Polycarbonate Enclosure Manufacturers and Suppliers

Enclosures, or electrical housings, have a few common uses. First, small enclosures are often used to hide and/or protect electrical junctions from the environment, as well as protect users from electric shock. Environmental threats include rain, snow, lightning, sleet, and high winds. Second, larger enclosures frequently serve as the home of complete telecommunications enterprises. What’s more, some enclosures are used exclusively as battery backup cabinets. Enclosures can also serve as shields against electrostatic discharge (ESD) or radio frequency interference (RFI). Enclosures made from polycarbonate are highly insulative, water resistant, heat resistant, flame retardant, and impact resistant. Typically, these highly versatile electrical enclosures can still work properly in temperatures as low as -40, making them perfect for indoor and outdoor applications alike.

A polycarbonate enclosure can hold a variety of electrical equipment, including conduits, connectors, bonding and grounding connections, cables, batteries, circuits, and electrical outlets. Those customers looking for a highly specific enclosure need not worry, as polycarbonate enclosures are highly customizable. They are available with a variety of features, including exterior hinges and latches, snap latches, integrated lock hasps, formed-in-place (FIP) gaskets, molded in corner ribs, easy-to-lift removable lids, doors, and flush-fit side mounted swing panels. Polycarbonate enclosures are also available in a wide array of opaque, translucent, and transparent colors. Additionally, they can easily be modified with “knockouts,” or openings for cables and conduits. This may be done via punching, drilling, or cutting. Note that, unlike if they were performed on a fiberglass enclosure, such modifications will neither stir up hazardous dust nor damage an enclosure. Small polycarbonate enclosures are equally easy to install where needed. They may be mounted on ceilings, as is the case with many garage door openers. They may be further encased behind an access panel, a practice that is common in office buildings and apartment complexes. They may even be hidden under the floor.

Polycarbonate enclosures bought and sold within the United States are beholden to NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) standards. If they so choose, customers may, in order to ensure their enclosures meet these standards, cut out the middleman and purchase NEMA enclosures. NEMA enclosures are available for purchase in approximately twenty different grades. All enclosures, no matter their grade, are designed to prevent humans working around them from receiving an electrical shock. However, each individual grade is designed to accommodate specific application requirements common to industrial electrical settings, all the while satisfying NEMA standards. Examples of these varietal features include impact resistance, heat resistance, leak-proof/impermeable assembly, drip-tight construction, light protection, dust protection, protection from corrosive substances like acetylene and saltwater, and protection from environmental hazards like rain, snow, and sleet. NEMA types are assigned the numbers one through six, along with 3R, 3S, 3X, 3RX, 3SX, 4X, 6P and 12K. Every letter represents a non-standard characteristic or a lack thereof. X, for example, indicates additional corrosion protection, and S informs us that the enclosure can work while laden with ice, while R means that an enclosure does not protect against windblown dust.

Polycarbonate enclosures are both affordable and high quality, so their value is undeniable. They have uses in innumerable industries, such as in security and surveillance, electronics, telecommunications, music, transportation, appliance, robotics, medicine, mining, and manufacturing. To find out what standard or custom enclosure may be right for you, reach out to the reputable enclosure manufacturers around you. Make sure to discuss any space restrictions, environmental factors, or industry/regional standards, such as NEMA enclosure types standards, to which you must adhere. It never hurts to double check, but generally, all manufacturers also offer polycarbonate enclosures that meet ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standards. It is important to know the dimensions in which your enclosure will reside, because it will be of no use to you if it is too small to house your product or too large to fit into the space provided. Also, you must know if the enclosure will encounter any harmful chemicals or harsh weather, such as sleet or heavy rain, as this will help determine the type of polycarbonate out of which your enclosure must be made. Armed with this knowledge and partnered with the right manufacturer, you will be able to purchase a polycarbonate enclosure that will serve you well for years to come.

 

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