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Tri Tech Automation, an automation partner with nearly 75 years of experience serving the engineering needs of American manufacturers, utilized a Rittal modular solution to overcome challenges with a motor control center application for a customer in the biofuels industry.

According to Forbes, U.S. data centers use more than 90 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, requiring roughly 34 giant (500-megawatt) coal-powered plants. Global data centers use about 40% more than the entire United Kingdom. That’s a lot of electricity, and a lot of heat being generated in the process. Cooling is a critical component of the data center ecosystem – and a major line item in a data center’s budget. In fact, as much as 40% of all energy used in some data centers goes directly to cooling.

As your engineering team researches enclosure options, a primary consideration should be labor costs for performing basic tasks, including mounting panel installation, door reversal, lock replacement or in-cabinet maintenance. Safety is another consideration. Due to the weight of the enclosure, many maintenance crews require heavy equipment like forklifts or cranes to move and install enclosures. It’s important to note that choosing between unibody or modular enclosure designs greatly impacts the resources needed to perform and support these tasks.

When designing a compact enclosure, material selection matters. The materials you chose will impact the lifespan, functionality, and performance of the sensitive electronic and automation components housed within the enclosure. You can’t afford to put any of that at risk. Enclosure materials include a range of metal and non-metal options, including carbon and stainless steel, fiberglass and polycarbonate.