Feature: Enclosures
Figure 5: ROLEC’s profiPANEL enclosures for smart-factory HMI
Figure 4: OKW’s SMART-CONTROL enclosures for corner-mounted IIoT equipment and sensors
Despite this, wedge-shaped standard enclosures remain few and far between. There are plenty of sloping-front housings available for the desktop market, but surprisingly few true wedges that fit snugly in a 90° corner. And yet, this has been a prime requirement for the surveillance market for decades – and is likely to be even more important in the future, as demand for IoT/IIoT enclosures increases. OKW is meeting this demand with SMART-CONTROL,
a wedge-shaped enclosure that can also be mounted on flat surfaces; see Figure 4. Its versatility provides the answer to a key dilemma facing enclosure designers: a standard enclosure must suit a wide range of applications – otherwise it becomes a custom housing for a select few tasks. But, conversely, the enclosure must suit clearly defined needs – if not, it risks being just another rectangular housing in an over-crowded market. SMART-CONTROL is specialised and yet versatile at
the same time. It is a corner enclosure for wall mounting, but it can work in desktop roles by incorporating some key design features such as a choice of recessed or non-recessed front. The recess is important because it can accommodate a membrane keypad for desktop use (accessories include a desk stand), while the non-recessed convex option is better suited to wall-mounted sensor applications. And moulding the enclosures from ASA+PC-FR instead of ABS enables them to withstand the rigours of a factory.
60 November/December 2020
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
IIoT desktop and wall-mount enclosures It is tempting to think of a smart factory as a gang of data-led robots operating with little human intervention. But, the automata have yet to fully replace their human masters, who need display and access control electronics. Ideally, a single range of enclosures should cover all these applications for reasons of practicality, cost and aesthetics. EVOTEC is one option but OKW has just unveiled another: PROTEC. What sets this sloping-front square control enclosure apart is not just its large recessed front panel but also its choice of three rear sections: Version I has a recessed area that protects cables and interfaces; Version II has a snap-on flush-fit cover that conceals the recess; and Version III has an extra-deep cover that provides more space and also acts as a pedestal for desktop use.
Enclosures for HMI touchscreens At the heart of the smart factory, there might be a need for big HMI touchscreens, which in turn require larger enclosures. Industrial enclosures specialist ROLEC has used a clever design technique to create a smart solution – profiPANEL – for mounting on suspension arms; see Figure 5. In theory, profiPANEL is a standard enclosure, but it’s
so customisable that any size up to 800 x 800 mm can be specified – to within a millimetre. The secret lies in the construction method: profiPANEL is based around combinations of 60mm and 90mm aluminium profiles, offering eight possible depths from 60-300mm.
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