Page 30 - Industrial Technology February 2020

DESIGN ENGINEERING

COMPACT ENCLOSURES

ENCLOSURES, CABINETS AND FANS

WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY THE
DIGITALISATION OF INDUSTRY IN MIND, RITTAL HAS DEVELOPED
TWO NEW RANGES OF SMALL AND COMPACT ENCLOSURES

illions of customers worldwide currently rely access to both price and delivery date. The data can also
on Rittal’s market-leading AE compact and be uploaded to EPLAN software engineering software and
small enclosures. Rittal, however, has raised used for downstream tasks, complete with any
Mthe bar still further by launching its new AX modifications. This substantially cuts the time and effort
and KX compact enclosure range, details of which will be needed for the engineering process.
on show at Drives & Controls 2020. The AX and KX
enclosures are both embedded with digital processes, Simple, fast, flexible and safe
delivering simpler, faster assembly and component The two latest additions to the Rittal enclosure portfolio
installation, greater flexibility and enhanced safety. contain improved features, along with new opportunities
Rittal says the launch of AX and KX marks a step-up for value creation. The time-savings start at the point of
for its top-of-the range AE enclosures. Thirty-five million delivery to the customer: panels can be removed
AE enclosures have so far been made and sold to individually because there is no need for the usual
customers around the globe over the past 50 years. But disassembly work. Doors and cam locks are easier to
even this success, doesn’t stop Rittal wanting to make install, typically without the need for tools. The wall
mounting bracket can be quickly screwed into place from
“ the outside of the enclosure, without impacting the
enclosure’s protection rating. This substantially reduces
ON A LARGER BEARING WITH A
BORE OF AROUND 900MM THE the risk of damage during transit as the brackets, which
protrude beyond the sides of the enclosure, can be
WEIGHT SAVING COULD BE IN attached on-site at the final destination.
The rising number of sensors and actuators being
THE REGION OF 400KG. deployed in the switchgear industry is, in turn, raising the
SERIOUS NUMBERS quantity of cables to be housed. The new enclosure’s
modular design – along with improved cut-outs and larger
gland plates – creates (on average) a third more space for
improvements in-line with market developments. The cables. In addition, integrated locators in the side panels
company’s focus on continued innovation, aligned with a enables the simple, precise and time-saving incorporation
determination to improve on even best-in-class products, of interior installation rails. As the rails have a 25mm
has led to this latest redesign. spacing (pitch pattern) the AX and KX can use accessories
The changes come in response to the opportunities from the VX25 portfolio, such as lights or terminal blocks.
and challenges being presented by digitalisation and This keeps the inventory of the smaller parts to a
automation in the era of Industry 4.0. “We understand the minimum, and there is no need for machining, such
principles behind digitalised industry and we have drilling, etc.
developed a new generation of compact and small Safety is a high priority for all Rittal enclosures.
enclosures in response,” explains Uwe Scharf, managing Installing components into the AX and KX leaves their
director at Rittal with responsibility for the IT and industry protection category unaltered and the same is also true of
business units. “In conjunction with the introduction of their UL certification, which is essential for deployment on
our Blue e+ range and the VX25 large enclosure system, the North American market. Overall, the new design
this means all our core products have been entirely features make the compact enclosures more robust, and
redesigned, and are fit for Industry 4.0.” ensure greater resistance in particular to dynamic loads.
Rittal provides effective support for the entire value The new product lines provide answers to many varied
chain surrounding the production of panels and needs. KX small enclosures (from 150x150x80mm) are
switchgear – from engineering to ordering to automation. ideal if only a few components are to be housed in
Its digital product twin delivers high-quality data for the terminal boxes and bus enclosures. AX compact
entire design, configuration and manufacturing process. enclosures are between 120mm and 400mm deep, with
QR codes allow all parts to be precisely identified and a maximum size of 1,000x1,400mm.
assigned. The launch of the AX and KX, brings compact For all models, there is a choice of spray-finished sheet
and small enclosures inline with this approach. steel or stainless steel. Despite the greater number of
For example, the Rittal Configuration System (RiCS) potential use cases, the total number of components and
provides customers with a fast and simple system for accessories, and as a result complexity, has been
configuring enclosures, accessories and modifications and markedly reduced.Rittal will be providing a support
an automatic plausibility check helps prevent erroneous package and assistance to customers wanting benefit from
choices. The results can be transferred directly to Rittal’s consistent data, by making the switch to the new
MORE INFORMATION: www.rittal.co.uk online shop, and this then gives the customer immediate system.

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY • February 2020
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