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Choosing an Enclosure


GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
 Generally, enclosures are intended to protect their contents from outside risks. These risks can be varied in nature and are of extreme importance when choosing an enclosure. In judging whether a particular housing meets the protection requirements of your application, a clear analysis of the environment where the enclosure is to be used should be made.

The following conditions need to be taken into account:
1. Protection against contact with and penetration by foreign bodies;
2. Protection against water ingress;
3. Protection against external or internal radiated noise (RFI Shielding);
4. Chemical resistance;
5. Temperature resistance;
6. Impact resistance;
7. Corrosion resistance.

In electronics/electrical engineering, the functions of enclosures are two-fold:
1. To protect the contents from mechanical risks and radiated noise from the outside.
2. To protect the environment from mechanical and electrical risks, as well as from radiated noise caused by installed components.

With the ever-increasing development of electronic components, the increased packing densities on printed circuit boards, and the increased "contamination" of the environment by electromagnetic interference, electromagnetic compatibility is becoming an issue of growing importance in the choice of an enclosure.

 
MATERIAL
CONSIDERATIONS
 In most applications, material is a major factor in your choice of an enclosure. In general, aluminum is ideal for EMI/RFI applications; fiberglass is ideal for caustic environments and salt-water applications; polycarbonate is good for all indoor and light outdoor applications; and ABS is well suited for indoor instrumentation designs. 

 
PROTECTION
CLASSIFICATIONS		 Rose+Bopla enclosures are classified under the generally applicable European protection guidelines of EN 60529 and IEC 144. These protection classifications are indicated by a designation consisting of two unchanging letters, IP, plus two digits for the protection grade. Many of the enclosures in this catalog bear the IP 66 or IP 65 protection classification.
IP 65: Protection against ingress by dust and water jets
IP 66: Protection against ingress by dust and powerful water jets

Specific product lines are classified according to UL 50 and UL 508. These include aluminum, fiberglass, and plastic. Also noted in this catalog are recommended classification types like NEMA and UL, which are commonly used in the USA. Please contact the appropriate association or agency for complete infor-mation regarding test requirements and qualifications. Refer to the Technical Information Chapter in this catalog for more information on Protection Classifications.

 
TEMPERATURE
RESISTANCE		 The temperature resistance of enclosures is defined as the maximum permanent temperature at which the stability of the shape and the protection classification are maintained. Permissible short-term peak temperatures are often considerably higher.

 
CORROSION 
RESISTANCE OF
ALUMINUM
ENCLOSURES
 Aluminum enclosures are resistant to corrosion even without a special surface treatment. The use of aluminum alloys with a low copper content increases corrosion resistance. Additional treatments such as irriditing, painting, powder-coating, or a combination of irriditing and painting provide increased corrosion resistance.

 
IMPACT
RESISTANCE		 Impact resistance is a measurement of the maximum impact that will not affect the protection classification. The breaking strength is often far greater. Impact resistance for Rose+Bopla enclosures is determined in an impact test to EN 50014.

 
  Metal Plastic Watertight Indoor Outdoor Industrial Hazardous Areas Operator Interface Wall Mount Display Control Panel Membrane Terminal Cabinet Handheld Desktop Console
Aluminum Watertight 01 •   • • • •     •       •        
Aluform •   • • • •     •     • •        
Stainless Steel Watertight 37 •   • • • •     •       •        
Fiberglass Watertight 02   • • • • •     •       •        
Polymas Watertight PK   • • • • •     •       •        
Polycarbonate 03   • • • • •     •       •        
Polycarbonate 33   • • • • •     •       •        
Polycarbonate EM   • • • • •     • •   • •        
ABS Watertight 09   • • •   •     •       •        
ABS Watertight ET   • • •   •     • •   • •        
Aluminum Ex •   • • • • •   •       •        
Polyglas® Ex   • • • • • •   •       •        
Okta-Box Ex   • • • • • •   •       •        
Stainless Steel Ex •   • • • • •   •       •        
Fiberglass Modular Flange   • • • • •     •       •        
Polycarbonate Modular Flange   • • • • •     •       •        
Element   •   •         •           • •  
Executive   •   •         • •   •     • • •
ECO/PCI Compact   • • •   •     •       •        
Build-A-Box •   • • • •     •             •  
ANG Panel Meter Housings • • • • • •     • • • •          
Alubos •   • • • •     • •   •     •   •
TG Hamdheld Series   •   •           •   •     •    
BG Handheld Series   • • • • •   •   •   •     •    
Tastomat   • • • • •   • • •   •     • •  
Pilot 250   • • • • •   • • •   •     •    
Mobile Control Units   • • • • •   • • •   •     •    
Arteb   • • •       •   •   •     •    
Databoss   •   •           •   •     •    
Limanda   • • • • •   •   •   •     •    
CombiCard   • • •   •     • • • • •     •  
CombiSet   • • •   •     • • •   •        
Intercard   • • •         •       •        
RCP Housings   • • •   •     •     • •        
CombiBac • • • •   •     • •     •        
Ultramas   •   •         •             • •
1300 Machine Control •   • •   •   • • • • • •        
5400 Machine Control •   • •   •   •   • •            
Slim Line 2000 •   • •   •   • • • • •         •
Suspension Arm System •   • •   •     •                
4925 Support System •     •   •     •                
8850 Support System •     •   •     •                
NGS Panel Meter Housings   •   •         • • • •          
Fiberglass Watertight Cabinets   • • • • •     •       • •      
ABS Watertight Mini Cabinets   • • •   •     •       • •      
Mini Console Housings   •   •         •     •       • •
BP 819 & BP 900 F Housings   •   •               •       • •
Futura Sloped Housings   •   •           •   •     • • •
Profitronic 19 •   • • • •     • •     •     •  
Profitronic 19 Universal •   • • • •     • •     •     •  
We have attempted to present the information about our enclosures on this website in a straight-forward manner. We offer this information as accurate at the time of publication. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Rose+Bopla Enclosures is not responsible for inadvertent errors.  

©2008 Phoenix Mecano Inc., 7330 Executive Way, Frederick, MD 21704, 301-696-9800, rbinfo@pm-usa.com