Although I have been involved with the electronic enclosure industry for nearly 40 years, I continue to be amazed at the variety of applications which require these enclosures. The application space has expanded significantly since we introduced NEMA 4x Fiberglass Enclosures a few years ago. These durable boxes are priced well below market, but provide industry leading protection. They are more durable than polycarbonate boxes with less vulnerability to cracking when struck. Some of the applications that we have seen recently include:
- In solid state lighting, the controls for the lighting need to be enclosed and often protected from outdoor or factory environments. Numerous customers find that fiberglass provides a simple solution to long term exposure
- Fiber optic distribution, again in the lighting or energy fields
- In food services, we have customers that locate their controls in the fields or barns to track production where frequent hose down or weather situations require proper protection
- Climate controls and environmental tracking industries are also a unique niche that fiberglass enclosures effectively support.
- Solar Energy collection and conversion is a growing application for these electronic enclosures as they can withstand higher heat and yet are not conductive as one finds with metal enclosures.
The market for Fiberglass enclosures is broad and rapidly growing as pricing becomes more competitive. With durable protection, limited conductivity, and hose down capabilities, they have much to offer. Don’t forget that we can modify these boxes with cutouts, slots and other secondary operations to improve assembly time and truly provide a turn-key solution.