In order to get a grasp of what panel enclosures do, it is important to know what they are. To put it fairly bluntly, panel enclosures are boxes with various forms of access that do one thing — keep people safe. The simple use of a panel enclosure can be pivotal in maintaining the health & well-being of everyone in an office/factory/warehouse setting.
But enclosures will differ between settings. Accounting for these differences is important so that materials contained inside are kept intact, and everything/everyone outside is kept safe. One might ask the basic question — wouldn’t it be easy to keep said equipment at a physical distance from personnel unless they were cleared to be near it? The short answer is a resounding, “No.” In settings where there is a present danger to others, all precautions must be taken in order to keep individuals safe, including what some might feel is redundancy. Panel enclosures serve as a primary safeguard.
It is their construction that takes into account the notion of redundancy in terms of safety. Considerations for panel enclosures include understanding the types of enclosure styles:
Further breakdowns on types of panel enclosures exist based on the environment in which the enclosure will be found. As such, consideration about whether there will be high humidity, proximity to bodies of water, or other forms of moisture is important to know. Unimpeded proximity to water can lead to catastrophic results if contact is made with equipment not rated for moisture. Also, sea water can be quite corrosive. Equipment that is to be had in areas near or on the water needs protection from these coastal elements.
Some environments have caustic materials around at all times, even with sensitive equipment in close proximity. Protection is paramount to protect equipment from major damage or complete failure, if not worse. When dealing with chemical plants or oil & gas facilities, there are times when enclosures may be called upon to be able to contain explosions caused by combustible gases. A more recent development has been the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is the manner in which machinery, equipment, and facilities for example are all connected across a vast online network.
The technology has bee revolutionary in helping industries automate major areas of production, increase efficiency and productivity, all while being able to redistribute manpower where it is needed most. However, because it is a technology that is web-based, it is prone to corruption. The right panel enclosure will be needed to provide protection for the network being used. It will also be called upon as an added bit of security to aid with protection of privacy for employees and clients, not to mention a company’s intellectual property.
Other considerations about panel enclosures include:
Most of all, first timer’s considering panel enclosures for their next project need to work with a contractor who has experience with these types of products. LoDan Electronics, Inc. in Chicago is proud to offer custom assembly design & management processes to build products that work for our customers across the globe.
If you have questions about panel enclosures, click here to see the LoDan difference today.