When it comes to electronics in enclosures, heat can be very damaging in many ways!

Looking for the top thermal management for your next enclosure purchase? There are a few options that might be a worthy solution, such as air conditioners, vortex cooling units, heat exchangers, and various fan systems. Simply put, a filtered fan system can be the most cost effective method of cooling electronics in a NEMA 12 computer enclosure. This statement assumes that the ambient temperatures are not too extreme based on the recommended operating temperatures for the electronics. The website, Electronics Cooling, sums up how a filtered fan system operates, “filter fans cool enclosures… [using] the ambient temperature outside the cabinet by drawing filtered ambient air into the cabinet. At the same time, the heated air within the cabinet is blown out an exhaust vent. The exhaust is also filtered, which creates airflow resistance and a slightly higher pressure inside the enclosure.”

What toll will heat and humidity take on electronics in manufacturing environments?

When choosing a computer enclosure, it is always a good rule of thumb to determine the necessary thermal management. An enclosure that has an internal temperature of over 95°F generally calls for a cooling system that is more powerful than a filtered fan system. Ambient air flow, through a filtered fan system, will not provide enough cooling power to regulate temperatures inside the computer enclosure within the recommended operating temperatures. 

Is preventative maintenance more of a hobby or a way of life at your manufacturing plant?

Like modern medicine, the idea of proactively taking a role in the “health” of electrical equipment will provide great value to a company. If an illness is approaching, the human body has the ability to provide early warning signs. The same can be said about electronics. While the human body has the ability to cure itself of certain illnesses, if a defect appears on the plant floor with machinery, it is just a matter of time before the electronics ultimately fail. Unfortunately, electronics do not have the ability to “heal” themselves.

The majority of workers will not exert much concern for maintenance until the process is no longer working as it should. Paying little attention to corrective maintenance, on a regular schedule, will cause electronics housed in an industrial computer enclosure to not perform as well as they did upon the original installation. According to the Library at AutomationDirect.com website, “Heat inside an enclosure can decrease the life expectancy of controlling units such as your PLC, HMI, AC drives and other items. Excessive heat can cause nuisance faults from your electrical and electronic components… Heat will also change the expected performance of circuit breakers and fuses, which can cause whole systems to shut down unexpectedly.”

Many people perceive that computer enclosures are extremely expensive, but the perception could not be farther from the truth!

The initial investment may be higher than the alternative (not using a heavy-duty, tough, industrial enclosure), but the lifetime of electronics housed inside of the enclosure will be maximized when properly protected. Downtime and costly electronics replacements are never issues that a busy manufacturing facility wants to deal with, especially when problems can be prevented. Inexpensive enclosures may be appealing on the surface, but will cause problems in the future. You get what you pay for!  Expensive, vital electronics should be protected in a high quality NEMA rated enclosure to ensure the manufacturing process is up and running 24/7.

Industry standards for computer enclosures exist to promote safety, encourage design efficiency, and define minimum levels of product performance.  

If industry standards were not set in place, there would be wide variations in enclosure performance and price. More times than not, end users and system integrators do not clearly understand the difference between the standards, which leads to suppliers unable to provide products that meet necessary and vital requirements. When customers tend to focus solely on the lowest price for a product, the decision could ultimately lead to high maintenance expenses, component failures, replacement costs, and safety issues. All of this will just end up costing more money in the long run. Finding a computer enclosure that will withstand various harsh situations will actually save money, because the enclosure will last for many, many years.

The food processing industry is quite fascinating, not to mention very important! 

If you have ever watched the popular TV show “Unwrapped” on the Food Network, you were probably amazed at the amount of intricate processes involved in producing one product, like cookies or candy. Did you see the episode about producing fruit juice? The process is quite extensive and remarkable. From processing the fruit to mixing to bottling, the amount of effort that goes into making a simple drink like lemonade is more involved than one would think. 

If you plan on installing an enclosure in a hazardous area, it is always paramount to install a ‘purge system’ that will withstand harsh surroundings and meet safety or regulatory compliance.

Purge systems are available in many different sizes and configurations, so it is wise to do the proper research and talk to a company or installer who has experience with this type of system. A poorly planned or poorly executed purge system can end up causing a disaster or explosion. But, first comes first, what is enclosure purging and how can it be used to protect computers and other essential peripherals?

How to find the best purge system for the application:

What is purging?  

Purging is the process of supplying enclosures with compressed air or inert gas at the proper flow and pressure, in order to reduce the hazardous gas inside of the enclosure to a safe or more moderate level. Pressurization is the process of bringing compressed air within an enclosure to a pressure where there is no ingress of hazardous gases or combustible dust. Both purging and pressurization are required in a Class I or gas atmosphere. However, only pressurization is required in a Class II area or dust atmosphere.

The term “custom” often gets a bad reputation for translating into expensive and lengthy lead times. 

However, this is not always the case when researching the best computer enclosure for a factory or plant deployment. The importance of choosing an enclosure provider that utilizes off-the-shelf items - to customize a solution that meets the users’ needs - is critical.

The right enclosure solution is more than just simply picking out a box. Enclosures are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials with numerous options for mounting, connecting and climate control. End users and system integrators can simplify the process by choosing a customized solution that ships ready to be used upon delivery.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin

As long as the proper planning is executed from day one, finding the best computer enclosure does not have to be overwhelming. Taking the time for adequate research can - and will - pay off in the long run. Keep in mind: not every enclosure company has the same product for the same price. Various comparisons should be made between the products. One company’s spotlight product may be priced low comparatively speaking, but could have unknown fatal flaws, which could require additional time and cash if the product fails to operate correctly. What needs to be done to find the perfect solution?

Do not overlook cooling! 

Many system integrators tend to load up computer enclosures with various electronics, but fail to consider the abundance of heat that is produced - by each unit - in a sealed enclosure.

Finding a good balance between maximizing production and increasing efficiencies with electrical equipment can often be a tough task. When configuring how much equipment can be housed inside an enclosure, taking the approach of “more is better” is not always the best idea. If not properly managed, increased loads of electrical apparatuses -- plus the amount of heat produced -- can have damaging effects on the reliability of equipment.