WHAT ALUDOOR ENCLOSURES’ INNOVATION AWARDS SUCCESS MEANS FOR YOU

GERMAN INNOVATION AWARDS: ROLEC ALUDOOR HINGED-LID ENCLOSURES

Gaining a Special Mention in the German Innovation Awards for our aluDOOR hinged-lid enclosures was a very important moment. It crowned aluDOOR as the forerunner in a new generation of diecast aluminum enclosures for industrial electronics.

This plaudit is crucial industry confirmation that aluDOOR has taken the housing and protection of electronics to a new level. This means a great deal to us because right from the very start, there have always been high expectations for aluDOOR.

From day one, aluDOOR would always be compared with aluCASE – ROLEC’s original premium enclosure range, an innovative design that transformed the genre and set a high bar for future products.

Now aluDOOR has vaulted that bar – setting a new standard with technical features that build on the success of aluCASE and other ROLEC diecast aluminum electronic enclosures.  Many of those new features centre on the lid but aluDOOR also has something else to offer…

IP 68 INGRESS PROTECTION FOR ALUDOOR

Robust aluDOOR now provides IP 68 ingress protection in addition to the IP 66, IP 67 and IP 69K ratings that are a feature of so many enclosures in the ROLEC range IP 68 means that an enclosure can be fully immersed in water to an agreed depth greater than the 150 mm to 1,000 mm specified for IP 67 enclosures. In the case of aluDOOR, this depth is 1.2 metres for two hours.

For the record, aluDOOR’s other IP ratings offer ingress protection based on the following tests:

• IP 66 – protection against temporary flooding. The test is based on 100 litres of water per minute at a pressure of 100 kPA from a distance of three metres. The test lasts three minutes.
• IP 67 – the enclosure is immersed in water 150 mm to 1,000 mm deep for 30 minutes.
• IP 69K – protection against high-pressure, high temperature spray downs from close range.

All four ratings – IP 66, IP 67, IP 68 and IP 69K – also offer complete protection against the ingress of dust. This is what the first digit (the ‘6’) signifies; the second digit (‘6’, ‘7’, ‘8’ or ‘9K’) describes the level of protection against water ingress.

aluCASE also offers high levels of ingress protection: IP 66, IP 67 and IP 69K – but not IP 68. If you want ‘better than IP 67’ protection against immersion in water, then aluDOOR’s IP 68 rating could be the crucial factor that sets it apart.

ALUDOOR’S SHARED HERITAGE WITH ALUCASE

Let’s summarize the technical features that are common to both new aluDOOR and tried and tested aluCASE. First and most obvious are the clip-on trims that conceal the assembly and mounting screws. Both models can be installed ‘lid closed’ – protecting the electronics and seal when the enclosures are being secured in place in difficult conditions. But from then on, there are differences. Some of these are obvious, some are more subtle…

WHAT MAKES ALUDOOR DIFFERENT

Let’s start with the attention to detail that has gone into designing aluDOOR’s lid and hinges. Its progenitor aluCASE features integrated lid supports (or hinges that can be specified as an accessory). Both these options ensure the lid stays attached to the main body when the enclosure is open. After all, no-one wants to drop the lid during a tricky installation.

But advanced aluDOOR ups the ante with very strong hinges that come as standard. The lid with integrated hinge pin is pushed into place then secured with two tamperproof Torx T25 (M5) screws. Once closed, the lid is then locked down with two more T25 screws. Put simply, the hinges and securing screws are designed to be tough. The screws are stainless steel and so are the threaded bushings – ensuring secure closure even under extreme conditions.

aluDOOR’s integrated hinges allow the lid to open 100°, offering easier access to the electronics inside. Meanwhile, the lid can be specified either with or without a recess for a membrane keypad, front plate or product label. This is a departure from aluCASE (and many other ROLEC enclosures) which offer only a recessed lid – with no flat lid option as standard.

Meanwhile, the seal is a continuous foamed-in polyurethane gasket that provides better ingress protection because it has no join: there is no weak point. This ensures that aluDOOR remains waterproof and dust tight, as certified by its IP ratings – the best of any ROLEC enclosure to date.

All these attributes make aluDOOR ideal for a wide range of demanding industrial applications including factory automation, sensors and detection, ship technology, railway systems, machine control, robotics and flow metering.

WHAT CAN ALUCASE DO THAT ALUDOOR CAN’T (YET)?

Both models are premier enclosures so they both have a lot going for them. And as you’ve already read, aluDOOR is the new model that builds on the solid design principles pioneered by aluCASE. But aluCASE can still offer a few important choices that aluDOOR cannot.

First and foremost is the sheer size of the aluCASE range; aluDOOR can be specified in 10 sizes as standard – but for aluCASE that number is nearly 30, making it virtually treble the size of the aluDOOR range. However, that’s hardly surprising, given how long aluCASE has ruled the roost: there has been plenty of time to add new standard sizes to meet ever-growing demand. Two aluCASE sizes also include a transparent lid option – not something that is available as standard for aluDOOR.

There is also the color of the clip-on trims that hide all the fixing and mounting screws. On aluCASE, they are optionally available in red (RAL 3020), blue (RAL 5017) or anthracite (RAL 7016), in addition to the standard window gray (RAL 7040). With aluDOOR, there is less choice – the trims are either matt silver or anthracite.

SPECIFY CUSTOMIZED ENCLOSURES READY FOR YOUR ELECTRONICS

All ROLEC industrial electronic enclosures can be specified fully customized – whether they are manufactured from diecast aluminum, GRP or other tough plastics such as ASA+PC. Our services include machining, engraving, custom colors (powder coating or wet painting), display windows, assembly of accessories, and photo-quality printing of legends, logos and graphics.

This means your enclosures arrive ready for the installation of your electronics, enabling you to increase production efficiency and shorten time to market. As an industrial enclosures specialist, ROLEC can carry out all this customization work in-house. This ensures quality and accountability – and saves you time and money.

GET EXPERT TECHNICAL ADVICE ON INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONIC ENCLOSURES

Get specialist advice on the best sealed enclosures for your industrial electronics. Contact our expert team.  And see ROLEC’s high quality for yourself – ask about requesting samples.