Electrical equipment cannot be kept just anywhere. Whether large or small, inside or outside, telecommunications paraphernalia or battery backup, electrical equipment must be carefully stored to protect the equipment, the environment, and any people involved in the operation. The shielding, more commonly known as an electrical enclosure, must have certain features and facets to protect the equipment enclosed within. So what is an electrical enclosure?
What Is an Electrical Enclosure?
So what is an electrical enclosure? It is a cabinet used to store and protect electrical or electronic equipment. Switches, knobs, and displays can be mounted inside the enclosure, and it can be customized to suit different content. Enclosures protect the equipment and users as well as the environment in which the cabinet is housed.
Protections
Electrical enclosures always play an important role in the protection of equipment, but they are especially essential in hazardous areas like petrochemical plants and coal mines. The more dangerous and extreme the environment, the stronger the enclosure will need to be. Some features required of electrical enclosure include protection against access to hazardous parts, ingress of solid objects, ingress of water, corrosive agents, temporary submersion in water, and prolonged submersion in water.
To better understand the levels of protection offered by electrical enclosures, review the NEMA enclosure types. These ratings, published by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), describe the performance standards required of various levels of electrical enclosures.
Aesthetics
Although electrical enclosures are often viewed as a primarily utilitarian product (and sometimes, of course, this truly is the case), aesthetics are often considered as well. After all, unlike the equipment itself, the enclosure will often be viewed by human eyes. Electrical enclosures can be manufactured in a number of different materials, including rigid plastics and metals like stainless steel, carbon steel, and aluminum, and they come in many colors and styles.
Industries
Electrical enclosures are used in numerous industries, and their roles vary based on the equipment they protect and the environment they confront. These are just some of the many industries that rely on the protection and functionality of electrical enclosures:
- Cable/Wire Management
- Food & Beverage
- Information Technologies
- Oil & Gas Production
- Solar Batteries
- Stock Batteries
- Telecommunications
- Traffic Control
- Waste Water Treatment
Customization
If standard NEMA ratings don’t complement your unique equipment or environment, you can customize an electrical enclosure that fits your application perfectly. There are also modular designs that allow you to select various pieces and fit them together in a way that satisfies your requirements. These enclosures can also be adjusted over time as your equipment evolves and the environment changes.
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If you’re on the hunt for a company that can manufacture premium metal enclosures on your behalf, whether unibody or modular, check out American Products Contract Manufacturing. Our high-quality, innovative enclosures enable our customers to assist the telecommunications industry in expanding and improving their network services. We offer NEMA type 1, type 2, type 3, type 3-R, type 3-X, type 4, and type 4-X metal enclosures, and we form these enclosures from aluminum, galvanized steel, carbon steel, and stainless steel to create a rugged and reliable structure. Give us a call at 1-877-736-2228 to learn more, or request a free quote online.