54 ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • Rittal Electrical enclosures are a necessity that make the modern world possible. These humble enclosures allow electrical equipment to be safely contained in order to function, without which there would be no manufacturing, no modern transport, communication (and just about everything else) would be vastly different. So it’s a no-brainer that using the right enclosure, for the right purpose, is essential. Rittal’s expertise makes these decisions much easier. The comprehensive portfolio of solutions for different industries provides quality, t-for-purpose options, with local service and support to help you with your project. In 1961, Rittal was the rst company in the world to series-produce enclosures. It all started with the compact enclosure AE, the predecessor of Rittal’s current AX series. A modest range of enclosures developed into the world’s largest modular system for enclosure manufacture. Since Rittal was founded, the company’s impressive innovative strength has spawned numerous enclosure generations, with millions of units in use – always ahead of their time. The Role of Electrical Enclosures in Modern Industries Choosing the right enclosure It’s important to have a clear grasp on the different aspects that you’ll need to consider in order to choose the right enclosure. How robust will it need to be (will it experience frequent vibrations from passing trains for example?); will vandals be able to access it; does it need to be ergonomically designed; or have electromagnetic capability...? Some enclosure design is also driven by speci c industries, changes in legislation can mean what was once considered t for purpose is now no longer suitable in that environment. Let’s take the food and beverage market as an example. At one time standard enclosures were seen as suf cient, now due to changes in food hygiene regulations, the need for hygienically designed enclosures is now a necessity within a food and beverage production environment. Enclosures on production machinery need to be able to cope with the rigour of high pressure chemical washing daily. Standard design IP ratings and enclosure seals are no longer acceptable for protecting the critical equipment they are housing which ensures the smooth running of these facilities. One thing is clear, enclosures need to be versatile and open to the changes in technology. Enclosure manufacturers need to be innovative in their ability to create solutions for customers markets or industries, where the current enclosure offering is not suitable. Rittal is aware that future technology will almost certainly keep shrinking in size and that in time, more equipment will need to be tted into an enclosure in which the components will need to be connected. Protecting your technology Certain technology, such as technology placed in vulnerable outdoor locations, faces particular risk. Dust, moisture, vandalism, the environment, shocks or vibrations, as well as other factors, which can have a hugely detrimental impact if the equipment is not suf ciently protected. This protection will be provided by an enclosure, but the right enclosure must be selected to suit both your application and its location. Some considerations you should take into account include: • Materials: Fibreglass and GRP boxes are cost-effective enclosures for a variety of outdoor and indoor applications, including situations
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