ENCLOSURES
How to specify the right Aluminium enclosures for your industrial electronics
ROLEC presents its diecast aluminium enclosures S
tandard enclosures for industrial electronics have become more sophisticated in their design as the demands placed on them have increased. This makes off-the-shelf housings – which can be customised quickly and easily – a smarter and more cost-effective choice than their fully bespoke counterparts.
But virtually identical standard enclosures can have very different technical features. Specify the wrong one and at best you could miss an opportunity – or at worst you could put your electronics at risk in a challenging environment. Materials, lid design, ingress protection, fittings and other technical features will all play a crucial role in determining precisely which is the best enclosure to safeguard your electronic components.
Diecast aluminium has long been the material of choice for enclosures destined for factories. True, there are viable alternatives: glass-reinforced polyester (GRP) is resistant to chemical attack, and plastics such as tough, UV-stable ASA+PC will outperform ABS in demanding applications. But corrosion- resistant diecast aluminium makes a very good starting point for ‘go anywhere’ enclosures for walls, bulkheads and machines. Aluminium is strong, light and easy to machine. Not that you’ll be the one machining it – that will be the task of your specialist enclosures partner. Specifying the right level of ingress protection is crucial: the key ratings for industrial applications are: • IP 66 – offers protection against multi- directional high-pressure water jets (but should not be confused with IP 69K)
• IP 67 – offers protection against immersion in water (150mm to one metre) for up to 30 minutes.
• IP 69K – offers protection against close-range, high-pressure, high-temperature spray downs Ideally, your perfect enclosure should offer all three of these ratings, either as standard or as an option – enabling you to uprate the seal if your application demands it. Furthermore, continuous foamed-in gaskets offer greater protection than seals with joins (which could become potential weak points). Lid design is vitally important: it is here that
you will find simple but smart features that can make life easier for the end users of your electronics. Will you be fitting a membrane keypad or product label? In which case, a lid recess is essential; look for an enclosure that offers a good-sized recess in its operating area.
ROLEC’s advanced IP 66/IP 67 aluminium enclosures
Enclosures such as ROLEC’s premium aluCASE range feature a generous recess that spans virtually the entire lid. All the lid fixings on aluCASE are concealed beneath clip-on covers (which are available in a range of colours as standard for quick and easy branding). Separate channels for the lid fixings and mounting screws mean the housing can be installed ‘lid closed’ – protecting the seal and electronics in higher-risk environments. This is also useful for regular maintenance and inspection; the housing can be removed to a safer location before being opened. Hinges are a useful option when specifying enclosures. They start with something as basic
32 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2023 | ELECTRONICS TODAY
as integrated plastic straps that support the lid and stop it from being dropped during opening. Or you could opt for a more sophisticated hinge design. Many of these hinges tend to be external to avoid sacrificing internal space. The aluCASE enclosures feature lid retaining straps as standard and external hinges as an option on most sizes. But both these choices have now been superseded by a new development at ROLEC…
ROLEC’s newest enclosure – aluDOOR – is very similar to aluCASE (with features such as lid-closed installation and concealed fixings) but it comes with robust, structurally integrated hinges as standard. These offer all the benefits of aluCASE’s external hinges (and more) but are internal and take up very little space. So you get the best of all worlds: • Strong metal hinges – tougher than plastic lid straps
• Internal mechanisms – ensuring added protection and smart aesthetics
• Compact design – maximising internal space for the electronics
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