Product Roundup: Cabinets & Enclosures

Product Roundup: Cabinets & Enclosures

Cabinet makers have kept pace with a broad range of new demands from of system OEMs, providing everything from high-speed backplanes to space-saving hardware. Here are a few of the latest developments.

Said to be the first such OpenVPX-compliant systems on the market, the XPand1200 and XPand1300 3U development platforms for conduction-or air-cooled modules, respectively, from Extreme Engineering Solutions (www.xes-inc.com) are both designed to support a minimum of ten 0.8- or 1.0-in.-pitch slots.

The 38-lb, 8.5 x 11 x 13-in. XPand1200 features rapid I/O configuration via RTM modules, PCIe and Gigabit Ethernet topology backplane and switches, and power supply. It supports up to 550 W of total simultaneous power delivery with thermal dissipation of up to 50 W per slot. Weighing just 19 lbs with backplane and power supply and measuring 13.5 x 13.5 x 11.6 in., the similarly configured XPand1300 provides air flow of up to 20 CFM per slot and 550 W total power.

Verotec’s (www.verotec.com) instrument case family aims to combine stylish, modern design with high-level functionality and technical attributes. The enclosures are optimized for high-end instrumentation applications, but also suit telecommunications, industrial control equipment, RAID-array, multimedia, and file-server applications, The cases are available. Available as standard in 1, 2, and 3U heights, 10.5 and 19” widths and depths of 10.24, 11.8, and 15.75 in. in anthracite or light grey, the units have no visible fixings and are stackable.

The modular design also allows for custom sizes. For use in industrial environments, the units can also be sealed to IP55 by the addition of gaskets to the top and bottom covers and rubber gaskets to the corner joints. Ventilated side, bottom and rear panels can be specified. A retrofit EMC upgrade kit, consisting of tinned copper fingers and EMC front and rear panels, increases attenuation to 50 dB at 100 MHz.

The rugged WP, WC, and WA series NEMA-rated enclosures from Polycase (www.polycase.com) provide protection from the environment in outdoor applications. Available in footprints ranging from 4.5 x 2.5 in. to 10.4 x 7.3-in., the units employ silicone rubber gaskets, stainless steel cover screws, and a UV-stabilized polycarbonate material with a UL94-HB flame-rating. Designed to IP65 of IEC 529, NEMA 1, 2, 4, 4x, 12, and 13, and UL508-4x specifications, the units withstand temperatures from −40 to 120C.

The high-speed ATCA backplane with Z-plane links from Elma Bustronic (www.bustronic.com) is said to provide triple the performance of traditional versions of the ATCA architecture at a reduced cost. This is achieved using the Z-plane links, which carry long-trace high-speed signals on a small PCB that plugs directly into the rear of the backplane, while leaving basic clock signals and shorter-trace lines on the backplane itself.

This orthogonal link approach allows the backplane to have only 6 to 8 layers, versus the 18 or more layers of a traditional ATCA backplane. The Z-plane links can maintain signal integrity at higher data rates than conventional backplanes.

The TS8 disconnect module from Rittal (www.rittal-corp.com) turns any single door TS8 modular freestanding industrial enclosure into a flange-mount disconnect enclosure. The module installs in place of a standard TS8 sidewall and interlocks with the enclosure door so it functions as safe as any conventional disconnect door. The module’s compact 4-in. wide design eliminates the need for the typical disconnect door which is roughly twice that size, making it possible to meet application requirements while conserving floor space.

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The module is available in four different sizes with heights of 71 or 79 in. and depths of 16, 20, and 24 in. that accommodate popular TS8 enclosure specifications.

The ergonomic Interface-Terminal desk- and wall-mount cases from OKW Enclosures (www.okwenclosures.com) are designed for fast installation and replacement of the electronics. Target applications include medical and wellness equipment, measuring and control instruments, security systems, and point-of-sale terminals.

The cases are offered in a range of fixed and two-part configurations to suit systems that require little or frequent servicing, respectively, with the fixed cases being assembled with screws and the two-part cases having snap lock. Cases are molded in off-white ABS (UL 94 HB) and have external dimensions of 7.5 x 5.3 x 3.7 in. or 8.9 x 6.5 x 4.1 in. The top section is available closed, with a recess for a membrane keypad or 6.4 or 8.4-in. touchscreen, or open for mounting an anodized aluminum front panel.

Richard Comerford