Aluminum Enclosures
Lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and protective, aluminum electrical enclosures have a lot going for them. Used in various applications, these enclosures often hold NEMA 4X ratings, which means they're suitable for environments exposed to water, dust, and corrosive substances. Their aluminum construction makes them sturdy while still allowing them to look good in both indoor and outdoor installations.
These enclosures are provided with features such as aluminum continuous hinges, gasketed seals, and tapped mounting holes that make it easy to install them while protecting your equipment. They are usually found housing either electrical or instrumentation systems. The environmental hazards that might threaten such components will not get through these enclosures. Easy access is vital for anything operated by such components, and wide-opening doors or lids usually serve that purpose.
More Information about Aluminum Enclosures
Aluminum instrument enclosures come in a wide selection of sizes and styles and can be tailored to meet a variety of industrial and commercial needs. They are high protection and high customization enclosures. The seamless construction and sealed areas of aluminum electrical enclosures provide a high ingress protection rating (IP65, at least), which makes them suitable for use in a variety of operational environments, including wet areas. With several finish options and the potential for additional components such as flanges and mounting brackets, these enclosures can accommodate a variety of applications.
FAQs
Are aluminum electrical enclosures models UL listed and NEMA type 4X rated for use in machine and manufacturing applications?
Yes, aluminum electrical enclosures are often UL listed and NEMA type 4X rated, making them suitable for machine and manufacturing applications where corrosion resistance and environmental protection are required.
Can aluminum covers come with tapped holes and non-welded seams?
Yes, aluminum covers can be designed with tapped holes and non-welded seams to provide a secure fit and flexibility for various applications.
NEMA 3R, 4, 4X Enclosures
Electrical enclosures are cabinets that are designed to house electrical components. Their main function is to protect the components, as well as to protect the operators from electrical hazards. Enclosures are typically made of solid plastics, fiberglass and metal materials, such as carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum.
One of the most important things to consider when selecting an electrical enclosure is the NEMA rating. NEMA stands for National Electrical Manufacturer Association. They have developed a rating system which determines the types of environments an electrical enclosure can be used in.
NEMA 3R Enclosures
The NEMA definition of a 3R enclosure is as follows: ‘Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts, to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against Ingress of solid foreign objects such as falling dirt, to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the Ingress of water, rain, sleet or snow, and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.' NEMA 3R enclosures provide adequate outdoor protection while providing significant cost savings over NEMA 4 and NEMA 4X enclosures.
NEMA 4 Enclosures
They provide all of the same protections found in the NEMA 3R enclosures with two additional protection elements, protection against wind-blown dust particles and protection against hose directed water. NEMA 4 enclosures provide this additional protection using a gasket material to prevent water or dust from entering the enclosure, while the NEMA 3R enclosures rely on enclosure design and gravity to assist in diverting water and dust.
NEMA 4X Enclosures
They provide all of the same protections found in the NEMA 4 enclosures with one added protection element, corrosion resistance. NEMA 4X enclosures are typically made of either stainless steel or fiberglass.