EDITOR ’ S CHOICE NEW HOUSING CONCEPT
RITTAL
Smart Enclosures That Combine Great Performance & Attractive Design
By Emma Ryde , Rittal ’ s Product Manager for Industrial & Outdoor Enclosures
Machine enclosures are never one-size-fitsall solutions ; they are as distinctive as the equipment they protect . In fact , they are often custom-designed and made-to-measure - a time-intensive and expensive option .
However , there is an alternative , as illustrated by PVA TePla , a vacuum specialist company for high-temperature and plasma process technology . It employs standardised housing to protect its systems and not just for reasons of efficiency . Let ’ s be honest , enclosures are not generally front and centre in people ’ s minds .
They are typically in the background , placed behind production machines or on remote steel platforms in factory buildings . Even the largest enclosures are not usually offered star billing ; they are workhorses , providing basic support services . They need to perform , but not grab the limelight . Nothing more is expected of them . Their mission is to ensure reliable control and switching functions for industrial plant and machinery . They protect people and technology , create an ideal environment for electrical and electronic components , and help deliver stable manufacturing processes .
In the engineering industry , however , enclosures have a more prominent , highprofile role to play . They appear not just behind machines , but alongside them - or even as an integral part of them – and they play a rather different role . With the help of control displays on doors and side panels , or by means of connected control and support arm systems , they act as assistants to the ( human ) machine operator . That is certainly the case for PVA TePla , a maker of specialist machinery .
At the company ’ s large and light-filled factory in Wettenberg near the city of Giessen , its enclosures almost overshadow the equipment they serve . They are positioned at the very front and dominate the overall appearance of the machines .
The vacuum technology specialist has employed Rittal enclosures for many years ( including as a way of fully encapsulating its MOV 743 heat-treatment furnace ) and since 2019 it has deployed the new VX25 system portfolio .
“ The Rittal enclosure system allows us to build manufacturing equipment that boasts an attractive product design ; it does not have the appearance of industry or mass production . They are products that would not look out of place in your living room ,” explains Martin Kaiser , Managing Director of PVA Control .
A BETTER LOOK WITH LOWER COSTS “ The idea to employ enclosures to house our equipment came to us when we discovered , by accident , that a long-established customer had asked a metal-working expert to create a ‘ package ’ for our machines that would make them suitable for presentation in a showroom ,” states Kaiser .
For Kaiser , this was an opportunity to develop an entirely new housing concept . The proposal was to take the design of an enclosure that had always been an integral part of the plant and apply it to the entire plant and all its housing .
“ We were and remain convinced that housing a machine with a series of adjacent enclosures creates a highly attractive , consistent look-and-feel that also aligns visually with other switchgear units ,” emphasises Kaiser .
QUICKER ASSEMBLY & INSTALLATION Faster assembly and installation translate directly into cost savings for the company .
“ We generally have the housing complete in two days ,” reports Kaiser .
Enclosure Climate Control
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CLIMATE CONTROL