FEATURE ENCLOSURES
MOUNTING PRESSURE TO IMPROVE Designing HMI enclosures the smart way
A selection of Rolec’s profiPANEL enclosures
Industry 4.0 is set to make HMI electronics one of the most fiercely contested sectors in the electronics market. Competition is already hotting up, and it’s only going to get hotter as the pace of change accelerates. Rolec looks to contest in this area by way of its latest HMI enclosures
T
he Internet of Things (IoT) and its industrial counterpart IIoT may
be synonymous with smart factories, transforming the way that humans interact with machines. But it is the humans that are still very much in control, and their expectations have only grown for increased versatility in a HMI device. That has created a wealth of opportunities for enclosure manufacturers – there is growing demand for HMI housings and the suspension arms that support them. Foreseeing this, in May 2017, Rolec’s designers unveiled multiPANEL, an HMI control panel enclosure that – despite being standard – could be specified in any size (within a millimetre) to 800 x 800mm. By Rolec’s standards, it was a departure for a company better known for diecast aluminium, stainless steel and GRP boxes. multiPANEL is designed to house control panel electronics in a futuristic cocoon of brushed aluminium, offering
20 FEBRUARY 2020 | ELECTRONICS
users a choice of profile depths and door options – plus versions designed specifically to house displays by B&R, Beckhoff and Siemens. This enclosure, which wouldn’t look out of place in a home automation system, is rated IP65, so it’s capable of withstanding the rigours of the smart factory.
But for some, multiPANEL needed to be more
they used to be, thanks to new and improved technology. Consider this; panel enclosures tend to be mounted on suspension arms (though other options are available). That is true, even if a wide range of movement is not required and the arm in question is essentially a simple floor/ceiling-mounted pillar with a few articulation points. Profile width is a key consideration in a good modular arm system. Wider profiles offer higher load-bearing capacities, and more space for the HDMI, DVI and network cabling. Don’t just think about the weight of the display, but consider the leverage too - the longer the arm is horizontally, the less weight it can support, especially if you specify a lot of joints for maximum flexibility. Keep arm lengths below one metre if possible. Beyond this point, the arm’s payload capacity will drop significantly. At two metres, the arm will support only half the weight it can at one metre, or less in some cases. This is one reason for which Rolec has created an adaptor that allows elements of its profiPLUS 50 modular arm system to be mated with its stronger (and more capacious) big brother profiPLUS 70. How the arm is configured will also affect its weight capacity. Deduct 25 per cent if a base is being used – and 40 per cent for an intermediate joint. Then ask the question: is an extra joint necessary? Keeping it simple with a straight arm is often the best option. It also speeds up specification and installation times. And it need not mean sacrificing flexibility. Mounting an enclosure atop a vertical arm (or suspending it from a vertical ceiling arm) still enables the factoring in of rotational movement.
cost-effective. In response, Rolec created profiPANEL. At first glance, it’s hard to tell the difference between the two housings: both are made to measure from an aluminium profile with flush-mounted front plates. But profiPANEL combines profile widths to offer eight enclosure depths from 60 to 300mm. This is demonstrative of electronic enclosures’ progression: they are much more customisable now than
flush-mounted front plates. But profiPANEL combines profile widths to
“Don’t just think about the weight of the display, but consider the leverage too - the longer the arm is horizontally, the less weight it can support...”
One alternative is to eliminate the need for a suspension arm altogether. Though popular, a suspension arm is not the only mounting solution available. Opting for a wall pivot mount allows the enclosure to hinge 180 degrees like a door. O
One alternative is to eliminate
angle. The mount is more cost effective than a suspension arm and also quicker to install (even one like profiPLUS, with Rolec’s ‘one screw
it allows for easy adjustment to create the optimum viewingo create the optimum viewing angle. The mount is more cost
like profiPLUS, with Rolec’s ‘one screw adjustment’ feature).
Rolec
www.rolec-enclosures.co.uk / ELECTRONICS
altogether. Though popular, a suspension arm is not the only mounting solution available. Opting for a wall pivot mount allows the enclosure to hinge 180 degrees like a door. Or, if mounted horizontally on a desk, it allows for easy adjustment
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