Protection for sensitive components

This integrated enclosure, called the Little Glass House, is designed specifically to protect sensitive components. It combines a load-sized air conditioner unit with an on-line UPS that provides cooling protection during a power outage, access security, cable management, and SNMP communications, allowing it to become an intelligent network peripheral. The lockable housing provides a virtually airtight and soundproof vault for critical equipment.

Operator interface with flat panel

Daisy Data's new 2700 Series rack-mountable operator interface is available with a 10.4 or 12.1-inch flat panel display. Both versions feature the company's flat screen technology, available for Class I and II, Division 2 hazardous areas. The technology offers high resolution (640x480 for the 10.4-inch model; 800x600 for the 12.1-inch model). Available models support standard 19-inch racks.

Special modification? Just name it.

Recognizing that approximately 40% of all non-metallic electronic enclosures require some sort of modification, Stahlin Fiberglass Enclosures has just introduced the Modright(TM) Enclosures Modification Program. The program, says Teresa Ramirez, technical sales manager for Stahlin, provides customers with choices in cutouts, holes, windows, vents, countersinking, latches and locks, and non-standard sizing-direct from the factory. "The benefit to the design engineer is that he or she can design product right off our CAD drawing [downloadable from Stahlin's website at www.stahlin.com] from the start, eliminating any guesswork," she says.

T-frame reduces design cycles

"We start from the end product and work our way back," is how Standard Products Manager Michael Long describes his company, Tracewell Systems, and how it differs from the competition. That philosophy is reflected in one of the company's newest products, the Tracewell T-Frame(TM) for CompactPCI H.110, which the company showcased during a recent visit to Design News. By solving challenging measurement, control, and board accessibility problems during development, the T-Frame reduces design cycles and time to market, says Long. "We don't take a standard box and try to customize it to a particular application," emphasizes Long.

Latch integrates form, function

Just introduced at the Hannover Fair in Germany in March, DIRAK's new swing-handle incorporates both form and function in a single design. Compatible with all products in the DIRAK modular system line, the compact latch reduces the classic "keyhole" look of the profile cylinder to a single circular element. The handle is both water and dust-proof, in compliance with IP 65 (NEMA 4/12) specs. "The new dustcover is much more secure," says DIRAK's Michael Reiske. One of the biggest challenges, he says, was providing for higher security without increasing the cylinder body beyond 40 mm.

Modular enclosure is light but strong

After testing more than 80 different profiles, design engineers at Rittal selected a figure-8 shaped profile for its new, patented TS 8 top enclosure system. "This design best met the objectives of frame symmetry, strength, material reduction, backward compatibility, and manufacturability," says Walter Nicolai, who headed up the team to develop a next-generation modular enclosure system. Its parent, the PS, was introduced in 1985 and continues to be a best-seller today. While higher strength was not a specific goal of the designers, the lighter-weight TS 8 is 30% more stable than the PS, in both bending and bending with torsion. "With the help of CAD and FEM calculations, we were able to produce a design that meets the contradictory requirements of lower weight and high stability," says Nicolai.

Subracks provide max flexibility

"The goal here was to provide telecommunications design engineers with a number of different subrack options," says Eric Guiol, vice president sales and marketing for Schroff GmbH. Scroff introduced new technologies at the Hannover Fair, including the RATIONAL model, which comes with integral 19-inch mounting flanges and accommodates boards up to 280-mm deep. Engineers will particularly like the SPECIAL model, which also comes with 19-inch mounting flanges, but is offered as a cost-effective alternative to other subrack designs. All of the subracks meet applicable international standards, including IEC 297, and IEE 1101.10. The platforms can be ordered in 3U-9U and metric height sizes.