Feature: Enclosures
Figure 1: OKW’s EASYTEC enclosures are designed specifically for smart-factory sensors
Specialist enclosures for Industry 4.0
By Robert Cox, Marketing Director, OKW
I
oT/IIoT is already transforming 21st century manufacturing – with impressive results and awe- inspiring possibilities. But, in truth, the fourth industrial revolution has only just begun. Electronics manufacturers know the importance of Industry 4.0 only too well. The race is on to create
the next generation of robotics, computing, sensor and HMI products that will take manufacturing to the next level and beyond. OEMs face huge pressure to meet burgeoning demand in this rapidly-growing market sector. And all this IIoT sensor technology needs enclosures robust enough to meet
58 November/December 2020
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
the challenging demands of the modern smart factory. That in itself has created a mini-boom segment in the electronic enclosures market. But, until recently, there was something missing from
would-be IoT/IIoT housings – innovation. Enclosure manufacturers have been under such pressure to meet demand that many have simply repurposed existing designs and rebadged them as IIoT sensor cases. Few manufacturers offered any genuinely new, customisable, standard enclosures created specifically for IoT/IIoT and Industry 4.0. Not least because standard enclosures – by their very nature – tend to be less specialised; they must remain versatile and be all things to all designers. Fortunately, all this is changing. A new generation of
IoT/IIoT-focused housings is now available to electronics designers, vying to meet the demand for Industry 4.0 solutions.
Dedicated enclosures What makes a good IIoT enclosure, and what separates it from other plastic enclosures? Quick and easy installation in a wide range of possible
locations is paramount. Industry 4.0 involves collecting vast quantities of data to support the manufacturing process. This means that smart-factory operators must install large numbers of sensors – often in challenging locations. This requirement inspired specialist enclosures
manufacturer OKW to add key design features to its new EASYTEC range of IoT/IIoT enclosures (Figure 1):
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