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Industrial environments

EMI protection and mounting

EMI protection and mounting

Industrial areas are also prone to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio-frequency interference (RFI). Interference and noise from EMI/RFI creates unwanted signals that may interfere with network performance.

Devices for industrial applications are usually built to withstand higher EMI than those intended for office or data centre use. Chassis are usually shielded, and EMI signals can be absorbed by using capacitor-based circuits or through special coatings as well.




Mounting

Components for office or data centre use are usually either freestanding or mounted on 19” rails in a cabinet or rack. Industrial devices, on the other hand, are usually panel mounted by bolting them to a flat surface, or they may be DIN rail mounted.

Mounting in Industrial Environments

DIN rail is an industry-standard metal rail, usually installed inside an electrical enclosure, which serves as a mount for small electrical devices specially designed for use with DIN rails. These devices snap right onto the rails, sometimes requiring a set screw, and are then wired together.

  

Many different devices are available for mounting on DIN rails: terminal blocks, interface converters, media converter switches, repeaters, surge protectors, PLCs, fuses, or power supplies, just to name a few.

A standard DIN rail is 35 mm wide with raised-lip edges, its dimensions outlined by the Deutsche Institut für Normung, a German standardisation body. Rails may be cut for installation. Depending on the requirements of the mounted components, the rail may need to be grounded.

NEMA ratings for cabinets

Enclosures designed to protect components against contaminants are a way to safeguard industrial devices.

These enclosures are usually NEMA rated to describe the amount of protection they provide.

There are many numerical NEMA designations, but the most relevant ones are NEMA 3, NEMA 3R, NEMA 4, NEMA 4X, and NEMA 12. Read our Black Box Explains for more information on NEMA ratings for enclosures.




Solutions for industrial environments