Feature Enclosures Technology moves forward


Rittal’s John Wilkins looks at how constant changes within industry have driven the design and development of enclosures to new levels


T


he electrical control enclosure in today’s technological environ- ment needs to address an array of different applications and suc-


cessful manufacturers have had to stay ahead to meet the constant demands. This is of course in addition to the increasing need to be more socially responsible as now, more than ever, customers are demanding ‘greener products’ which offer better environ- mental practices, more energy effi- ciency and use less harmful materials. The term ‘enclosure’ applies to the


physical structure that contains the electrical equipment or circuitry, and should provide support for all the internal components as well as isolat- ing the interior from any dangers or contaminants that may be present in its surrounding. Electronic systems perform at their best when they are protected. In fact, the more benign the environment, generally the better the performance and the greater the life expectancy of the enclosure. If an enclosure is housed in an air


conditioned room, with controlled tem- perature and humidity and no likeli- hood of shock or vibration, it can be expected to provide a long and reliable service for many years. However, if exactly the same enclosure was placed in an industrial or hostile environment,


Above: John Wilkins, Rittal


Right: hygenic design accessories


the performance and life expectancy would plummet as the enclosure has not been properly specified to suit that particular environment.


Providing the right protection Enclosures that protect against the ingress of moisture and dust will need to be specified differently to those that are just destined for general use. IP rat- ings should be carefully considered as an IP rating that is too low will of course not provide adequate protection to the enclosure, and over specification can result in unnecessary expense. Typically, the more hostile the envi-


ronment, the higher the IP rating. For internal use and in particularly indoor locations where there is little dust and no likelihood of the enclosure being washed down, the IP rating could be as low as IP43. It is paramount to choose the right IP rating for the environment as the choice between an IP43 or an IP69K protection category can make the difference between the success and failure of an enclosure to meet its spec- ified requirements. When mounting an enclosure or


fixing to a machine wall, the method of attachment also needs to be consid- ered as this can either maintain or downgrade the IP rating instantly. In


an industrial environment that uses water sprays, wash downs or has atmospheric moisture, a screw fixed IP69K enclosure with IP68 cable glands can be rendered IP64 or lower by simply not employing the correct grommets between the screw bolt heads and the enclosure. Temperature fluctuations can have a


severe detrimental effect on the internal components of the enclosure as it can cause the enclosure to act as an oven in the summer and a freezer in the winter. To overcome these wide temperature variations, the enclosure may need to be double skinned, insulated and include both heating and cooling systems to maintain optimum performance condi- tions. Apart from the temperature varia- tion creating a possible need for enclosure heating, there is also the likeli- hood of condensation forming when the temperature plummets which also requires a heater to minimise the effect.


Other considerations Further requirements for enclosures located outdoors include resistance to vandalism and graffiti, and even the ability to withstand impact. Not only will they need to be rugged in roadside installations in order to withstand the impact of vehicles that unexpectedly


Enclosures from the smallest to the largest.


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