview explains how module positions are planned along a rail.

What Should Buyers Ask a Screen Socket Supplier?

1. Which standard is the module designed and tested against, and can you send the test report rather than a certificate summary?

2. Which parts are moulded in your own plant and which are bought in — housing, shutter, contact carrier, USB board?

3. What cut-out and panel thickness does the module need, and what is the fixing method?

4. Can the faceplate colour be matched to our panel chip, and which colours are standard versus custom?

5. Are modules replaceable after installation, and how is a failed module swapped without removing the screen?

6. What is the packing quantity, carton size and label format, and can the label carry our SKU and barcode?

7. What is the approval sequence — drawing, sample on panel, signed spec, then production — and who signs each step?

What Should Be Confirmed Before the Bulk Order?

1. Signed specification sheet: outlet set, positions, cut-out, material, colour reference, packing. One revision number, one date.

2. Panel sample: the module mounted in a section of the actual screen, checked for flush fit, cable entry and colour match.

3. Drawing sign-off: the cut-out drawing returned with the furniture factory's confirmation that it matches their panel construction.

4. Packing confirmation: pieces per carton, carton marking, and whether inner boxes are needed for site distribution.

5. Order quantity against carton multiples: 20 pcs per carton means a partial carton has to be agreed in writing or avoided.

6. Inspection and acceptance: what is checked at pre-shipment — outlet function, shutter action, colour, marking, carton count — and who signs the report.

Which Specification Gaps Cause Project Delays?

• Leaving the cut-out to the factory: the panel arrives with a hole that fits a different module, and every screen in the batch needs rework.
• Writing a colour name instead of a colour reference: the second batch is visibly different, and the project is already installed.
• Counting sockets instead of workstations: charging ports end up concentrated on one side of the floor plate.
• Ignoring carton multiples: the order ships short or with a part carton that nobody wants to store on site.
• Approving a bench sample instead of a panel sample: the module works on a desk and fails in a 10 mm partition.

Buyer Checklist

• Destination market and outlet standards written on the sheet, with the position of each outlet on the faceplate.
• Module count per workstation agreed with the furniture layout, not only with the socket count.
• Cut-out drawing issued by the screen supplier and signed by the panel or furniture factory.
• Housing material and flame behaviour stated, with the standard the module is tested against.
• Colour matched to a panel chip with a reference number kept on file for repeat orders.
• One panel sample approved before mass production, covering fit, finish, cable entry and function.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do screen sockets need a different standard from wall sockets?

Yes. Furniture socket-outlets have their own particular requirements: IEC 60884-2-8:2025 covers socket-outlets intended to be built into or fixed into furniture, rated above 50 V and up to 440 V with a rated current not exceeding 32 A. A module approved only as a wall product has not been assessed against the furniture mounting and fixing conditions, so the standard reference belongs in the specification.

How many USB and Type-C ports should each screen socket carry?

Count workstations and devices first, then divide by the number of socket positions per desk. One charging pair per workstation is a common starting point for laptop-based layouts, but a shared desk or a hot-desking bench may need charging on both faces — which is where a double-sided module such as the NTL01-3 becomes the simpler specification.

Can screen socket colours be matched to the panel?

In the published range, white, grey and sprayed BMR gray are standard for the single-sided models, and BMR gray or silver gray for the double-sided box. Custom colours are a separate request: send the panel chip, ask for a sprayed sample, and record the reference so repeat orders stay consistent.

What carton quantity should buyers plan for?

The published screen sockets ship 20 pcs per carton. That number drives the order multiple, the site storage plan and the last-carton problem, so it belongs in the specification rather than in the logistics discussion after the order is placed.

Should the sample be approved on a panel or on a bench?

On a panel. Fit, flush height, cable entry and colour only make sense against the real screen section. A bench sample confirms that the module works; a panel sample confirms that the module works in this building.

Conclusion

A screen socket specification is a short document that decides whether a project installs cleanly: outlet standards, module set, panel interface, material, finish and packing, each with a value and an acceptance method. Buyers who write those six lines before requesting a quotation get comparable prices and a sample that means something. Those who leave them to the sample stage spend the difference in rework, colour mismatch and part cartons.

If you are building a socket schedule for an office fit-out, send the panel drawing and the outlet list to the Natlo Hardware team and we will return the specification lines that need a decision before quotation.

Sources

• IEC 60884-2-8:2025, Plugs and socket-outlets for household and similar purposes — Part 2-8: Particular requirements for socket-outlets for furniture: https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/71934
• ISO/TC 136 Furniture, scope covering requirements for specific components such as hardware and their test methods: https://www.iso.org/committee/52448.html
• Product specifications for NTL01-1, NTL01-2, NTL01-3 and CH-022 as published in the Natlo Hardware product data: https://natlohardware.com/products/cable-management-desktop