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The test labs in your organization are bound to be filled with custom enclosures. Whether you're building the lab from the ground up or reworking one to better suit your next project, you'll need plenty of enclosures to populate your control/test systems needed to analyze your work. One of the first steps in the designing process is choosing the right metal for your custom enclosure.
In this blog post, we will examine some factors to consider when deciding which metal is the best choice for your project. Following that, we’ll review each of our metal options in detail so that you can make an informed choice when starting your next design.
A variety of factors will come into play when deciding which material is right for your unique design:
Environmental Conditions
If you’ll be using your custom enclosure for testing outdoors, you’ll want to choose an ultra-durable, corrosion-resistant metal, along with the proper finishes.
One of the biggest factors to think about when choosing the right metal for your custom enclosure is corrosion resistance. Metals will corrode at different rates when exposed to heat, UV light, harsh chemicals, or moisture.
Aesthetics
Of course, for any enclosure you design, particularly in the prototyping stage, function should always trump form. However, having an aesthetically appealing and professional-looking prototype could be the difference-maker when seeking approval and buzz from your colleagues, stakeholders, and prospective clients.
Each of our metal options offers their own unique strengths when it comes to aesthetics, to help you along further, we offer a wide variety of custom finishing options too. Most metals will be visually in-discriminable if the same finish (particularly powdercoat) is applied. The right combination for your unique project can truly bring your design to the next level visually.
Weight
Weight can also be a crucial factor in determining the most suitable material for your custom enclosure. As an example, when building your test lab you'll often have your custom enclosures stacked on a rack, one on top of the other. If the enclosures are too heavy, it could cause some serious chaos and unwanted damages.
So, the weight of your enclosure could end up being a very important consideration, especially when factoring in the additional weight of your electronics/components once you’ve completed the final build.
The Metals We Offer
Now that we’ve reviewed all the different factors that will go into the decision-making as you complete the preliminary work of designing your custom enclosure, we can now examine each of our stocked sheet metals, and their best use cases.
Cold Rolled Steel is ideal for general purpose indoor enclosures. However, it will rust if not coated, so bare metal and grained finishes are not recommended. It can be extremely durable indoors when finished with powdercoat. However, it is not inherently corrosion resistant. Cold Rolled Steel will degrade quickly in harsh or wet environments and is therefore not ideal for outdoor use. It is a very stiff metal compared to aluminum. For its structural integrity, it is an excellent cost-effective option.
Stainless Steel is the premium solution to corrosion resistance. This is because of its chromium and nickel content. However, that chromium and nickel come at a cost and makes Stainless Steel more expensive than Cold-Rolled Steel, Aluminum or Galvanneal. It is a great choice general purpose enclosures when corrosion or aesthetics are a concern.
Aluminum is corrosion resistant and lightweight. Its lower stiffness will require a thicker gauge to match that of steel. Finishing options include bare metal, grained finish or powdercoat. If electrical contact is required in your design, the aluminum must be chem-filmed (chromate coated). Chem film can also increase the durability of the Aluminum. Anodizing can be completed to provide a durable oxide coating. Consider Aluminum where minimum weight and/or corrosion resistance are your key priorities.
We carry two different kinds of Aluminum, 5052 Aluminum – H32 and 6061 Aluminum – T6. For sheet-metal parts, 5052 is preferred, as the metal can bend to a tighter radius than 6061 without cracking. For CNC machined enclosures, 6061 Aluminum is ideal, because the material is softer and more is easily milled.
Galvanneal is a low-carbon steel that is coated with zinc and then annealed in order for the zinc to bond into the substrate, via diffusion. This prevents it from flaking off when formed or bent. The finish acts as a primer and thus easily adheres to paint, while also creating a rust-proof surface. Overall, Galvanneal offers good paintability, corrosion resistance, and formability.
5. Copper
While we do offer Copper within our sheet-metal offerings, it is very rarely used as the material option for an enclosure. Copper offers excellent electrical conductivity; however, it is extremely soft and thus not ideal to form an enclosure.
Customers typically use Copper for bus bars or miscellaneous parts. Contact us to discuss your options.
Conclusion
When designing a custom enclosure for your specific prototyping/testing projects, it’s important to start on the right foot by choosing the metal that will best suit your unique needs.
To recap, here are a few good questions to guide you:
With so many available options for materials and types of enclosures, it makes it difficult to decide which electrical enclosure will work best for your application. To help you make this decision we have listed 10 Facts You Must Know.
Where your enclosure will be located and what it will be exposed to are the most important considerations to be made while determining which enclosure type will work best for you and your application. All enclosures have different needs based on its location and what could harm your equipment.
An electrical cabinet installed inside a factory may come into contact with chemicals, corrosive materials or it may be positioned near very hot equipment, such as furnaces or ovens that could also heat up your electrical components.
An outdoor enclosure is vulnerable to Mother Nature; heat radiation from the sun, strong winds and heavy rain during thunderstorms, high summer temperatures and maybe even snow.
Thankfully, once you have pinpointed the risks to your equipment you can use NEMA ratings as a guide to determine which type of cabinet will withstand the environment it’s placed in.
According to their website, “The National Electrical Manufacturer’s Association (NEMA) provides a forum for the development of technical standards that are in the best interests of the industry and users.”
NEMA ratings standardize product specifications while establishing performance criteria, or in other words, their ratings make sure that consumers are buying the correct enclosure to safely house their electrical components based on its environment and the type of equipment inside.
Depending on which material the enclosure is constructed out of, it may only qualify for certain NEMA ratings.
Some materials are stronger than others when it comes to durability and impact resistance. It is important to consider whether or not your enclosure is in danger of being run into by a vehicle or hit by falling heavy equipment. The resilience of your cabinet may save you from downtime due to an accident in the future.
Another thing to consider is security. Is your enclosure at risk of being broken into? Is there expensive equipment inside that needs protection? A sturdier material will make intrusion more difficult or even impossible for burglars.
Some enclosures are easily modified to fit the specific needs of consumers or OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). If modifications must be made to make the enclosure a perfect fit for your application, be sure you’re purchasing an enclosure that is constructed with a material that allows for easy fitting and cutting of holes for wiring components.
If standard enclosures will not suit your needs, it is possible to have your cabinet custom made to fit your exact specifications.
Read Enough But Still Have Doubts?
If your electrical cabinet will be exposed to high heat loads, it may benefit from an enclosure cooler. It goes without saying, high heat loads mean trouble for electrical equipment. Too much heat can cause system failures and premature equipment break down.
There are many versatile options perfect for any application. To learn more about enclosure coolers, “What is Enclosure Cooling? (A Colossal Guide to Becoming an Expert),” goes into great detail on how to determine which cooler will work best for your application, as well as, how the different systems work.
Designing your enclosure with cooling in mind will save you from costs down the road if you allow for easy modification.
Some materials, like polycarbonate, are typically only used for smaller enclosures. Steel is a popular option for large enclosures.
For more information, please visit Rdekono.
Some enclosures will be hidden, out of sight from employees and the general public and how they look isn’t a concern. Then again, some electrical cabinets require a little more finesse to be more appealing for building design and aesthetics.
Some materials can be painted any color, while some have shiny, reflective surfaces making them more appealing to the eye than other options. Certain enclosures allow for the addition of clear windows, making it possible to view electrical components without having to open any doors.
Many cabinets are required to be mounted on walls for best application use. Bulky and heavy materials will make this more difficult.
For example, if something made from polycarbonate weighs one pound, it will be the equivalent of one and a half pounds if made from fiberglass, two pounds if made from aluminum or six and a half pounds if made out of steel.
Many materials will meet the requirements you need for your electrical cabinet, but the price may also influence your decision. Some materials are affordable when in a smaller size, but when needed for large enclosures can become quite expensive. The price range per material is usually the following:
For any size or budget, there will be an enclosure that will work well for you and your application.
Polycarbonate (Plastic) Enclosures
Polycarbonate is a fancy word for plastic. It is the lightest option for enclosure material.
Polycarbonate is the easiest material to modify, holes can easily be drilled to accommodate for on-site modification. It will not deteriorate due to UV exposure. Plus, it is also resistant to corrosion and some acidic environments. However, it is highly sensitive to abrasive cleaners.
Plastic is non-conductive and non-magnetic, making it ideal for use with sensitive equipment that is affected by metal. Plastic will not block radio waves which makes it perfect for enclosures that house Wi-Fi emitting components.
These enclosures have a clean look and include the option for transparent panels. The optional windows allow personnel to view electrical equipment without having to open any doors to the enclosure, an advantage for components in particularly harsh environments where even limited exposure could prove disastrous.
Pros:
Cons:
NEMA Ratings – 1, 2, 3, 3R, 3S, 4, 4X, 5, 12, 13, 6P, 12, 13 & Marine Use
Aluminum Enclosures
Aluminum is amongst the oldest type of enclosures. It is a readily available material that is lighter than its cousin, steel, which is also used in enclosure construction.
Aluminum is sturdy, capable of withstanding high impact and has high malleable strength, making it great for irregular shapes or designs. Aluminum enclosures are easier to modify than other metals.
Aluminum performs well in harsh environments, the alloys are naturally resistant to corrosion and rust. It is also resistant to UV light. However, it is thermally conductive and will trap heat. This may require powder coating to help control the heat load.
Aluminum is one of the least electrically conductive metals and has some the highest electrical resistance. In most instances, aluminum is non-reactive to magnetic force. These qualities make it excellent for enclosures that need a shield against electromagnetic frequency (EMF) and radio frequency interference (RFI).
Aluminum will not swell or deform and has a consistent quality finish. It is easy to paint or coat and the scrap is recyclable and valuable.
Pros:
Cons:
NEMA Ratings – 1, 4, 4x, 12, 13
Stainless Steel Enclosures and Carbon Steel
Steel is the standard material choice for many industries and it’s easy to see why. It is highly durable and is corrosion resistant, moisture resistant and chemical resistant. It is the strongest of the material options, able to withstand the greatest amount of impact while maintaining aesthetics.
Carbon steel and stainless steel are both used for enclosure construction.
As the name states, carbon steel is steel that has been bonded with carbon. People also commonly call it “mild” or “wrought” steel. It can easily be painted or powder coated. A lighter color can make enclosure’s internal temperatures up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than unpainted cabinets in the same environment.
Stainless steel is steel mixed with chromium and nickel. The addition of nickel makes stainless steel especially temperature tolerant. This means it will maintain material integrity even at very high and very low temperatures.
Stainless steel is non-porous, making it bacterial and fungal resistant. This type of steel is particularly suited for food manufacturing and medical applications.
Pros:
Cons:
NEMA Ratings – 3R, 4, 12, 13
Custom Enclosures
Custom enclosures offer excellent quality and are built exactly how you want it.
ISC offers custom electrical enclosure solutions for a wide range of industrial and commercial applications. The units are constructed using the finest aluminum, stainless steel or domestic carbon steel available.
Stainless steel enclosures come with a brushed finish, while all carbon steel products have a powder coating finish.
All custom-made models are UL, cUL and CSA approved and adhere to both NEMA and the Joint Industrial Council standards. Custom designs are engineered and manufactured with the support of CAD/CAM technology along with a team of experienced design engineers.
Cost and lead time are the only negatives.
Optional Enclosure Accessories:
For more information, please visit Custom Enclosure Solutions.