SPECIFYING THE BEST ELECTRONIC ENCLOSURES FOR DIGITALIZATION

FACTORIES OF THE FUTURE

Digitalization is transforming manufacturing with enhanced product quality, reduced reworking, greater efficiencies and improved health and safety. But this is just the start. Industrial augmented reality, unmanned trucks, collaborative robots, and blockchain for ERP and supply chain management will come to represent best practice in the factories of the not-too-distant future.

Huge amounts of real-time data are the lifeblood of the continuous improvement process at the heart of this exciting new vision. That means intelligent, versatile and scalable systems: smart technology housed in advanced and easily customisable electronic enclosures designed to cope with IIoT’s challenges and capitalise on its opportunities.

PLASTIC ENCLOSURES FOR MOBILE TRACKING SYSTEMS

Mobile tracking has become an indispensable part of industrial and everyday life – enabling users to locate, coordinate and optimise using GPS in applications including logistics and fleet management. Sensors needed to collect the vast amounts of data must be housed in enclosures that suit a wide variety of locations and scenarios.

In IIoT, versatility is key when it comes to sensor enclosures. There is little point in specifying one enclosure for wearables and another for clip-on sensors when one well-designed housing can handle both tasks – so you benefit from economies of scale.

BODY-CASE

BODY-CASE (IP 65) is at the forefront of OKW’s wearables offering, a wristwatch-style housing that fits a standard 18 mm strap, can be clipped to a belt, suspended on a lanyard or attached to a key ring. That handy ring option means the enclosures can be clipped instantly to anything mobile that needs tracking – not just human workers. And there are lots of docking options so it’s very easy to charge multiple units at once.

View BODY-CASE >>

MINITEC

Award-winning MINITEC is equally well suited to the demanding disciplines of smart factories (even though it pre-dated them). Like BODY-CASE, these smart wearable enclosures offer a wide range of mounting possibilities – belts, straps, lanyards, and the crucial key ring for clipping to products in transit.

But this time the range is much bigger with far more standard permutations, thanks to a wider choice of shapes, sizes, intermediate rings, colours and materials (ABS or infrared-permeable PMMA). Like all OKW enclosures, MINITEC can be customised – but it’ll need less work because there are so many standard choices, so the modification process is faster and the finished enclosures can be shipped quicker.

View MINITEC >>

ENCLOSURES FOR DIGITAL CONTROL TECHNOLOGY

Enclosures destined for digital control should be able to cope with a wide variety of applications, such is the ubiquity of this technology. But whatever the task, there are some common requirements – whether the controls are to be found in an Industry 4.0 smart factory or a large public building.

Good control enclosures should have large flat surfaces to accommodate a display, controls and all the various input and output interfaces. But they should also be compact and easy to operate or maintain.

SOFT-CASE

SOFT-CASE features a wide format design with soft ergonomic contours, making it perfect for handheld, desktop or wall-mounted electronics that require a touchscreen or display. It is available either with or without a battery compartment (2 x AAA, 2/4 x AA, 1 x 9 V) as standard. There’s also a choice of intermediate rings – soft-touch SEBS (TPE) for comfort or PMMA for infrared remote control applications.

View SOFT-CASE >>

RAILTEC B/RAILTEC C

RAILTEC B and C DIN rail enclosures offer a time-honoured solution to a broad spectrum of digital control challenges in the commercial and industrial spheres. Both ranges feature a vast array of connection, configuration and ventilation options – along with an equally large choice of accessories (terminal blocks, plug headers, lids, front panels, terminal guards and wall suspension elements). Accessories for RAILTEC C DIN rail enclosures and open PCB holders also include frames and adapters.

RAILTEC B

View RAILTEC B range >>

RAILTEC C

View RAILTEC C range >>

ELECTRONIC ENCLOSURES FOR INTELLIGENT GATEWAYS

Seamlessly integrating applications into an IT infrastructure often requires gateways tasked with the smooth transfer of data. Typically, larger wall-mountable enclosures are needed to accommodate the electronics.

NET-BOX

NET-BOX (IP 65 optional) provides an elegant solution. All the connectors are hidden under the easily removable front cover. None of the fixing screws is visible from the front (just two on the underside).

There is a three-point wall mounting system with no need to open the main electronics section after installation; only the front lid has to be refitted. The underside opening can be closed off with an optional infill cover.

View NET-BOX range >>

SMART-TERMINAL

SMART-TERMINAL is one of the new generation of OKW enclosures that combine extruded aluminium and advanced plastics in perfect harmony. High-end finishing ensures these smart, modern enclosures are attractive as well as tough.

The extrusion-based construction of these enclosures offers lots of advantages. There are no visible fixing screws on the main aluminium case body (and the few on the sides are buried deep within the recesses, rendering them virtually invisible). Furthermore, the extrusion can be cut to any length – making it easy to specify longer or shorter enclosures.

All connectors are protected by the deeply recessed side covers. These lava grey ASA+PC-FR covers sit snugly in soft-touch green TPV seals, giving IP 54 ingress protection. Accessories include a wall suspension element and a case canting kit for desktop use. A VESA bracket is also available on request.

View SMART-TERMINAL range >>

PLASTIC ENCLOSURES FOR UNIVERSAL DATA LOGGERS

Data loggers can measure a wide variety of parameters – temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, UV radiation, pressure – and store the information digitally for seamless monitoring and documentation. They need resilient, ‘go anywhere’ enclosures that offer good ingress protection in a wide variety of environments.

MINI-DATA-BOX

MINI-DATA-BOX (IP 65) is OKW’s newest enclosure model. It’s a smart, robust and compact sensor housing that can be specified either with or without flanges. These flanges enable rapid installation with either cable ties or screws.

Fit MINI-DATA-BOX to walls, ceilings, rails, masts or tubes quickly and easily – anywhere that sensors are needed in a modern digitalised environment. The diamond-cut top adds elegance and reduces weight, while the all-round tongue and groove joint helps to ensure strength.

MINI-DATA-BOX is available in two shapes – S (square) and E (edge/rectangular) – which together offer 32 standard permutations based on plan size, height, colour and flanges. All the enclosures are moulded from UV-stable ASA+PC-FR (UL 94 V-0).

View MINI-DATA-BOX range >>

EASYTEC

EASYTEC (IP 65 optional) is an alternative to MINI-DATA-BOX – it’s another flanged, fast-fit sensor enclosure that can also be cable-tied or screwed in place. But this time there’s a curved recess in its bottom section that makes it even easier to attach these housings to rails or poles.

These ASA+PC-FR (UL 94 V-0) enclosures are available in four plan sizes, each in two heights. Inside there are two PCB levels (top and bottom), maximising the amount of space available for components.

View EASYTEC range >>

SMART-BOX

SMART-BOX (IP 66) is one of our best protected plastic enclosures for industrial electronics. It is moulded from ASA+PC-FR (UL 94 V-0), offers a high ingress protection class, and includes technical features that make it perfect for challenging indoor and outdoor environments:

• Separate channels for the lid screws and fixing screws mean the enclosures can be installed ‘lid closed’ – protecting the seal and electronics. This is a feature usually associated with diecast aluminium electronic enclosures.
• Retaining straps prevent the lid from being dropped when it is unscrewed and open – perfect for installations at height.
• Hinged trims conceal the fixing and lid screws, complementing the enclosures’ rounded, ergonomic design.

View SMART-BOX range >>

SPECIFY CUSTOMISED ENCLOSURES FOR DIGITALISATION APPLICATIONS

All OKW standard enclosures can be specified fully customised – so they arrive ready for the installation of your electronics. New technology makes customisation viable for smaller batches.

All modification work is carried out in house. Services include CNC machining, lacquering, printing of legends and logos, laser marking (ideal for individual labelling and very small machine-readable codes), EMC shielding and installation/assembly of accessories.

View customizing services >>

FURTHER READING

• Doubling Down On Sensor Enclosures: New MINI-DATA-BOX. Read more…
• View our full range of enclosures for IoT/IIoT
• High Performance Plastic Enclosures For Measuring, Control and Automation Electronics. Read more…
• How To Specify Customised Plastic Enclosures For Your Electronics. Read more…
• Your Guide To Specifying Enclosures. Read more…

CONTACT US, REQUEST FREE SAMPLES

Request samples of OKW enclosures – see for yourself which would be best for your electronics. Contact us for more information.